Bonnet stuck

[paulos44]

Hello folks....went out earlier to do the usual weekly checks on fluid levels etc and the bonnet wouldnt open. The cable is ok as the bonnet opened to its first position,but the little lever in the grille was still in.
So, i spend nearly 2 hrs trying to get the bloody S emblem bit of the grill off to get at the bonnet mechanism to no avail. I levered out the plastic plate that runs over the top of the grille and used my biggest pair of pliers on the actual grille fins.I was tempted to break it off in chunks but just pressed the bonnet home and left it.
Is it just a case of using brute force to pull the grille out as im gonna have another go tomorrow ?

 

[Alexis27]

You can usually move the latch with a long screwdriver but it's one of those where you try for 2 hours and then can do it in 5 minutes the next day after a sleep!

Just keep spraying WD40 in there

 

[paulos44]

Ill get a long screwdriver then in the gap between bonnet and grille and see what i can do as theres no way the grilles coming off without breaking it. And yes, i sprayed WD40 all over the bloody place !

 

[19jeff89]

done one on a mk4 golf before cable snapped dunno if itll be the same but on that i jacked it up and could reach the catch from underneath

 

[mty12345]

Have had the same issue, as above, a long screwdriver will get it.

 

[Snark]

Hi Paulos

2nd that with the WD40 and "keep going", been through this myself. Some gentle pulls on the black release tab with some long nosed pliars alternating with a genle lift on the bonnet can help as well. Once its open, give the release machanism a really good clean out and sprry with WD40, and plenty of "wiggling" to free um the mechanism.

Cheers, Snark