truth or lies?

[rick111s]

ok.
i've got an issue with my tuscan which after two attempts the dealer cannot seem to get right imo.

basically the front bonnet (not sure if this is the correct term but the area with the fans etc) the offside catch is extremely hard to open. this was how i bought the car from the dealer approx 3 months ago. anyway 2 months ago i have the rear cans sleeved and asked them to look at how tight it was. which they said they did and it was better.

but still it's really hard to open and you have to really force it. then the nearside would not close at all. so when the car was there a week or so ago for something else i again asked them to do it. when i picked the car up they told me that it was fine and there was a correct way to open the bonnet.

start with the nearside then the offside catches. after speaking to several tuscan owners i find that they have never heard of this and due to the actual center catch being nearer to the offside they start there. lastly when you press the button to release the catch which you then pull to open the centre part my catch only open a few millimeters and you end up really working hard to try and find the edge to pull back but on a few other tuscans their catches open up a few cm's making this easy.

so basically i dont feel that they have put this right but i could be wrong so please please can someone confirm if this is correct as per above or if i'm being told not the correct info.

i dont want to phone up and moan if the above is correct but if it not then i really want to get this sorted. it's making checking the oil etc a very hard and long job.

thanks



Rick

[bjwoods]

go to dealer, compare with another tuscan at dealer ?

[NCE 61]

The way I was shown by my dealer was to first open the centre catch which should move about 1cm, then you will see the bonnet spring up slightly 2-3mm. Then the pull open the off side catch then the nearside which is logical as the bonnet stay is that side.

[Cyberhuss]

it should be real easy and simple! push the button down which flips up the little lever, then pull the little level thing up which unlocks the center pin at the top (middle) of the bonnet, then just softly pull the pins on the side (left and right) of the bonnet up, takes me around 10 or so seconds..

[Big Al.]

Easy on mine, the pop up latch is nice and proud when release button is depressed.
Drives side first then the passenger side, now this used to be a b'stard!
Suggested fix.
With the service bonnet open lower it down so that it just sits on the catches.
See if the ball sits in the centre off each ball grab socket. If not, as was the case on the passenger side on mine, release the locking nut and screw/unscrew to align the ball with the grab socket. When aligned, retighten lock nut.

Takes about five minutes to do and check.

Hope that make sense and sorts your problem.

[justinp1]

Cyberhuss said:

it should be real easy and simple! push the button down which flips up the little lever, then pull the little level thing up which unlocks the center pin at the top (middle) of the bonnet, then just softly pull the pins on the side (left and right) of the bonnet up, takes me around 10 or so seconds..

I second the above. Contratry to what you might think, you have to do it in the above order to get it to open on most Tuscs (waits for all the people who own Tuscs and they can get the bonnet open a different way...).

A couple of times in the first few weeks of ownership where I had overheating problems and needed to top the water up once a journey and looked a prat each time until I read the manual and worked out the right order!

[Bitter'n'twisted]

Mine has been generally fine (easy to open) for the last 3 years.
However, the little catches (sockets or whatever) have become dry once or twice
making it difficult to open. So I put a tiny bit of oil on each of the
sockets and they were ok again for 9 months or so.

[rick111s]

my catch only opens a few mm so you really have to get your nails under the edge to lift it up to unlock the centre pin. the offside catch is really stiff and have to push on the actual bonnet with one hand whilst pulling on the bonnet with the other.

the dealership is 120miles round trip so traveling if not easy.

[rralston]

Big Al. said:

Easy on mine, the pop up latch is nice and proud when release button is depressed. Drives side first then the passenger side, now this used to be a b'stard! Suggested fix. With the service bonnet open lower it down so that it just sits on the catches. See if the ball sits in the centre off each ball grab socket. If not, as was the case on the passenger side on mine, release the locking nut and screw/unscrew to align the ball with the grab socket. When aligned, retighten lock nut. Takes about five minutes to do and check. Hope that make sense and sorts your problem.

I had this on mine when I first got it! I thought I was going to snap the service bonnet! Once the balls are re-aligned it's simple to open/close.

Also, with regard to the catch, if you can get a friend over, undo the main bonnet nuts and take the main bonnet off. Underneath is the lack mechanism. Flip the bonnet over onto some dust sheets. Loosen the cable tension a bit usung the two nuts, which will allow for a bit more travel so it's easier to get you hand around the lever.

All in it takes about 45mins for the first time.

[jamessim]

Rick,
I had this very early days, the problem was that the bonnet stays had become a litle bit loose, they had to be re-aligned when closed which meant a spanner being grinded flat to fit between the bonet and locknuts, it took a bit of fiddling when the were loose, to get them in the right position.
But when and since they were tightened they haven't come loose again.

Best of luck

James Sim.