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Bonnet latch not working

Hazimaro

New member
I’ve purchased a golf MK6 GTI 2011 on a auction site. However the latch is not working, there is no leverage nor pressure.

How can I open the bonnet manually?
 

Tony48

Go Kart Champion
It's fairly common for the cable from the lever inside the car to the latch to get gummed up. The lever gets harder and harder to pull until the cable or a linkage snaps.

I think the method I'm about to describe will work but I haven't done it myself. You will have to either remove the front emblem or otherwise break the front grille. Then you will be able to see the hood latch screws, circled below. I believe if you remove those you will be able to lift the hood and latch mechanism up together, at least enough to get some access to do what you need to do. Here's a link to the hood latch so you know what it looks like: Hood Latch. For LHD cars the cable runs along the driver's side under the stamped steel piece that connects the core support to the body. I assume it is on the opposite side for RHD cars (since I see you are from the UK). There is a little plastic block at the center of that stamped steel piece that joins the two pieces of cable that make up the hood release. You can pop it open to disassemble the cable and pull the end with some pliers to release the hood latch. Good luck and let us know how you make out!

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Hazimaro

New member
It's fairly common for the cable from the lever inside the car to the latch to get gummed up. The lever gets harder and harder to pull until the cable or a linkage snaps.

I think the method I'm about to describe will work but I haven't done it myself. You will have to either remove the front emblem or otherwise break the front grille. Then you will be able to see the hood latch screws, circled below. I believe if you remove those you will be able to lift the hood and latch mechanism up together, at least enough to get some access to do what you need to do. Here's a link to the hood latch so you know what it looks like: Hood Latch. For LHD cars the cable runs along the driver's side under the stamped steel piece that connects the core support to the body. I assume it is on the opposite side for RHD cars (since I see you are from the UK). There is a little plastic block at the center of that stamped steel piece that joins the two pieces of cable that make up the hood release. You can pop it open to disassemble the cable and pull the end with some pliers to release the hood latch. Good luck and let us know how you make out!

View attachment 185956

View attachment 185957

I will definitely try this in the morning. Thank you for the in-depth reply. I looked at allot of forms and could not find anything
 

Hazimaro

New member
It's fairly common for the cable from the lever inside the car to the latch to get gummed up. The lever gets harder and harder to pull until the cable or a linkage snaps.

I think the method I'm about to describe will work but I haven't done it myself. You will have to either remove the front emblem or otherwise break the front grille. Then you will be able to see the hood latch screws, circled below. I believe if you remove those you will be able to lift the hood and latch mechanism up together, at least enough to get some access to do what you need to do. Here's a link to the hood latch so you know what it looks like: Hood Latch. For LHD cars the cable runs along the driver's side under the stamped steel piece that connects the core support to the body. I assume it is on the opposite side for RHD cars (since I see you are from the UK). There is a little plastic block at the center of that stamped steel piece that joins the two pieces of cable that make up the hood release. You can pop it open to disassemble the cable and pull the end with some pliers to release the hood latch. Good luck and let us know how you make out!

View attachment 185956

View attachment 185957
Just to let you know, it worked. Unfortunately I had to break off the GTI grill. It was already damaged tbh, removed three screws and found a plastic bit in the linkage was loose. The bonnet latch was rusty to. I used cable ties to attach the loose plastic part that had come of the linkage. The bonnet now opens with ease, cheers
 

Tony48

Go Kart Champion
Just to let you know, it worked. Unfortunately I had to break off the GTI grill. It was already damaged tbh, removed three screws and found a plastic bit in the linkage was loose. The bonnet latch was rusty to. I used cable ties to attach the loose plastic part that had come of the linkage. The bonnet now opens with ease, cheers
Very glad to hear it!
 

riceburner

Autocross Champion
my lever in the car has been getting so dicey with opening; it already stripped the grooves that hold the lever to the cable release mechanism its so hard to pull. takes great strength yet caution to open my hood now. idk what the deal is but guess i will look into greasing stuff or somehow adjusting where the hood actually closes to see if theres an issue there
 

Tony48

Go Kart Champion
my lever in the car has been getting so dicey with opening; it already stripped the grooves that hold the lever to the cable release mechanism its so hard to pull. takes great strength yet caution to open my hood now. idk what the deal is but guess i will look into greasing stuff or somehow adjusting where the hood actually closes to see if theres an issue there
My lever was getting hard to pull also and it was to the point I was worried about something breaking. I pulled out the cables that run under the front headlight support/front cowl and cleaned/lubed them. They were dirty and gummy. Been years since I did that and it's working fine.
 
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