Bonnet catch not working - Help please!

Bonnet catch not working - Help please!

Author
Discussion

culabula

1 posts

131 months

Sunday 28th April 2013
quotequote all
Thanks a lot guys. Goa'uld u got the best manual. . Since I spend lots of time on the beach kitesurfing, my lock was full of sand and rust. In the garage had been told I need a new lock.. After turning the lock upside down cleaning and spraying lots of wd40 (almost washing it in it smile ).. . To be short my lock works better than before, nice and easy.

velocitas

225 posts

158 months

Monday 29th April 2013
quotequote all
It's probably a bit late now but I used to have the same problem on a MK5 GT TDI. It was always brought on by me pulling the relase handle up too far. Just try pulling it barely half a cm to open the bonnet and not all the way up - sorry if that sounds condescending but it's true.


Pints

Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Monday 29th April 2013
quotequote all
culabula said:
Thanks a lot guys. Goa'uld u got the best manual. . Since I spend lots of time on the beach kitesurfing, my lock was full of sand and rust. In the garage had been told I need a new lock.. After turning the lock upside down cleaning and spraying lots of wd40 (almost washing it in it smile ).. . To be short my lock works better than before, nice and easy.
Make sure you get some decent grease now and grease it up, or the same will happen again.
That's what happened to me.

bjcressey

6 posts

129 months

Monday 10th June 2013
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Think I've finally solved this one and I'm pleased to say, it's easier than you'd think.

I'm also working away and use a mk 5, 2004 Golf as my daily. I've got limited tools here and today discovered than I couldn't close the bonnet. No amount of wiggling, gentle shutting, slamming or jumping up and down was going to latch the bonnet shut.

The problem felt like the bonnet was bottoming out before the latch could engage properly. I poked the latch down with a screwdriver to see if it was a build up of crap that was preventing the lever from locking in the closed position. Whilst it is very dirty, the lever would lock in the closed position and could be released using the lever in the foot well. If you can also pass this test, read on.

The latching mechanism appears to drop slightly, meaning that the bonnet is bottoming out before the latch can engage properly. Simply remove the two star-drive screws and 2 x central clips holding the grill in place as explained above (a flat head screwdriver of the correct size can be used if you're extremely careful as I didn't have the star-drive bit either). Gently remove the grill by lifting upwards, ensuring that you do not damage the lower clips.

You should now see the 3 x star-drive screws securing the mechanism. Loosen these and you'll see that the mechanism can wobble around lots. This is the problem as it means the mechanism can drop too low. Lift the mechanism as high as you can and tighten the 3 x star-drive bolts to secure it.

Try closing the bonnet before you re-fit the grill to ensure that this has cured the problem. Gentle closing of the bonnet is advisable. If successful, refit the grill carefully and secure with the 2 x previously removed star-drive screws.

Please note that this is for guideline purposes only and users should proceed at their own risk.

Good luck

carlshton

7 posts

125 months

Tuesday 15th October 2013
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Goa'uld said:


(cut)

Edited by Goa'uld on Wednesday 19th May 11:39
Thanks for this post Goa'uld - I followed the instructions, and after a bit of persuasion it was pretty easy to sort! I didn't even need to replace any parts, just strip down and clean. I've even printed this section out and stuck it into my Haynes manual! smile

bnewsom

1 posts

124 months

Friday 29th November 2013
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Thank you Goa'uld for your excellent post. My wife dragged me out of bed this morning at 7.30 on my day off to fix this exact same problem. Sent her to work in my car and just spent the last 3 happy hours up to my elbows in grease. Fixed it though and no replacement parts needed, just a petrol soak and re-greasing. Getting the pull cable back in place was a bit fiddly so anyone else who tries this after me make sure you take a good look (or photo) of which way round it goes so you can put it back correctly.

Lairdsman

1 posts

99 months

Wednesday 30th December 2015
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Thank the lord for folks like Goa'uld....a first class person in every respect....a clear and accurate soloution to a really problematic fault....especially as on my MK V Golf the wipers are disabled when the bonnet catch is on the fritzz!!

Now fully greased up...... should see me out.....

well done Goa'uld....well done !!

Pints

Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Wednesday 30th December 2015
quotequote all
Lairdsman said:
Thank the lord for folks like Goa'uld....a first class person in every respect....a clear and accurate soloution to a really problematic fault....especially as on my MK V Golf the wipers are disabled when the bonnet catch is on the fritzz!!

Now fully greased up...... should see me out.....

well done Goa'uld....well done !!
Nice thread resurrection. My Golf is still going strong in the bonnet catch department all these years later.

And welcome to PH. thumbup

VictorA

1 posts

95 months

Tuesday 19th April 2016
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Hi guys,

Having read this thread I am too going to attempt removing and cleaning my bonnet latch.

It will be the first bit of DIY I've ever done on my car.

I just wanted to asked if there is anything I should be prepped with other than the tools to get the grill off and a shed load of WD40 and a rag?

Thanks in advance!

sebhaque

6,402 posts

180 months

Tuesday 19th April 2016
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VictorA said:
Hi guys,

Having read this thread I am too going to attempt removing and cleaning my bonnet latch.

It will be the first bit of DIY I've ever done on my car.

I just wanted to asked if there is anything I should be prepped with other than the tools to get the grill off and a shed load of WD40 and a rag?

Thanks in advance!
wavey Welcome to PH!

Doesn't sound like you'll need much else, if you're a bit unsure then take an iPad or something with you and prop it up somewhere you can either read Goa'uld or bjcressey's helpful instructions, or watch a YouTube video showing what to do (there's bound to be one). If you get stuck us friendly folks on PH are always happy to

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Tuesday 19th April 2016
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Have you got a backup car you can use? Don't try it on a Sunday afternoon, do it on Saturday morning first thing then if you need a tool etc you've got time to find, purchase and abandon the attempt before all the shops shut.

To be honest if the catches are still £23 I'd just buy a new one and be done with it. Grease the fk out of it and fit.

I-A

408 posts

156 months

Monday 19th June 2017
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I'm going through this right now - first the bonnet wouldn't open, so I got around that by removing the VW badge and removing the long torx screws for the lock mechanism. This allowed me some wiggle room to move the bonnet up and down, which evenutally unseized something.

Now the bonnet no longer catches the latch! The mechanism is in the same place (height) as it was when I started taking things apart.

I think the release cable is stuck in the release position but I can't see what I need to do.

Any advice PHers?

Thanks

(I have ordered a new mechanism too)

I-A

408 posts

156 months

Monday 19th June 2017
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Just had another look at lunch - it looks as though the cable has come away from the mechanism.

I'll remove the grill and mechanism tonight and hopefully sort this out.

MikeyTech19

1 posts

60 months

Friday 22nd March 2019
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22/03/19 Literally just happened me as i was putting in oil. Bonnet would not close for the life of me. Tried WD40 etc. still would not close, so i tried some brute force and ignorance...nope. What i did try and worked is...try wiggling the lever back and forth as when you pull the lever there is loads of play in the lever so gently pull lever and push it back untill you fell the spring in the lever pull back into normal position. Then close bonnet by pushing down hard and fast. DO NOT DROP FROM HEIGHT. Next time then you need to pull bonnet lever pull it slowly untill you hear pop

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Friday 22nd March 2019
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Boys, WD40 is woefully inadequate.
Use something like ACF50 which will both lube and stop corrosion.