Bonnet Stuck

[mamakmarm]

Can any one give me advice on how to open the bonnet of my 1994 C180 Elegance estate.
The cable has broken at the lock and the local garage reckon they will have to dismantle the front (radiator etc) from under the car before they can release the catch. Surely there must be an easier way? Any help would be most appreciated.

 

[Dec]

How sure are you that it is broken at the lock, could it have broken at the red release lever inside the car? It is unlikely to have broken at the cable center.

If you are lucky and it has broken at the lever inside the car you may be able to grab the end of the cable with a pliers and pull. There is 1 screw under the red lever to remove, if the cable is still securely attached to the red lever then the breakage must be at the under bonnet lock.

Whatever the outcome, be sure to tie a piece of string to the end of the old cable inside the car before the old cable is withdrawn so that the new replacement cable can be pulled through back inside the car when it is refitted.

Dec

 

[mamakmarm]

Broken Release Cable

Thanks Dec,
I know the cable is broken at the bonnet catch, it is hanging up in my shed! Do you know of anyway to release the catch either through the grill or from under the car? I live on an island and it is not easy to get to a Merc dealer.
Fingers crossed!
GB

 

[Dec]

On mine there is a possible way around the problem, never tried it but I think it will work provided there are no fans in between the radiator and grill, it involves removing the grill from the inside but needs a picture of the inside of the grill to see the fixings as the you would be working blind from underneath the car. Will have a proper look tomorrow.

Dec

 

[Dec]

If you can duplicate the wire in picture I can show you how to use it later today or tonight, use something a bit stronger than a coat hanger if you can. I can get into mine with this. The other idea about removing the bolts of grill from inside won’t work.

Measurements are not critical but as close as you can will do.

Dec

 

[Dec]

Dec

 

[mamakmarm]

Thanks for the comprehensive instructions Dec. Had a brief go today but the weather has been er, wet! Will try again tomorrow. Found the hole via a mirror/torch system but had difficulty getting the key into the hole. Seems to be something blocking it. Anyway thanks once again and I will have a go tomorrow. Will let you know how I get on.
GB

 

[Dec]

GB,
There is a “bullet” on the end of the cable and the cable goes through a lever so when the cable is pulled the bullet moves the lever and releases the lock. So what you are really trying to do is move the bullet or the lever a few mm to the left, you will eventually hit either of them, through trial and error.

When the cable broke, the bullet might have dropped down, possibly with a bit of the cable still attached to it and as the mechanism is enclosed the bullet is most certainly still in there, this is what might be blocking your entry.
The key definitely works because I can open my own with it in less than 10 seconds.

You could try a much thinner piece of wire to try to clear the entry into the hole, incidentally the hole is about 5mm in diameter.

Malcolm,
Microsoft Image Composer and Microsoft Word for the arrows etc, there is just no substitute for a picture to explain something like this. There are programs like Paint Shop and Coral Draw but the are all a bit too heavy for me.

Dec

 

[mamakmarm]

Thanks Dec,
have been trying now for the past three hours, but there is definitely something jammed across the hole and not matter what it will not budge. Even tried from underneath but no success. Will have another go after lunch but if you have any further suggestions they would be welcome, if not thank you for your time, patience and in particular your superb photos, they made life so much easier. Thanks again.
GB

 

[Dec]

Its not worth trying to get in by removing radiator, if indeed that is possible, the time and labor cost wouldn’t be worth it. It would be cheaper to cut a hole in the grill big enough to get your hand in and replace the damaged plastic part of the grill from a scrap yard some time in the future.

You could try first the idea below by getting your hand in, this looks to be possible as there seems enough room under the car BUT you would need the car up on a lift, should take about halve an hour.

The only obstacle in your way now is if there is something jammed inside the lock preventing you from moving the parts inside the lock with your finger however it is possible for me to “trip” the lock with my finger, but then of course mine isn’t broken, hopefully you will be able to do the same.

Dec
Edit,I said before that the lock is enclosed but that is not correct, it is open at the back as in picture and a finger can be gotten in there.

 

[hardtop]

the part with the hole under the lock catch you put the rod in if its plastic just smash it out the way & access the lever with a screw driver then replace the cover & cable

 

[Dec]

Good thinking hardtop, down to earth and practical, the plastic is of the soft and flexible type, ABS I think, very similar to the wiper cover plastic. I wouldn’t shatter but you could punch a hole in it and drag it down and out of the way however very trickey as the holes are quite small in the grill.

Dec

 

[mamakmarm]

Morning Dec and Hardtop,
Used a combination of both your ideas and finally accessed the lever, but it is stuck fast. Have dosed the whole thing with WD40 and hope fully it will loosen. I will let it soak for a while and try again. Thanks for all your help, will let you know what happens.
GB

 

[Dec]

You have my sympathy GB, don’t know how much access you got but if all else fails and you have to go through the grill, below is the location of the bolts, if the grill was off you might be able to access the two bolts at Red arrows, this is the hook that goes into the lock when bonnet is shut.

Dec

 

[mamakmarm]

Hi Dec,
Just got the bonnet open! Thanks a million for all your help and especially the photographs, I knew where things were instead of working blind. Eventually I had to go through the grill taking a small piece out, and open up the cover, unfortunately mine was a closed unit. The cut out will go back and be comouflaged until I can lay hands on a second hand one. WD 40 worked a treat.
Once again thanks for all your time effort and patience. I owe you one!
GB

 

[Blobcat]

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