help bonnet stuck shut

[S70JPS]

Posted this in general but the car is a 2005 7 series. Tried to open the bonnet and nothing from the plastic catch. took the handle off and ratched it around a few cogs assuming the cable had stretched. no joy just broken splines on the plastic handle. How can i get the bonnet open? I'm driving 1000 miles next week and you can garentee i'll need some washer fluid. To add insult to injury after the last service the bonnet popped on the motorway. Main dealer response was that it may have been over lubricated. That was two months ago!! Help please.

[EDLT]

Not had to do it on a BMW, but usually you'll have to access it from underneath removing stuff until you can reach the catch.

EDIT - Can you pop the bonnet from inside the car or is that the bit that is broken? If so try and get to the cable directly and pull it, again you'll have to remove a lot of plastic.

Edited by EDLT on Saturday 13th October 13:11

[joebongo]

Was a common problem on e38. Kidney grille out etc, lots of write ups on the web

Edited by joebongo on Saturday 13th October 21:14

[S70JPS]

Just going to take the handle inside the car off and try to pull the cable. Can't see how i can get the kidney grill off from otside?

[S70JPS]

No joy!!

[E24man]

Mole grips on the cable inside the car and pull like buggery.

[maniac886]

Have a look at this thread.

[smiler5870]

if its anything like my e36, pop the off side indicator out, you can then reach in and pull the bonnet cable

[TallPaul]

And maybe get someone to push down on the bonnet to take the tension off the catch as you try to pull on the cable.

[4key]

E24man said:

Mole grips on the cable inside the car and pull like buggery.

+1 if it is the handle inside the car that has broken. Pliers, grips anything that you can wrap the cable around. The handle might be broken because something else is buggered though.

[inman999]

Probably not relevant but on the E30 you could use a long screwdriver through the grill to pop the catch, took about 2 seconds but if you didn't know about it you could have faffed about for hours.

[Jordan Rich]

TallPaul said:

And maybe get someone to push down on the bonnet to take the tension off the catch as you try to pull on the cable.

This. Often happens on Discos if the bonnet has been put back on at a dodgy angle.

[chongwong]

maniac886 said:

Have a look at this thread.

in particular, this video in it http://www.flickr.com/photos/28107540@N02/39579891...

[S70JPS]

Going to try the method on the video. How do you pop the indicator out?

[chongwong]

S70JPS said:

Going to try the method on the video. How do you pop the indicator out?

sorry, don't have a clue... can you push it from the back? maybe feel around behind it for any fasteners?

[S70JPS]

Booked in on Friday. Thought if I got it open and needed parts I would only have to close it again to go to work. Just hope the washer fluid will last the 700 miles on the agenda for the week. Thanks for the tips at least I know the garage are not taking the proverbial.