Help!! - bonnet cable broken S2
Discussion
I think the bonnet cable's broken on my S2 - the cable that winds round the wheel by the release handle is very slack although it doesn't feel as if it will pull through. I've traced the sheath for the cable back to the bulkhead where it seems to be masticked into place (standard!!! or bodge?) Is there a way of releasing the bonnet from outside/underneath the car. Either way, can anyone help with the best course fo action? 
Think you've got a bit of a problem there!
Apparently it is possible to release the lock from under the bonnet. Access looks like a right pig and I imagine you'd need to take the wheel arch liner off (both parts) and probably take the wheel off too. If you undo the hinges you can lift the front of the bonnet quite a long way too. I don't know how well you remember the lock, but basically it consists of a bracket with a hole in it, and a sliding plate with a hole in it. The plate is spring endways so that the two holes are offset, the wire pulls it back so that the two holes line up. The bonnet pin has a barbed end that can only pull out when the holes line up. To release the latch manually you need to pull the plate endways. I know people have managed this from under the bonnet but it's not a job I would fancy.
You may get lucky. The bonnet catches don't work perfectly and sometimes they can be popped just by pulling firmly upwards on the bonnet while nudging it sideways/forward/backwards. Again, releasing the bonnet hinges would help here. Be careful to control the bonnet if it does release, because if it slips sideways the bonnet pins will damage the paintwork.
If this doesn't seem to be getting anywhere you have one last option. The undersides of the latches are accessible from the top of the footwells. Some models have a trim panel which narrows the footwell, this prevents access to the catch but I guess you could cut it out. They aren't universal though, you may find you already have access. Each latch is held down by two bolts and you can unscrew them from inside the car. The latch is still secured to the car via the cable, and still hooked on to the bonnet, so this wouldn't be the end of your problems but might give you enough access to the latch to release it manually.
Good luck!
>> Edited by GreenV8S on Saturday 25th February 11:53
Apparently it is possible to release the lock from under the bonnet. Access looks like a right pig and I imagine you'd need to take the wheel arch liner off (both parts) and probably take the wheel off too. If you undo the hinges you can lift the front of the bonnet quite a long way too. I don't know how well you remember the lock, but basically it consists of a bracket with a hole in it, and a sliding plate with a hole in it. The plate is spring endways so that the two holes are offset, the wire pulls it back so that the two holes line up. The bonnet pin has a barbed end that can only pull out when the holes line up. To release the latch manually you need to pull the plate endways. I know people have managed this from under the bonnet but it's not a job I would fancy.
You may get lucky. The bonnet catches don't work perfectly and sometimes they can be popped just by pulling firmly upwards on the bonnet while nudging it sideways/forward/backwards. Again, releasing the bonnet hinges would help here. Be careful to control the bonnet if it does release, because if it slips sideways the bonnet pins will damage the paintwork.
If this doesn't seem to be getting anywhere you have one last option. The undersides of the latches are accessible from the top of the footwells. Some models have a trim panel which narrows the footwell, this prevents access to the catch but I guess you could cut it out. They aren't universal though, you may find you already have access. Each latch is held down by two bolts and you can unscrew them from inside the car. The latch is still secured to the car via the cable, and still hooked on to the bonnet, so this wouldn't be the end of your problems but might give you enough access to the latch to release it manually.
Good luck!
>> Edited by GreenV8S on Saturday 25th February 11:53
Had a similar problem with my old S1. Lever would pull but never open the latches enough - or only one of the latches. This is going from old memory a bit, but the catches are accessable from underneath, from inside the car. It's a bit of a stretch, but if I remember it's an allen key you'll need, can't recall which size. Best bet is to lay in the footwell, face up and take a look with the torch. Undo the bolts (2x each catch) with the allen key. The whole catch then comes off attached to the bonnet. This can then be released by the upturned lever of the release plate of the catch. These will then need re-attaching to the body once more, you can assess the problem perhaps better then? It's a ball ache, but I became quite used to doing it, due to the number of times! I ended up making a mod, where I used a seperate release cable and pull for each side using parts from the old style Mini, the pull handle, cable inner & outer. A pain but it worked. Good luck!
Thanks to you both. I'vesorted this now - further investigation revealed that the cable wasn't broken but had slipped off the wheel it runs round and to which the release lever is attached. Pulling the cable sharply eventually released the latches (although the passenger side seemed a bit reticent. This is difficult because there is not much leverage and its not a long term solution but I think I'm going to modify it so that they open separately like the early M series cars. I'll keep you posted.
PS - wasn't looking forward to removing the bonnet assembly and all the inner wings 1 week into ownership
On the plus side, problem sorted (temporarily) I went for a fantastic blast
across the Mendips this afternoon in the sunshine. Ahhhhh, the noise!!! 
PS - wasn't looking forward to removing the bonnet assembly and all the inner wings 1 week into ownership
On the plus side, problem sorted (temporarily) I went for a fantastic blast
across the Mendips this afternoon in the sunshine. Ahhhhh, the noise!!! GreenV8S said:
If this doesn't seem to be getting anywhere you have one last option. The undersides of the latches are accessible from the top of the footwells. Some models have a trim panel which narrows the footwell, this prevents access to the catch but I guess you could cut it out. They aren't universal though, you may find you already have access. Each latch is held down by two bolts and you can unscrew them from inside the car. The latch is still secured to the car via the cable, and still hooked on to the bonnet, so this wouldn't be the end of your problems but might give you enough access to the latch to release it manually.
It's actually not too bad on the S2 as there should be no trim panels (unlike the later cars). The pins should be freed if you loosen (rather than completely unbolt) the latches. I've had to do this a couple of times (misalignment / cable snap) and the only thing I had to watch was the fuse panel which is suspended from one of the n/s latch bolts!.
>> Edited by roy c on Monday 27th February 07:31
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