Soft opening latch for an automotive vehicle

1 . A method comprising:

positioning a ratchet with a compartment door in a closed position with a cinch lever, a cinch actuator and a pawl in a home position so the ratchet is closed with a striker fully engaged;

activating the cinch actuator to engage the cinch lever to hold the ratchet in a fully closed position while maintaining the pawl in the home position;

moving the pawl to an open position while maintaining the cinch lever in an engaged position to hold the ratchet with striker in the closed position;

returning the cinch actuator and the cinch lever to the home position resulting in the ratchet moving from the fully closed position to a secondary position while returning the pawl to the home position;

positioning the ratchet in the secondary position and the cinch lever, the pawl, and the cinch actuator and cinch lever in the home position;

releasing the pawl to the opened position;

moving the ratchet to a fully opened position to allow the striker to release from the ratchet; and

engaging the ratchet with the cinch lever at the engaged position.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the compartment door comprises a hood.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the compartment door comprises a frunk door.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the compartment door comprises a trunk door.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the compartment door comprises a passenger side door.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein positioning the ratchet with the compartment door in the closed position comprises engaging a tooth of the ratchet with an engagement wall of the pawl.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein moving the pawl to the open position comprises moving the pawl to the open position using an electric actuator.

8 . A system for releasing a compartment door having a striker comprising:

a cinch lever;

a cinch actuator coupled to the cinch lever;

a latch comprising a rachet and a pawl coupled to the compartment door in a closed position while the cinch lever, the cinch actuator, the ratchet and the pawl are in a home position, and the ratchet is closed with the striker fully engaged;

a controller programmed to activate the cinch actuator to engage the cinch lever to hold the ratchet in a fully closed position;

said controller programmed to move the pawl to an open position;

said controller programmed to return the cinch actuator and the cinch lever to the home position to move the ratchet from the home position to a secondary position while returning the pawl to the home position,

said controller programmed to control a release actuator configured to position the pawl in the home position while the ratchet is in the secondary position

said controller programmed to control the release actuator to release the pawl to the opened position to cause the ratchet to move the latch to a fully opened position releasing the striker from the ratchet;

said controller is programmed to retract the cinch actuator while maintaining the pawl in the home position;

engaging the ratchet with the cinch lever at an engaged position; and

the controller is programmed to move the pawl to the open position while maintaining the cinch lever in the engaged position to hold the ratchet and the striker in the home position.

9 . The system of claim 8 wherein the compartment door comprises a hood.

10 . The system of claim 8 wherein the compartment door comprises a frunk door.

11 . The system of claim 8 wherein the compartment door comprises a trunk door.

12 . The system of claim 8 wherein the compartment door comprises a passenger side door.

13 . The system of claim 8 wherein, when the latch with the compartment door is in the closed position, a tooth of the ratchet engages an engagement wall of the pawl.

14 . The system of claim 8 wherein the controller is programmed to move the pawl to the open position by controlling an electric actuator.