URGENT HELP: Bonnet won't open, any other way? 8P S3

[Boydie]

Guys,

Recently I have noticed that my bonnet has been harder to open via the lever under the dash.

This evening, I went to try open the bonnet but alas, the latch would not disengage!!

I don't want to yank at it too much because I will break it. I can hear the latch at the bonnet end moving slightly but it still is not opening.

Anyone any idea's or experience (without contacting the local hoods) how to open the bonnet by other means??

Will call into Audi tomorrow and ask their advice......

Thanks

 

[Troubs12]

hi i work in a vw dealer and we see this problem quite alot its the catch thats corroded shut have you tried getting someone to push/pull (bang) the actual bonnet near or on top of the catch while someone works the release lever once you get it open you need to get the catch changed as soon as possible as in the worst case you have to get at the 3 screws behind the grill hope this helps

 

[Boydie]

Thanks mate - I will try after dinner.

I have the bonnet open on a regular basis and I notice every difference about my car so I will be surprised to see if it is corroded :-(

I will let you know.

 

[paddy]

Get someone to push down on the front over the catch while you pull the lever.

 

[Boydie]

My girlfriend is too scared lol

 

[paddy]

Trade her in for a more useful one :thumbsup:
Often if you get the weight off the catch it moves more freely.

 

[Khufu]

Yup, need to try to work it as mentioned above. Once opened (fingers crossed) plenty of WD40 while you repeatedly work the latch open & closed with a screwdriver.

 

[Troubs12]

to be honest they do corrode for a passtime but as Khufu said above spay the c"£$ out of it and test it by flicking over the catch with a screw driver and pull the cable tho it also could be the rubber stops are too far out and need turning in a turn or two as that would make it sit up higher and put more strain on the catch just a thought

 

[FranA3]

common problem on the mk5 golf too mate i bet its corroded as said get someone to either bang on the bonnet or push it down to try and release the catch then as said once opened lub the hell out of it

 

[yuan2211]

this happen to mine it turned out the cable between the lever and latch was faulty though

 

[NCRAW]

It amazes me to see such issues with our cars when a Lada from 1980 still goes on with no hiccups. I know our cars are more complex but for godness sake keep the simple stuff simple VW. No complex: Cup holder mechanisms, golvebox mechanisms, boot release, bonnet release, steering racks, window regulators, over sensitive electrical system etc etc. Just keep it simple man!!

We dont need a cup holder to flip 360 deg and then does a triple somersault before opening like the one on the Polo.

 

[Jonny54]

We dont need a cup holder to flip 360 deg and then does a triple somersault before opening like the one on the Polo.

Haha quality moment.

Im rebirthing this thread due to noticing my bonnet catch was a little stiff. I had this issue with my Mk5 as well so took out the catch and lubed it up... as it happens it now wont re open the bonnet when it was fine before just stiff!!

Haha. Gona try the banging procedure. In my mind it was my plan B but just wanted to check what others had done.

Thanks guys

 

[Jonny54]

Problem solved. Easy! As it happens the bolt holes leave room for height adjustment on the height the bonnet sits from the bumper. I had lowered those settings haha.

But to future bonnet catch fitters be aware that you need to loosly fit the 3 bolts then hold the catch from underneath and push up as you tighten.

Jonny54

 

[Y111_PJL]

How did you manage to open the bonnet?? I've the same issue at the minute and haven't been able to get under the bonnet for 2 weeks now!!

Tried the stuff mentioned, banging down on the hood, forcing screw drivers in and even trying to get to the catch from under the car!

As we know these cars are oil burners... and at some point I'm going to need to top it up!

HELP!?

 

[leeds2592]

Mine was like this an I managed to open it with the use of lots of WD40 and someone pressing on the front of the bonnet whilst I was pulling the latch inside. Took a while but got there in the end.

When you eventually get it open, give inside the mechanism a good spray with WD40 as they seem to get filled with gunk and stick in the shut/open position.

 

[Jonny54]

I got someone to push down on the bonnet. This takes the pressure off the un lubriacted catch.

Then I wiggled the release handle until they felt the click and it popped up how it would usually.

I had to replace the catch on my mk5. That was only 30 quid or so..

 

[lakers1234]

For anyone that ever experiences this problem again and suspects that it's the bonnet cable not having enough tension to release the lock, get yourself a piece of metal rod, you'll probably have one lying at home or in your garage...If that fails, just go to a Garage or metal place and ask them for a bit of scrap rod. Make a hook on the end of it (You don't need it to be too heavy duty, but needs to be strong enough so that it doesn't bend too much when you try it)...

Get your torch out....

Get on your knees at the front of the car and shine your torch through your main grill to where you think the bonnet cable goes into the bonnet locking mechanism. You should be able to get a glimpse of the cable, if not.... then keep swiveling your hook around in there until you get hold of the cable. Then pull firmly, and your bonnet should release.

