Put a video up to see if anyone can shed anymore light:

This is where I have removed the rubber boot and exposed the white platic collet. I've tried applying force to the collet whilst turning the key with no joy. The collet does seem loose.

Thanks for looking guys :(

Put a video up to see if anyone can shed anymore light:

This is where I have removed the rubber boot and exposed the white platic collet. I've tried applying force to the collet whilst turning the key with no joy. The collet does seem loose.

Thanks for looking guys :(

Bumpage, got a feeling Ford will try and screw me on Tuesday.

Rh1no from what I remember that white plastic part has two male slots which has female slots on the lock behind it at nine and three o'clock and has to be pressed very firmly on both sides at the same time. You should hear a snap when it clicks into place.

Good luck

Alright mate I had this exact problem and literally just fixed it the other day. I did exactly the same as you and used a 400mm slotted screwdriver. There's no way your bonnet lock assembly will be broken if all you did is slide the barrel out from the grill and it worked fine beforehand so you won't need to pay ford or smash the grill and buy a new lock kit like I thought I'd have to. Its all about being persistent and finding the right angle and applying a lot of pressure. Slide your screwdriver through the grill directly above the badge and you need to get the head of the screwdriver directly above the cable and push on the white collet like your doing, from my experience I tried every angle of the collet like going from underneath and from both sides of the cable with no joy, but literally as soon as I positioned it above the cable I felt something change and the key actual seemed to be doing something, I put all my body weight on the collet and pushed the key in too, turned it left and the bonnet popped so I quickly turned it right and lifted the bonnet. As reesmew said above me, you'll feel the male part slot in the female part and when pressed firmly you'll hear em click into place.

This is a picture of how I had my screwdriver and it worked without fail

Alright mate I had this exact problem and literally just fixed it the other day. I did exactly the same as you and used a 400mm slotted screwdriver. There's no way your bonnet lock assembly will be broken if all you did is slide the barrel out from the grill and it worked fine beforehand so you won't need to pay ford or smash the grill and buy a new lock kit like I thought I'd have to. Its all about being persistent and finding the right angle and applying a lot of pressure. Slide your screwdriver through the grill directly above the badge and you need to get the head of the screwdriver directly above the cable and push on the white collet like your doing, from my experience I tried every angle of the collet like going from underneath and from both sides of the cable with no joy, but literally as soon as I positioned it above the cable I felt something change and the key actual seemed to be doing something, I put all my body weight on the collet and pushed the key in too, turned it left and the bonnet popped so I quickly turned it right and lifted the bonnet. As reesmew said above me, you'll feel the male part slot in the female part and when pressed firmly you'll hear em click into place.

This is a picture of how I had my screwdriver and it worked without fail

I will give this a go tomorrow mate, thankyou (fingers crossed!)

seriously though mate you might think it aint happening at all but keep at it, I actually did it within 5 minutes with a little help from the missus. thought it werent happening and went right the way around the white collet with the screwdriver and it didnt seem to do anything, but then as soon as i positioned the screwdriver above the cable i felt the collet push in and could feel the male and female ends meet up. i applied pressure while the missus turned the key, took a few goes but the bonnet popped up really easy. so it might help to get someone to turn the key for you while you put all your body weight on the screwdriver and even if you cant get them to click together just keep pushing it in and you will get the bonnet open then deal with getting the connection to click in after. whatever you do though, when you do crack it on the left turn and the bonnet pops, dont get too excited and make sure you quickly turn the key right or you'll loose the connection and have to start over. if there wasn't a 2 hour distance i'd pop over and do it for you myself cause its actual !Removed! easy when you know how.

but looking at your youtube vid you have got the right idea but didn't position the screwdriver right and didnt push hard enough. you'll do it though =)

seriously though mate you might think it aint happening at all but keep at it, I actually did it within 5 minutes with a little help from the missus. thought it werent happening and went right the way around the white collet with the screwdriver and it didnt seem to do anything, but then as soon as i positioned the screwdriver above the cable i felt the collet push in and could feel the male and female ends meet up. i applied pressure while the missus turned the key, took a few goes but the bonnet popped up really easy. so it might help to get someone to turn the key for you while you put all your body weight on the screwdriver and even if you cant get them to click together just keep pushing it in and you will get the bonnet open then deal with getting the connection to click in after. whatever you do though, when you do crack it on the left turn and the bonnet pops, dont get too excited and make sure you quickly turn the key right or you'll loose the connection and have to start over. if there wasn't a 2 hour distance i'd pop over and do it for you myself cause its actual !Removed! easy when you know how.

but looking at your youtube vid you have got the right idea but didn't position the screwdriver right and didnt push hard enough. you'll do it though =)

Appreciated mate, thankyou so much :)

Thanks so much! All sorted now, just needed a bit of brute force :)

Whey hey! brute force is always the answer mate :)

Whey hey! brute force is always the answer mate :)

Top Respect to you mate,

for saving Rhino an expensive trip to the dealers.and a broken grill

Whey hey! brute force is always the answer mate :)

You know it!

Top Respect to you mate,

for saving Rhino an expensive trip to the dealers.and a broken grill

Indeed, already PM'd him but thanks again mate, appreciated as always.

The mrs frowns when she sees me on the forums, soon shut her up when she knew it saved me from pouring cash into Ford's till! ;)

I owe you a pint Brigante :)

Lmao saved from pouring cash into fords till And shut the mrs up in the process, think that's what they call a win win isn't it? I know to keep my long screwdriver permanently in the boot now, best 5quid I've ever spent.

What was your face like when you found the right angle and suddenly popped the bonnet on the left turn?

What was your face like when you found the right angle and suddenly popped the bonnet on the left turn?

Is nice, High five. ;)

Is nice, High five. ;)

Damn, someone finally found a photo of me. ;)

Yup the missus and I looked exactly the same. Just the way 1 second nothings happening then the next your overcome with joy when the bonnet suddenly pops

Yup the missus and I looked exactly the same. Just the way 1 second nothings happening then the next your overcome with joy when the bonnet suddenly pops

Never thought i'd be that happy to look under the bonnet of my car!