Front hood latch popping out on road bumps

[wkrtsm]

The car just got out of the collision shop and has new OEM front hood and OEM latch. However, the hood is popping out after about 30 min of driving due to bumps. I have turned out the pinion about 4 times after various test drives, and the latch does quietly click when closing the hood. The latch is also well greased up with a red grease on it from the shop.

Is there a general rule of thumb for what to adjust when this happens? Possible ideas are move the hood back on the hinges, forward, or unbolt the latch and try to tighten it down when positioned up more/down more? Or look at the cable connection?

Please don't say take the car back, because I could. However, I am seeking DIY answers, as I typically do my own work.

[Peter Graham]

Replace broken rear deck t-handle: same adjustment procedure.

[wkrtsm]

It appears that the cylindrical latch post (encircled by the spring) needs to be centered in the hole. I have not looked at that and will use some tape to see what is going on. The hood is seating on the weatherstripping evenly, and the gaps between the fenders and the hood are equal.

[wkrtsm]

The front hood latch post is directly centered on the hole, and the latch mechanism can be seen sticking into the whole about 3/16". I noticed a lot of excess grease inside the groove on the post that's visible when depressing the spring, and therefore wiped that out. I think fundamentally there is good reason to grease up the mechanisms below (inside) the latch where the latch slides, but to have it all over the post, especially in the groove that accepts the latch is overkill, and may be causal.

If front and rear hood latches work fine after 50 years without being overly coated with grease on the post, then there's no reason why grease has to be all over the post of a new latch. The moving parts are under the latch cover, where the latch mechanism slides in its channel. I don't think the spring and post of a new latch need to be covered with grease.

My guess is that grease was overly applied to where it's not really needed. Kind of like caking grease on a disc brake drum when it's only needed internally when packing the axle's roller bearings.