Bonnet Release Kaput

[Lukas]

Okeydokey, so I finally got around to looking at the engine of the newly acquired dark blue 6.9, and am immediately stopped by the bonnet release not working. The little lever on the passenger (left) side footwell side wall moves about with a little resistance and over its full travel, but the bonnet does not release.

Any ideas?

Am guessing there is a cable somewhere - is it possible to reach under the front somewhere and pull this cable?

Ta

Lukas

 

[TJ 450]

It's not really possible to get at it from the grille area, but you could try removing the handle from the base of the A pillar inside the car. Once removed, you can pre-load the cable and it should open.

Tim

 

[Styria]

Hi Lukas, Tim's pretty right - I've not yet worked out a method of opening the bonnet or pulling the cable from the frontal area. As Tim says, dismantle the lever arrangement (take note of how it is put together !) and then pull the cable with a pair of hefty pliers. That should open it, but if it doesn't, you may use some force "in the grille area" and the outcome is not nice.

I did destroy a grille on a 108 as there was no other way of opening the bonnet. Regards Styria

 

[John S]

Have someone press down on the front of the bonnet to release the preload while you pull back the release in the car, may find it then opens and you can the adjust the cable length under the bonnet.

 

[Styria]

Hi JohnS, that's drawing the long straw., but certainly a hope against hope that it might perform the 'magic trick' - mind you, stranger things have happened. Regards Styria

 

[Styria]

Hi Lukas, did you ever manage to work out a way of getting that bonnet to open ? I recently had the situation where I could not open the boot lid on Chris P.'s Astral Silver 6.9 he bought off me.

In the end, I finished up going to Michel's shop and Jerry, his panel man, managed to open it. But, it was close ! Regards Styria

 

[Lukas]

Apologies, I should have replied earlier. Did manage to get it open, by removing the carpeted panel that sits around the bonnet release lever. With the panel removed, the lever has a little more travel, which was enough to get it to pop.

With the panel removed, you could also access the bonnet release cable, but it would have been awkward to pull it with some pliers or such - I couldn't even get my pliers in there enough to grip the cable, due to the tight space.

Long term fix will probably be to get a new cable.

As an aside, I managed to ding the little panel that is between the bonnet and windscreen, by leaving something sitting there while closing the bonnet. Bonnet lip sandwiched the thing, and hey presto - panel damage. Stupid of me, especially as I could see it happening beforehand, but left it anyway.

 

[TJ 450]

There is the provision for cable adjustment at the catch end, just like a standard Bowden cable. You would only need to replace it if it was binding or stretched beyond adjustability.

Tim

 

[Styria]

Hi Lukas, follow Tim's advice - it's spot on. I am glad you managed to open it. Regarding pulling the cable - once it is disconnected from the lever under the dash, you can in fact get a sturdy pair of pliers onto the cable. Regards Styria

 

[chrisp]

Hi Lukas, did you ever manage to work out a way of getting that bonnet to open ? I recently had the situation where I could not open the boot lid on Chris P.'s Astral Silver 6.9 he bought off me.

In the end, I finished up going to Michel's shop and Jerry, his panel man, managed to open it. But, it was close ! Regards Styria

I have had this problem also - was thinking I was just being a buffoon because eventually it just worked, but I guess something might need fixing / adjusting at some point...

 

[Styria]

I have had this problem also - was thinking I was just being a buffoon because eventually it just worked, but I guess something might need fixing / adjusting at some point...

....you might just be ! I must admit I've not had problems with opening the bonnet during my ownership of Wilhelm (the conqueror ?). Regards Styria