My hood doesn't want to latch

[morglan]

The latch mechanism is fine - apparrently the cross member in the hood that locks into the hood release mechanism now seems to be just a little too far from the mechanism to activate the latch.

I've noticed this degenerating gradually without giving it much thought, but it has been getting much worse. I've had to repeatedly slam the hood harder and harder to get it to latch, and today, not even that would work. (Fortunately, I took some pliers and was able to slightly rotate the cross-member, and that worked--for now.)

To add insult to injury, I guess I must have a short in the instrument/taillight circuit, because the force of slamming the hood shut seems to have blown that fuse twice now.

Is this common? Is there an easy fix?

Thanks!