The experience I had with this was on a 55 plate A3 sportback. The bonnet cable actually comes in two halves, connected to a plastic bit in the middle. Sometimes what happens is, if you yank the bonnet catch too hard from inside the car, the cable from the inside catch to the plastic divider between the cables, breaks off, and then you're left with only the cable from the plastic divider to the bonnet lock,,, hence why this process will be useful in that case.

 

[Deze2014]

2 weeks ago a van reversed ever so slowly in to the front of my sb ever since that I haven't been able to open bonnet not a scratch in sight on the bumper/front main grill although at the time my sline fog grills were abit out of place however I did just push them back into place I managed to get the van drivers number last week and he's agreed to pay a bodyshop to open my bonnet then once that is done take of the bumper and see if there is any damage but I asked the body shop what they going to do in terms of opening it up and they don't have much idea never had this problem with my bonnet latch before

 

[lakers1234]

2 weeks ago a van reversed ever so slowly in to the front of my sb ever since that I haven't been able to open bonnet not a scratch in sight on the bumper/front main grill although at the time my sline fog grills were abit out of place however I did just push them back into place I managed to get the van drivers number last week and he's agreed to pay a bodyshop to open my bonnet then once that is done take of the bumper and see if there is any damage but I asked the body shop what they going to do in terms of opening it up and they don't have much idea never had this problem with my bonnet latch before

Try what I have said. sometimes bodyshops or mechanics exaggerate the difficulty of a job to put it off or get more money out of you. So, just try, if it fails, they may need to cut a whole into your bonnet in the area just above the catch,,, then release it that way. A bodyshop had to do this for me a while back and then I had to buy a new bonnet... But that's last resort

 

[pantha]

just to throw it out there... cables stretch and ultimately fail. If, the catch is corroding or getting stiff, and you continue to used the bonnet latch, you will further stretch/fatigue the cable...would it not be wise to replace the bonnet release cable too?? (If it's been happening for a while?)

Also, if the release is NOT sticky, but you find that it only releases at the very end of the lever's travel, check the cable adjuster (Does it have one?) and if it is already all the way out, then it's definately a stretched / fatigued cable, that will, no doubt, snap soon enough?

 

[S73V021]

I had this problem, recently bought a audi a3 2007. My bonnet mechanism stopped working took a trip to scrap yard to get another one, got that fitted, it locked (buzzing) unlocked (buzzing) the it didn't, I read the this thread and rather than not wreck my grill or bumper, I went with the long winded approach and found out if u remove the skid pan and bottom of bumper u can get underneath the car and the area u are looking for is between the two fans, I had a reached up and found d the lose release cable. (******) felt around and could feel the eye that the bonnet cable fits too, it's tight for space and u will can't scrapped on ya forearms (I got burnt twice because my car was still not quite cooled down, eventually freed the latch after much fiddling, I used a bike tyre remover, worked wonders, on the second time of doing this, because it got stuck again I released it and removed the rest of the torx screws from the top of the bonnet, yes I had to remove my bumper and pan but I ain't used a garage (money saved ) I do t have a clue about cars so learning as I go, so if your cable snaps, or bonnet stays shut after trying to release, then try this method because it was a lot easier than draining my rad pack and moving all that, I don't have any damage to grill or bumper and I ain't had to contact a specialist or pay another man to do the job I quite easily can, novice diy car maintaince #audi a3

 

[S-lineDazA3]

Guys,

Recently I have noticed that my bonnet has been harder to open via the lever under the dash.

This evening, I went to try open the bonnet but alas, the latch would not disengage!!

I don't want to yank at it too much because I will break it. I can hear the latch at the bonnet end moving slightly but it still is not opening.

Anyone any idea's or experience (without contacting the local hoods) how to open the bonnet by other means??

Will call into Audi tomorrow and ask their advice......

Thanks

had this problem on mine today , so went about trying to get in and did it with not much hassle

My guess is that this is a real commen fault with these cars
What's probably happened is the cable has just come away from the bracket it sits on so it just can't release it properly
The cable probably isn't stretched and probably nothing needs replacing so deffo worth a check at this first to save u a few quid and time and hassle from a local garage or before you start damaging your car .....

Get yourself a set of ramps , look up to where the cable is situated and try and grab hold of it with your hand
, give it a good pull it should release your bonnet , you don't need to stretch it but a good yank should open your bonnet without stretching the cable ......

To fix it ,
Get three cable ties
1 Medium size
2 small size ones
Open your bonnet now you have it released
Look over the top of the catch and you will see a plastic cover attached to the cable
This needs re sitting on its two main brackets!!
and cable tied to hold it in place again once there

The rear needs two small cable ties
The one nearer the catch , also needs a cable tie
but !
slid through the small slot on it before pushing it back up into place again !!
It should now work for you and stay in place giving you access again ...

Pics of how I did mine are shown as a guide for anyone having this same problem, the catch is a small release part on the back side of the hinge as shown in the pic


My car is a 1.6 fsi s-line , but you should be able to reach this cable from the under side of your car on any size engine once you navigate past the pipes air con etc
The 1.6 has a good amount of clearance but I can't see you not being able to see the cable through gaps in the bay
Hope this helps anyone with similar problems ...