Mostly pressurized with gas that helps keep the weight of the hood in a near vertical position when opened so that checks and repairs can be carried out in the engine bay area, the hood strut lives a hard life and like the suspension struts, eventually gives way and needs to be replaced.
On the Lexus ES 330, this is not quite often though – all thanks to Toyota’s exceptional build quality.
However, after about 150,000 miles, it is not uncommon to see these struts fail, especially if the vehicles they are fitted on experience frequent opening and closing of the hood (like is common with a determined DIYer).
This article focuses on the signs of a failing hood strut (or struts), why these struts fail in the first place, the tools for changing the struts when they eventually fail, and finally, how to take on the procedure and come out like a champ – feeling great and having the process all done.
The procedure outlined here was carried out on a 2006 Lexus ES 330 – with only one hood strut. However, the process will be identical on the Avalon, Solara, and Camry of similar years (and even models either older or way newer).
Beyond the Toyota/Lexus marque, the process will also be similar (albeit with little model-specific variations) on most imports, especially options from Asia.
Finally, for the visually inclined, a video is worth a billion words (a photo is just a thousand, remember?) Accordingly, thus, there’s a video of the entire process, shot and narrated by yours truly – right before this article comes to a close.
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Table of Contents
Signs It’s Time to Change the Hood Strut(s)
Like most parts on an automobile, hood struts don’t just fail. When their time with you is up, they first give you ample indications that they are done with being part of the motoring reality.
When these signs begin to manifest (whether or not you have the single strut system – like the ES 330 or the dual strut system like the ES 350), it is best to begin to think about a replacement and set aside a budget for the same.
And, if you’re thinking they can be refilled and reused, the answer is a NO. They can’t and they need a replacement when they’ve gone bad (which is inexpensive, BTW, especially if you do it yourself). That is not to say if you’re determined to get them filled, you can’t.
However, for the price of a brand-new one, it just doesn’t make sense even to attempt this.
So, here are the telltale signs you’ll soon be missing your old hood strut(s) sooner than later.
1. A Hood Strut That Needs to Stay In Place With Help
The very first sign of a hood strut that needs to be changed or a set of hood struts that need to be replaced ASAP is when, after opening the hood, you have the clearly visible need to still support it in position.
Struts that are on their way out will need help staying in place. This is occasioned by the loss of the pressure in them that must be right for them to function as designed.
Hood struts that are rightly pressurized simply hold better and are firmer in the hand too, either when opening or when closing the hood.
If you’re paying attention, however, the effects will be more in the attempts at holding the hood in the near vertical position (this is when the strut(s) work the hardest to achieve their prime objective.
2. Hood Struts That Won’t Go All the Way up When Left Halfway
The second sign of a hood strut (or hood struts) in need of replacement is a hood strut (or struts) that won’t go all the way up when left halfway opened.
Powered by gas under pressure and sealed shut by a seal, the constant pressure in the narrow cylinder of the struts easily pushes the strut(s) up to the full extent allowable by the strut design when opened and left only halfway.
If you notice that you need to open your hood all the way up before it stays in place, this is a clear indication of the beginning of the loss of pressure in the little cylinder of the struts and a call for replacement, sooner than later.
The good thing about this test is that it can easily be executed and conclusions reached by even a complete newbie to the automotive world or the paradise that is DIY.
3. Hood Struts That Fail and Then, Work Again
Finally, hood struts that appear to fail, work, and then for some unexplainable reason, fail again should be considered due for replacement.
My experience with (and resulting theory) of this sort of erratic behavior is that when warm, the failing seal ‘rejuvenates’ itself sort of and the less than-pressurized gas takes some sort of ‘boost’ from the heat and then attempts to behave as though all is well (doesn’t make much sense, I know. This is simply what I experienced and haven’t bothered too much with thinking about it).
This is especially true with a hot engine from a long trip and the entire bay basked in heat.
Be wary of such sudden sorting of themselves, however: I’ve had a hood strut come on my head when I was trying to run some inspections under the hood. Learn from my experience and do not be deceived that a hood strut that has failed will magically work again with a replacement.
Struts that are in perfect working condition will have the pressure in their cylinders resist even a push of the vehicle on semi-decent roads. If for any reason the hood now comes down before the time you had appointed for it, and then, appears to fix this erratic behavior on its own again, you’re certain to be looking for a replacement sooner than later.
