Bonnet release

[S3SR]

hey guys little prob

i was coming home from work and this cat or rat or something ran out in front of me so i wasnt gonna swerve or slow down - cause we all know what that causes BIG CAR CRASHES - anyways im not sure if it caused it but my bonnet release wont work ....... when i pull the "trigger" or handle that little piece of wire is not attached to it and its a real ***** to pull and reattach and buggered if i know where it even goes whether a pin is spose to hold it in place or whatever anyways ........ im a little low on power steering fluid and would like to fix this though i cant get into my engine bay

any ideas........or anyway of getting in without smashing the bonnet to pieces or crowbaring the ***** open

[XR6-VCT-2000]

your gonna have to at least pull the wire inside the car ( with pliers or something ) to pop the hood, then u'll be able to jam the latch open under the hood which will give some slack on the wire so u can re-attatch it to the lever inside the car. If the wire has release under the hood from the catch and not from the lever itself inside the car , then ur up ИИИИ creek i thinks ..lol ..sorry.

[S3SR]

thanks i'll give it a shot tomorrow if not then out comes crowbar, new bonnet from AWC and visit to the wreckers...lol all this - maybe - cause of a ******* cat or rat

[XR6-VCT-2000]

I wouldnt go that far yet ! - it wouldnt suprise ma at all if a ford dealer had something for getting under the hood in these circumstances, might be popping in to visit 1 be4 u go destroying the bonnet ! , good luck

[Baboon_AU]

go easy mate!! hahah, why are you low on PSF?? is your rack leaking?

[S3SR]

no idea how come im low maybe i or FORD (cant remem who serviced it last) didnt fill it right or something cause its been at the same level for some time............... anyways all is good i had to pull out the bonnet release lever and pull it all apart re-attach the wire cause it was ripped out by the hinge being to tight and so on and so on...... a bit of WD40 solved the tightness now its better than when i bought it - seriously it is better

[S3SR]

well im sick of cheap plastic and FORD in my area not servicing my car properly i found the problem was the bonnet catch or latch or whatever is SO TIGHT thats why the cable ripped out from the release lever so i ordered a new lever and cable for 17.40 should have been alot more i think somewhere in the 40's or so anyway im gonna replace the whole cable and latch anyone know how to do this?

[EvilChief]

yes, i know how to ... done it way too many times lol

anyway, get ur bonnet open first, then unclip the leaver assembly under the dash from the console by pulling the entire unit forwards. then get urself a socket (i think 13mm) and pull out the latch from the frame work. In there the cable is clipped into the latch with a small little ball at the end, just untwist it and pull it out. then you can pull teh entire wire with clip out by pulling on the leaver in teh car and pull it back through teh firewall. everything in reverse to install it. just make sure u adjust the latch in the radiator frame so the bonnet sits flush again.

[S3SR]

thanks evilchief ill give it a go if i **** it up u live in townsville u can just come over and fix it.........lol

[EvilChief]

lol righto, except i am in the land of kraut for another week :p and then in sydney for a week and then in brissy for a week and then in townsville again lol

[S3SR]

i installed it after half and hour try the remove old with string attached and tie the string to the new and pull it up....... except......FORD have changed there design slightly and added another peice of rubber dont no what for and a slightly thicker wire anyways that hole just fits the plastic bit with alot of cursing and yelling and kicking but it went through

works perfect now thanks for the instructions and thank you gregory's for your $30 service manual