Let me start out with the car. I have a 1996 a4 2.8 quattro. I replaced the thermostat, water pump and timing belt. Big job but I got it done without many problems until now. I made the huge mistake of not zip tying down the hood latch cable where it meets the hood latch. This has come off and now I can not open the hood. I have tried the grill removal, and there is no way I can get my hand behind the radiator up to the latch. Looking for solutions as I live on an island and need to get the car off before Sat. as we are getting bad weather and the ferry's are shutting down for the winter. (Yes this is my mainland winter car) Ugggggg WHY!!!!!!!

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

 

does this thread help?

https://www.audiforums.com/forum/b5-...-8-fwd-218592/

 

Thanks for the help elduderino,

I have tried to go behind the radiator but with the 2.8 there is almost no room. Even tried taking the radiator off but it is held on by the lights and hood.
I have tried to take the 3 10MM bolt out but I cannot even see the third one.
I am now on trying to push a rod on top of the radiator up front to the latch. I have a parts car and can see the whole mechanism and how it works. Was even thinking of cutting it the hood bar, but my parts car has front damage and I can not reuse its hood locking mechanism.

 

fortunately for me this problem has never happened so I can be of no help so all I can do is search the web, which you probably have already done.

can you message RandyCibao27 (from the other thread) and see if he can provide any help?

 

I can try. I have researched a lot and have not found a sure way. It is a tough problem.

 

This happened to me also, but I have the 1.8t

Do you have access to the cable at all?

 

I do not. I have the 2.8 and there is less than an inch space from the engine to the radiator.

 

If you can find out what route the cable takes, you can track down where it snapped, then use pliers etc. to pull on it enough to get it to pop open.

I've heard guys say that you can get to it through the grille, but that was completely false in my case.