Why Hood Struts Fail
Hood struts are wear-and-tear items much like the regular struts on your suspension. Accordingly thus, after a plethora of opening and closing of the hood, the pressure the gas in the strut’s chambers ensures is lost, usually due to a seal that has failed.
With the failure of this seal, the pressure of the gas therein drops dramatically and the weight of the hood becomes way too much for the dropped pressure to hold it in pre-failure positions.
At this point, you’ll have to support the hood with your hand, a prop stick, or if it still manages to hold when warmed up, risk having it come slamming on your head as I have experienced in the past 🙂
Tools and Duration of Changing the Hood Strut on a Lexus ES330
DIY is fun and the idea of riding in the vehicle you repair yourself is quite intoxicating. However, without tools, at least, basic tool, this process can be a pain in the butt and a major challenge.
This is why it is very important that this section exists. Outlined below are thus the tools needed for this task.
Tools
- Small flathead screwdriver.
- A prop stick to help the hood stay in place; actually, I prefer having an assistant hold the hood for me while I perform this (more on this later).
- A replacement hood strut, specific to this model. (This isn’t the one used in the video; this was researched and got off Amazon to make the process a little easier for you if you need to purchase one.
Duration
Handling vehicle repair in a DIY fashion is often in phases: from the beginner (at the start, to the intermediate (after a while) to the advanced (after many years of wrenching and improving on the overall business of wrenching).
These phases, actively determine the time it takes to complete a task. For instance, an advanced DIY person may take about 10 minutes to complete a task that will take a beginner over 40 (or more) minutes to complete.
That said, for the absolute beginner DIY person, this task should take 10 minutes max (or, slightly less).
Skill Level
Not every car repair project can be handled by every DIY person. Sometimes, by nature of the complexity of the process, it is extremely difficult or nearly impossible to have some persons on the ‘DIY ladder’ handle some of the challenges that might need handling on a vehicle.
The good part?
This repair/replacement process can be handled by anyone on the DIY ladder, from the absolute beginner to the professional who takes apart engines, fixes them, and re-assembles everything back, ensuring the motor fires on its first crank.
The Procedure of Changing the Hood Strut on an ES 330
The very first thing to do when you’re interested in getting to change a bad or weak hood strut on your ES330 (300, Camry, Avalon, or Solara) is to hold the hood in place, with a prop stick.
Unfortunately, I have a bitter experience with this as the prop stick I attempted to use simply slid off and if not for the gift of quick reflexes, I would have had the hood crashing on my head 🙂
Instead, I found out that getting an assistant to hold the hood in place while I performed this replacement was a much better alternative than getting my head hit by a several pound weight hood (insider clue: the hood is quite heavy once the struts come out. The weight might shock you).
With the issue of the hood staying in place sorted, the next thing you’ll need to do is to pry out the retaining clips around the neck of the old strut with a small flathead screwdriver. Usually, the clip snaps or comes out on the first attempt. However, if it does not, keep on at it, it doesn’t take much to get away with it.
Once one of the retaining clips around the end of the old strut is out, repeat the same process at the other end, effectively taking out the bad strut in its entirety (by pulling away from its attachment points.
Done with the old struts, simply align the new ones at both ends and flush them in, manually. If they are faced the wrong way, play around with the threading and align them facing the right angle before flushing them in by hand.
Test the hood by lowering it halfway and leaving it: it should spring back to its upright, open position or at the very least, remain in the position it was left.
Checked?
Congratulations! You just successfully changed the hood struts of your Lexus ES 330. Or, Camry. Or Solara. Or, Avalon.
A Video Depiction of the Process…
A photo, it is said, is worth a thousand words. In the DIY world, a video is worth a billion.
If you’re a visual learner or generally prefer videos, here’s everything the article has said, reduced in one simple-to-understand video.
Enjoy the wrenching process!
Summary
Changing the hood strut on a vehicle, especially a Toyota or Lexus is a piece of cake or a walk in the park.
It is also something that is also DIY friendly – and can be done in less than 10 minutes, even on a Monday morning, right before you jump into your vehicle for work.
The good part? Almost zero tools are required: just a small flathead – which you most likely already have.
Good luck with the change and remember that a clean hood makes such ‘hood inspired’ works more mentally exciting!