Bonnet cable..

[Phil robinson]

Hi and evening all..been trying all day to open my bonnet the vehicle in question is an ml320 w163..i think the cable has snapped some where after the handle to open it ...has anyone managed to get the bonnet open..some kind of black art lol your thoughts and advice is much appreciated..

 

[bembo449]

Dont be surprised if you dont have to break the grill pal

 

[steveq]

About 2 or 3 months ago I couldn't open the bonnet on my E class.
The cable hadn't broken but the bonnet wouldn't open when I pulled the release lever.

I ended up with my son in the car working the bonnet release lever backwards and forwards while I was trying to pull the bonnet upwards.
The bonnet normally released with just a small movement on the lever so there is no need to pull the lever too hard -- just working it backwards and forwards was all that was needed.
I did spray some penetrating oil onto the cable at the lever end hoping it would wick along the cable if that was the cause of the issue.
It is difficult to get fingers into the gap so it isn't easy to get much upwards pressure on the bonnet.
I nearly gave up but then one side released and a few minutes later the other side released.

What had happened was that both levers on the front cross member holding the bonnet catches had seized and the springs pulling them back when the release lever was pulled wasn't enough to get them to move back.
The extra pulling I was doing put more pressure and slightly released the seized catches.

With the bonnet up I put lots of easing oil and manually worked the catches until they would operate on their own. They don't rust so are probably aluminium but do corrode enough that the lever wouldn't budge.

 

[Phil robinson]

Just an up date still no joy lol hopefully not going to use a option give to me by a friend...cut out hole above the lock mechanism and useing a punch hit the lock pin and get some one pushing down on the bonnet...omg...