I've got a 98 Audi A4Q B5 and basically I can't get the bonnet/hood open, which is a pain as I need to top things up!

I pull the cable from inside the car and the bonnet/hood pops, but the trouble is when I pull the lever on the front of the grille nothing happens (the lever just moves about but doesn't actually release the bonnet/hood).

Anyone got any ideas or pics of where the actuall release is so i can try poking/pulling/pushing it with something? Maybe from underneath the car if I jack it?

Don't particularly want to break anything to get it open as I need to drive the thing! But maybe I will have to... ?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Cheers, Justin.

 

the release button comes through the grill and you pull it to release the bonnet

[IMG]local://upfiles/12092/4E7B03070F4D4F0FA92E5439B5A0AC0D.jpg[/IMG]

 

Hi,

Cheers for the diagram, I can kind of see how it works now, but the trouble is that lever doesn't work.

I've got a bit creative and drawn on the diagram, because you pull the level in the direction of the red arrow, and I'm assuming the part i've coloured green then moves either left or right to un-hook from something that is attached to the lower part of the car above the radiator? Is that correct? I assume that's what that loop part is for but I may be wrong!

If you know which direction that moves in it would be very handy.

Cheers.

 

very good mate and that's how it works

 

Lol, cool thanks very much for your help! Excellent!

 

Just something simple to try is to have someone pull the release leveron the inside to pop the latchand hold it to keep tensionwhile you try to pull the outside lever. Ive had a problem where my cable snapped and couldnt get in my hood. Sometimes to open you got to push down on the hooda little, pull the outside lever up,and yank upward one hand on the lever and the other on the bottom edge of the hood. Hope that helps.

 

the hood/bonnet pops on release so it has to be the safety release ( has it been in an accident?? ) and needs resetting

 

Nope no accident, I have it open every 2 weeks to check everything, but this time it won't open.

I'll give it a go with all those techniques and see if it works. Cheers.

 

Back again, didn't have any luck trying to un-latch it, I was using a thin metal bar to try and push the catch inside one way or the other, doesn't look like it's going to happen as I can't actually see what i'm trying to push!

Any ideas of what will happen if i just use force?

Is the catch holding it to the engine bay area made of plastic? or metal? Cuz if it's plastic then it shoudln't be too bad...

And if I broke that I'm thinking I'd still be ok where closing the bonnet securely is concerned (as the cable inside works fine to pop the bonnet and hold it securely down) as it's only the saftey catch I'd be breaking?

 

Sorry about your luck man, I know your frustration...Forcing it wont be good, most likely damage the hood before breaking that latch. Assuming you took off the plastic grill pieceto get more room, try a small mirror to see better. The latch assembly and and catch are metal so bending it will only make it worste. As Avant said, if the hood pops its definately just your safety release that is the problem, however the latch assembly might not be releasing all the way when the cable is pulled. When you pull the cable, does the hood pop up a little like its suppose to?