Have had no serious trouble with mine but the whole system needs to be kept lubricated. I use aerosol spray grease which is thinned to avoid blocking the spray head with the thinner quickly evaporating away after grease has spread. I regularly coat the pins and socket area and also the locking plates underneath from time to time, accesible with spare wheel removed. The operating cable for the catch passes through a right angle guide which causes stiffness in release lever operation. Oiling this is extremly difficult due to lack of access but working a liitle oil in from underneath socket helps. Worth checking with hood released and help, that operation of release lever moves each sliding lock plate equally and smoothly when viewed from above through sockets.
As suggested pushing down on back of hood to momentarily reduce the tension on spring loaded pins aides release but adjustment of pins is important as well. Screwing in or out a fraction of a turn allows each catch pin to engage with just a little further downward travel being available to aid release. You should be able to feel the smallest amount of further compression available against pin spring and hood tension. This will aid release whilst still providing positive rear hood rail location. If the hood tension is inadequate when locked down at rear, the hood material to front rail tension can be increased by loosening locknuts each side and turning complete catch one full turn such that it still accurately engages with windscreen side catch.
