S500 Coupe bonnet catch

[JamesP]

Hi there... just got a problem with the bonnet. I was checking oil etc, and then closed the bonnet as normal. It closed and something went "ping" like a heavy metal spring or something. So i re opened it and now 1) it wont hold itself open like it used to and 2) when i close it the drivers side front corner doest catch unless i pretty much jump on it... any ideas?

 

[television]

Hi there... just got a problem with the bonnet. I was checking oil etc, and then closed the bonnet as normal. It closed and something went "ping" like a heavy metal spring or something. So i re opened it and now 1) it wont hold itself open like it used to and 2) when i close it the drivers side front corner doest catch unless i pretty much jump on it... any ideas?

Vin number please,first 6 numbers

Malcolm

 

[JamesP]

Wdb1400702

 

[JamesP]

hi and thanks too!

 

[television]

James here is the layout of the locking, on many cars the unkocking handle has to be pushed back after pulling,otherwise the bonnet will not always lock.

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...722.370620&CT=F&cat=44K&SID=88&SGR=120&SGN=04


Malcolm

 

[Ultymate]

If your bonnet does'nt stay up I'd be looking for the presence of spring No 41 in macolm's link on the driver's side hinge before going any further

 

[JamesP]

I see, so perhaps the spring has sprung off then?

 

[television]

It must be the spring,If it is just laying in the hinge it could be stopping it from closing.

Malcolm

 

[JamesP]

I did play around with the hinges on both sides, it seems that there is a lever which you can pull and the bonnet goes right up, presumably for maintenance. While doing that i never saw a spring anywhere, perhaps it came off. I just checked but its pretty dark and i cant see it. I'll have to wait til its light. A bit of a worry if its loose and rattling around in there when i drive i guess!!

 

[jibcl500]

no the springs wont go anywhere, if you lift the bonnet to postion 2 or verticle, then sometimes when it gets to postion 1 they can click as the lever drops into postion.

jib

 

[JamesP]

hmmm definately no springs on either hinge, just a lever which is in place at stopping me lifting the bonnet past about 2/3rds, it just wants to drop back down

 

[jibcl500]

springs are off then, could have broken on the hook, can you send pics

jib

 

[JamesP]

I'll try to send some tomorrow when its light, i havent done the digital photo upload thing before so i might mess it up... will give it a go though thanks!! Do you think its safe to drive? the bonnet shuts ok...

 

[jibcl500]

yes safe to drive assuming the bonnet is properly closed, if your near cambridge tomorrow drop it in.

jib

 

[JamesP]

Hi, many thanks but i'm south east and its a bit of a trek considering the problem seems to have got worse. i checked again today, no signs of springs, nor marks where they may have been, i cant even firgure out how it used to remain in position 1 by itself. I tried opening it right up (by pulling back the sprung levers on each hinge) and now it wont close without lots of horrible creaking. When it does close the drivers side bonnet line is about 5mm lower than it should be vs the wing, at the hinge...

 

[television]

Is it possible that the bolts were not tight and its slipped on the hinges,you should see any tell tale signs by the paint around the fixing bolts.

Malcolm

 

[JamesP]

Yes, i wondered about that, but i can see no signs of it. Perhaps its one for the garage to look at...

 

[JamesP]

In fact i am about to change the car so i want to make sure its sorted properly. Thinking of moving to a 2000/2001 model CL500... any views?

 

[jibcl500]

james


the bonnet springs are behind the front wings, from memory the wings have to be removed to gain access to the spring. for the bonnet to have dropped on one side would indicate that a bracket bolt or pin may have sheered, with the spring removed the bonnet should maintain its postion and height. is there any damage to the wing that you can see.

jib

 

[JamesP]

Goodness, that sounds very worrying! No, there doesnt appear to be any damage to the wing... would it be obvious? The noise sounded like a "ping" rather than a shearing, though now when i lift the bonnet there is an awful creak of metal