OT Mercedes Bonnet

[xaftor]

The bonnet release catch (the one under the dash) on my Merc E Class Turbo D broke today when the little boy from Charlie Browns pulled on it. He then tried to open the bonnet by grasping the cable with his Mole grips. It wouldn't budge!

Somehow the catch under the actual bonnet must have failed, I don't know how because it's opened quite regularly and always seemed free. Other than sending a ferret with a screw driver up through the bottom of the engine, does anyone know how I can get under the bonnet?

Failing that, has this happened to anyone else and did you have to re-mortgage to get it fixed?

TIA

Xav

[Ian Stirling]

Find identical car. Measure exact spot that the catch is attached to on the top of the bonnet, and then drill out the holes?

[Ian Stirling]

Indeed. Depending on the design, it may be possible to reach it with undertray (if any) removed, and the vehicle on a lift.

[Chris Hodges]

Don't know about mercs, but a bent coathanger through the grille can work if you know where the release is.

[xaftor]

I think I shall just have to hope the garage has someone who's done this before...

I suppose I coud always put some sort of plastic flowers in the holes though :))

[mrcheerful]

get one person pressing down on the bonnet while someone else pulls the cable, then relax the pressure on the bonnet and it may open. this works by releasing the spring pressure on the mechanism, which makes the catch easier to release.

mrcheerful

[:::Jerry::::]

bottom

Has anyone tried pushing the bonnet down as someone else pulls on the mole-grips, even some quite mangled (RTA style) bonnet catches respond to this method.

Often dealers and car body shops know the best ways of getting bonnets open in these situations whilst either causing no damage or the less possible - just be thankful that it's not a front hinged bonnet, on Jaguars one often *has* to drill holes in the top surface to allow the pins to be unscrewed !

[SmileyFace]

Might be worth asking the question at alt.auto.mercedes, if you haven't already. There's quite a knowledge base of all things Merc-flavoured there.

HTH

[xaftor]

Actually I hadn't asked on there because I couldn't find it (the group that is). I'll give it another try...thanks everyone

xavier

[s--p--o--n--i--x]

Try the Merc forum here: