A cable fails by fraying inside its sheath, which produces a pedal or lever that feels rough and then sticks. Lubricating a frayed cable is a temporary fix; the strands will break and the cable will jam.
Listings state the length, the end fittings and whether the cable is for a specific position. Hood release cables in particular are listed as the handle section or the latch section, because most vehicles use two.
Routing matters as much as the part. A cable that is fitted with too tight a radius will bind, and the resulting drag is often misdiagnosed as a failed latch or a failed pedal assembly.
