Bonnet locked closed - help please.

Hi all,

Hopefully some of you will be able to help with my current situation. The other day, my 110 failed its MOT on a couple of bushes and the suspension turret having excessive corrosion. Fine. No problems there then.

A few days later, (today), I came to do a couple of jobs. I think the LR has plotted against me, as first it snapped my ball joint splitter when I tried to undo a TRE.

Also, and more importantly, I cant lift the bonnet. It appears to be locked closed. Now, my 110 does nt have a bonnet release cable, it is held close by military clasps. When these are undone, I pull the lever, and the bonnet lifts. Not today though. I undid the clips and the bonnet wont lift at all?

Im guessing the bit with the spring is locked in the cup on the front panel.
Is there anyway of opening this without dismantling the front end? (A bar with spot lights and wiring passing through the grille?

Many thanks for any help or advice anyone can give!
Tom

I have the same setup as you. I'm struggling to work out how it's stuck. Could it be that the bonnet is out of alignment to the left or right? You could try pulling the bonnet left or right as you lift.

Could the pointed bit where the spring is attached to on the bonnet has locked itself into the cup that is in the front panel? Is there a sliding mechanism that was previously operated by the cable that is holding it shut?

This is all I could imagine it could be. I've never had the problem before, and nothing has changed in that area? The bonnet is ever so slightly out of alignment, but I've never had any issues before - just now while the MOT retest is looming over me.

Tom

grille off if it won't move at all then remove the catch completely if it isn't needed.

Mine jammed once, I found pushing down really hard on the front edge of the bonnet several times while pulling the lever worked.

Think I even rosorted to sitting on it....

Right all, the confusion continues....

Today I have removed the grille, and the two bolts which hold the strengtheners behind the grille. These bolts also pass through the top part of the bonnet lock.

With these removed, there is still very little movement up or down of the bonnet. Each side will lift, but it is the centre of the bonnet that is still stuck in place..

Any ideas?

Tom

have you pried the latch towards the drivers side to release the bonnet??

The catch toward the drivers side? Im not sure which one you mean?

Thanks for the help!

Oh right, after having a peek at the part book, I think I know the one you mean..

If the mechanism is still in place you can move the little lever via a hole in the striker panel which is on the driver's side of the central bonnet catch. I've found an allen key held in a mole wrench is good for this.
Alternatively, the other thing that stops the bonnet coming up is where the disc on the end of the pin that is attached to the bonnet gets itself hooked under the striker plate and won't come out. It seems that occasionally they get themselves misaligned. You can stick a screwdriver in and waggle it about until it comes out, it usually need easing to one side or other. Once undone you can slacken the bolts either side of the striker and move it around a little, so as to find a position that allows free movement. Or take the whole thing off completely if your bonnet is held down with external spring clips.

Thanks Brown for your detailed reply.

Perhaps a stupid question, but as per your second point, where would I stick a screwdriver in and wiggle it about? Would the bonnet not need to be open to do this. Thanks so much for the replies!

Tom

Well when it happened to my mate's Land Rover (which is how I know about this) we had no problem getting a screwdriver in between the bonnet and the striker panel. It's a Land Rover - the panel tolerances are a bit on the generous side. The catch mechanism on the underside of the bonnet consists of a pin down the middle, with a coil spring around it, and a round plate on the end which holds the spring on. It looks a bit like a engine valve mechanism upside down. You want to waggle this lot around in relation to the striker plate in the hope that it will release itself.