Bonnet latch mechanism
Discussion
Is there any locking mechanism on the bonnet latch system?
Mine will 'wiggle' but it won't rotate either pushing from the top or by trying to rotate the knob inside the car (under the dashboard) so it sounds like it is either _stuck_ or has a lock on it for some reason
Video here and it might just be that the whole mechanism just needs lots of WD40 and brute strength, but wanted to check before trying that.
Also, the rods on either side have room to move so it's not those that are blocking the length of travel as far as I can tell
Mine will 'wiggle' but it won't rotate either pushing from the top or by trying to rotate the knob inside the car (under the dashboard) so it sounds like it is either _stuck_ or has a lock on it for some reason
Video here and it might just be that the whole mechanism just needs lots of WD40 and brute strength, but wanted to check before trying that.
Also, the rods on either side have room to move so it's not those that are blocking the length of travel as far as I can tell
Edited by Juddder on Monday 1st September 23:23
notaping said:
No lock that I'm aware of. A couple of times mine has jammed and it's always been because something has fallen into the rotating mechanism.
Are the rod ends jamming in their slides?
Thanks GordonAre the rod ends jamming in their slides?
The rods seem to be fine in their slides as I can move those by hand and rotate the plastic end pieces on their own to move them in and out a bit, it's just the mechanism itself as far as I can tell that won't rotate
Maybe I just need to tightly grip the turning wheel inside the car and try and force it to rotate anti-clockwise (when looking at the wheel from inside the car) to push the rods out in the engine bay by rotating them clockwise (when looking at the rod arms from outside the car)?
Edited by Juddder on Monday 1st September 17:14
Hmm! Not too sure about brute forcing it. Could end up damaging something else.
Have you stuck your head under the dash? Has something fallen onto the mech inside the car and jammed it? I know there are a number of boxes stuffed into that region in my car. Worth a look before applying some pressure.
Have you stuck your head under the dash? Has something fallen onto the mech inside the car and jammed it? I know there are a number of boxes stuffed into that region in my car. Worth a look before applying some pressure.
No, not tried looking at it in the car yet - but will go and grab a torch and have a look...
I found this thread from a long time ago which has this picture of the internal part of the mechanism inside the car which doesn't hugely look like a lot of things could fall in the way to block it
Saying that, I don't quite understand the function of the grub screw labelled 3 which the above thread says is spring loaded - it might be worth we winding that out and seeing if it will move then?
I found this thread from a long time ago which has this picture of the internal part of the mechanism inside the car which doesn't hugely look like a lot of things could fall in the way to block it
Saying that, I don't quite understand the function of the grub screw labelled 3 which the above thread says is spring loaded - it might be worth we winding that out and seeing if it will move then?
Yeah Alex. I'm afraid it's just going to be a frustrating search until the obvious is found. I was thinking of something obstructing the long cap head bolt sticking out of the shaft. Is that the turn stop? If something's blocking that . . .
Not much help unfortunately. Really needs eyes on. Good luck.
Not much help unfortunately. Really needs eyes on. Good luck.
notaping said:
Yeah Alex. I'm afraid it's just going to be a frustrating search until the obvious is found. I was thinking of something obstructing the long cap head bolt sticking out of the shaft. Is that the turn stop? If something's blocking that . . .
Not much help unfortunately. Really needs eyes on. Good luck.
Yes hard to see even with eyes on what is going on in there as it's impossibly difficult to get to, but it does feel like the mechanism has an internal 'throw' type mechanism that acts as the lock when the wheel gets turned 180 degrees, as it doesn't appear to be wheel on the end of a rod as I had originally thoughtNot much help unfortunately. Really needs eyes on. Good luck.
