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Bonnet Release Cable Snapped


jones47
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Can any one tell me how to open the bonnet as the cable has snapped, tried to access from underneath but impossible,

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Is any cable left hanging from the catch or has it snapped off right by the release?

If there's some cable left hanging them try fishing it through the grille with a coat hanger, spray it with WD40 and try opening that way.

If no cable is accessible them you will probably have to cut a hole in the grille and access the catch that way.

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The car is a S-MAX and the cable has snapped right by the lock, even if i cut a hole in the gril will have to unbolt lock as it is completely covered, is there any easier way

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If you take it to a garage they will probably cut the grille too.

It may be worth ringing a couple for quotes and go from there.

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I think you have to access the back of the latch from underneath - car on ramp - lots of tools & swearing I believe!

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  • 7 months later...

What ever you do, don't cut a hole in the grill. This is a really easy and straight forward job. Minimum tools and no swearing! I parked the car up on a kerb so I could get under it, then undid the bolts (10mm and 8mm) that hold the drip tray on. then push the whole tray towards the back of the car and it just pops off. Watch your eyes, it will be full of dirt. Then, lay on your back and look up through the gap. You can clearly see the lock mechanism. Unclip the sensor (a bit fiddly but makes it easier for the next bit). You will be able to see 2 x 10mm bolts either side, you can get to these easily with a small socket wrench and when undone, be careful because the lock cover will fall onto your face. Once the cover is off, you can see the catch lever at the bottom, flick it to the left and hey presto, bonnet open!

Hope this helps, the comments above almost had me attacking the grill with a hacksaw blade!

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Given Stimmos suggestion I strongly advise the use of a pair of goggles, or similar. If you do not have a pair of goggles, perhaps a hemet from a suit of armour, a motorbike, or a welders shield :p

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I would imagine the OP has fixed this by now given the age of this thread.

The key is then to follow SteveTR's how-to thread on the Smax owners club forum to prevent it from happening again.

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  • 5 months later...

Hi all,

New member, thanks for the above advice helped alot, I would just like to add that if you have the 2.2 TCDi then this is a lot harder job as there is a air charge cooler, in the way and the horn mounted at the right hand end of the cooler.

It is a bit of a git to remove, but straight forward job to do with very little mechanical knowledge.

Took me 3 hours to do it in all, once cooler removed there is the air intake above it which makes life hard to gain access to the bolts mentioned above as it is clipped in on top, bottom and both sides, but again straight forward enough and I have big hands recomend using a 10mm rachet spanner once losened of by ratchet to allow better access ( and to reduce the swearing and spanner rash )

Top tip before refitting remove your head lights ( 2 x Screws and 1 x Cable ) to allow better access to the hoses at either end of the cooler back together in 30 mins much easrier.

In all easy job for a mornings work and for £22 for the cable and to save £130 labour charge :) , but if you have access to ramps or a pit that would be much better than using a curb as i think removal of the cooler would be a big swearing job, at least portable car ramps to allow better ground clearance.

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Have you treated it to prevent it snapping again in the future?

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Have you treated it to prevent it snapping again in the future?

No i haven't as the new cable now comes with a rubber boot over the elbow to stop this happening again.

Regards

Jules

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That rubber boot won't stop the issue.

The issue is that the steel cable itself rusts inside the Bowden sleeve.

You need to treat it with grease or it's just a matter of time before it will snap again.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi,

How easy is it to replace the bonnet release cable on an S-Max? I got as far as removing air filter, battery cover and battery, but how on earth do you remove it from the bulk head in the passenger well? The cable just disappears up behind he wiring loom. :(

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Ask the question on the smax owners forum. There are a few on there who have done this.

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  • 1 month later...

Hi,

How easy is it to replace the bonnet release cable on an S-Max? I got as far as removing air filter, battery cover and battery, but how on earth do you remove it from the bulk head in the passenger well? The cable just disappears up behind he wiring loom. :(

It is a two man job as it comes in from behind the carpet to the release handle to gain access, you will need to remove the passenger plastic trim from around the door seal and fold the carpet back until you uncover the hole it comes through.

I also found easier to remove the large electrical connector with the metal clamps to gain access to the hole in question.

then one person pushing it through from engine bay and the other in the foot well to pull it through.

Shocking design, routing and not an quick job.

Regards

Jules

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  • 2 years later...
On 13/10/2013 at 4:28 PM, 137699 said:

 

Stimmo's advice about opening an Smax bonnet when the release cable is broken worked well for me with a 2.0 litre diesel. The best advice I found on replacing the cable is found at http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1109071. It took me a few hours with some help feeding the cable through.  

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  • 2 months later...

As has been said previously, DONT CUT THE GRILL - IT IS NOT NECESSARY. I followed previous instructions and removed sump guard - 9 screws.  I could then reach up and undo two bolts holding latch to body of car. Flicked lever to left and hey presto bonnet open. I then bought new INNER CABLE and threaded it through existing outer cable. A bit fiddeley but easier when rubber rightangle slleve pushed along cable. Greased new cable and threaded it through. Whole job took a couple of hours.  New stainless steel cable from www.darkicedesigns.com £12.99 with full fitting instructions.

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  • 1 year later...

Hi,  I bought just the cable and fitted,   works great, but....the old cable had rusted about 4" from catch,

so you get the rust in the outer sheath,   and you can't thread the cable through,

I had to cut 1inch out of the rusted cable which means breaking the outer sheath and connecting the parts together and joining with a piece of tube over both both ends,( or electrical connector)

it can be awkward threading through the bulkhead part, but thread the old cable up from footwell to help new cable In , no problem worth doing,   Don't forget grease,

but remember when you see utube they take out good cable and new cable threads in easy,           Not so when cable has broken and rusted,   Don't forget to tape over joint to stop water.           only cost £12  (dark ice designs , check utube first)

Hope it helps

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  • 11 months later...

Thanks so much for sharing everyone, you just got me out if a tricky situation with my bonnet! Much kudos to you all.

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  • 1 year later...

I had the same problem on a 2008 ford galaxy. The way I did it was that You have to get under the vehicle remove the main tray and the tray under the radiator and peer in with a torch to locate the bottom of the locking mechanism you will see a cable coming out and all you do is pull it if you can't reach use a long nose pliers the bonnet shoild pop open. Hope this helps.

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