For the MOT tomorrow I have hand adjusted it so that it holds the bonnet closed as best I can without the full throw of the arms, so hopefully they won't kick up lots of fuss and fail me on it (*but hey you never know)
It's pretty impossible to take photos in there, but I did manage to take one doesn't obviously show anything blocking it
BTW the long bolt coming out of the side at 5 o'clock in the photo above, I think that's a securing bolt for holding the wheel into the center of the rotation rod and then the two unit mounting bolt heads act as a bump stop either way so that as you rotate the rod using the wheel, that bolt gets stopped at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock, but that's just a guess to be honest from looking at the two photos in the other thread
I'm not sure what the grub screw labelled #3 in the photo does but MM mentions it has a spring and a ball bearing, so guessing that holds it at certain points, like a ball bearing does in a socket set type thing
Here's the photos I took of my car's mechanism showing the securing / limit bolt at full left turn, so maybe I need to turn my wheel to the right?
Not that I've ever paid much attention, but I think clockwise locks it and anti-clock opens it.
I think the MOT guy has to check the VIN on the plate under the bonnet - so maybe just leave it in the open position. The bonnet should stay shut until you hit about 80-ish in any case. Then it just rises very slowly. No biggy.
G.
I think the MOT guy has to check the VIN on the plate under the bonnet - so maybe just leave it in the open position. The bonnet should stay shut until you hit about 80-ish in any case. Then it just rises very slowly. No biggy.
G.
Perfect - thanks again G and I double checked the manual and it says
"Locate the knob and turn anticlockwise 110o to release the bonnet"
So at least I know which direction I should be rotating it to lock it
Fingers crossed with the MOT guy tomorrow and thanks again for all the advice - sounds like one to investigate further when I get the car back!
"Locate the knob and turn anticlockwise 110o to release the bonnet"
So at least I know which direction I should be rotating it to lock it
Fingers crossed with the MOT guy tomorrow and thanks again for all the advice - sounds like one to investigate further when I get the car back!
OK - I think I found the answer from 2009...
It's a simple fix but a swine to get at. It involves being upside down in the drivers footwell with your head down by the pedals. The aluminium handwheel passes through a collar. This collar has a tapped hole in it at 90 degrees to the handwheel shaft. In this tapped hole sit a grubscrew, a small spring and a ball bearing. The spring pushes the ball bearing into slots on the handwheel shaft when it is fully clockwise or anticlockwise and the bonnet catches are fully in or fully out. Slacken the grubscrew to take some pressure off the spring as it sometimes can jam in the slot. You may end up removing the grubscrew, spring and bearing altogether in order to apply grease to the bearing. With this lot removed make sure you have full travel with the bonnet rods moving fully in and out as the handle is turned. Now the hardest bit. Put the bearing, spring and grubscrew back in slowly tightening the grubscrew whilst trying the handwheel. Too loose and the handwheel will turn and bonnet will open when driving, too tight you will get it jammed again trying to undo the bonnet. You'll need a 5mm Allen Key and it's the recessed grubscrew you're after not the caphead screw that sticks out of the handwheel shaft.
Help - bonnet release isn't
it's stuck
Sounds like my next moves
It's a simple fix but a swine to get at. It involves being upside down in the drivers footwell with your head down by the pedals. The aluminium handwheel passes through a collar. This collar has a tapped hole in it at 90 degrees to the handwheel shaft. In this tapped hole sit a grubscrew, a small spring and a ball bearing. The spring pushes the ball bearing into slots on the handwheel shaft when it is fully clockwise or anticlockwise and the bonnet catches are fully in or fully out. Slacken the grubscrew to take some pressure off the spring as it sometimes can jam in the slot. You may end up removing the grubscrew, spring and bearing altogether in order to apply grease to the bearing. With this lot removed make sure you have full travel with the bonnet rods moving fully in and out as the handle is turned. Now the hardest bit. Put the bearing, spring and grubscrew back in slowly tightening the grubscrew whilst trying the handwheel. Too loose and the handwheel will turn and bonnet will open when driving, too tight you will get it jammed again trying to undo the bonnet. You'll need a 5mm Allen Key and it's the recessed grubscrew you're after not the caphead screw that sticks out of the handwheel shaft.
Help - bonnet release isn't
it's stuckSounds like my next moves
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