S40: Guide: Replacing the Bonnet Release Cable

[Haizum74]

The dreaded snap of the cable and the 'Oh crap' voice in your head. Well, hopefully, this should help relieve the tension (pun intended)


You will need

1x new bonnet release cable - Got it from Rufe at FRF
1x socket wrench
1x 40mm socket
1x jack and also wheel nut wrench
1x axle stand
1x tub of grease
1x phillips screwdriver

Ok, now if the cable has snapped from inside the bonnet then you can do one of two things depending if your car is a P1 or P2. If its a P1 then you can try and get your hand up through the bumper and unlock the mechanism. Its difficult but possible as this video shows (thanks to Lozccw on VPCUK for the vid) Video


If its P2 and you can't get the bonnet open then its likely you will need to go in through the grill unless anyone has an easier way, otherwise you may end with arms like so



Once you have the bonnet open then its time to replace the cable.

Jack the car up and remove the offside front tyre. You need to do this to remove the wheel arch liner to get to the old cable. The green squares are plastic screws which need the phillips and the red ones are 10mm bolts apart from the one top right which is larger. The one on the bottom right is underneath point towards the ground. Once done , remove the lining. There may be more bolts and screws so take a look but that was all there was on mine.


Now go into the cabin and undo these screws x4 and remove the lower side panel


unscrew the two screws that hold the release mechanism to the frame
they are underneath pointing down to the floor.


Now the crappy bit. Release the cable from the red release lever in the cabin and also remove the cable from the bonnet mechanism. Now in the wheel arch to the top left you will see this rubber grommet, pull the black cable including wire out from it. It might take a bit of brute force but it will come.



Now thats that done, follow it to the right and through the wing into the engine bay and pull that through into the wheel arch, CAREFULLY.

Now to put the new one in.

Where the red box is marked, you should be able to lift up the black rubber grommet.


Doing this makes it easier inserting the new cable as its a right pain to try and get the knobbly bit on the end of the cable through that small hole. You need to use a fair amount of force to get her to go in but once she does, excellent.

Have someone in the cabin. They need to go in head first and be facing the wheel when they do, there are a ton of cables and electrics under the footwell and its a right nightmare seeing the cable come through the bulkhead. A light is recommended.

Now once you have got the cable through into the cabin, attach it to the red bonnet release lever.

Then thread the bonnet end of the cable through the back of the rubber grommet and out towards the right side of the wheel arch, feed it through into the engine bay and once neatly done attach to the bonnet release mechanism and liberally grease her up.

Now you have done that, screw the red release catch back to the frame in the cabin footwell, bolt the bonnet release mech back up and test. If its working, excellent, screw/bolt everything back up and job done.

If not then make sure both ends of the cable are attached correctly. Mine worked first time so it shouldnt be a problem. Keep going until it works.

Time to change it is about 30 mins once everything is removed, unbolted, screwed etc.

Job done

[gatos]

Nice and very useful guide indeed. May I suggest you resize the photos to a width of 1200 or 1024, so it is easier to view them? If you need any help, feel free to ask

[Haizum74]

Originally Posted by gatos

Nice and very useful guide indeed. May I suggest you resize the photos to a width of 1200 or 1024, so it is easier to view them? If you need any help, feel free to ask

Cheers. I've resized them so hopefully they will fit. They did look a tad on the large size.

[baldmosher]

One thing to suggest, make any corrections before you ask admin for it to be copied to the Articles forum - they don't let you edit it afterwards!

Also worth mentioning the shortcut version:

In my case I didn't need to replace the sheath, it was cracked and perished near the bonnet catch, so:
1. a good squirt down the sheath from the top end (and the cracked bit) with WD40
2. thread a tandem length bicycle gear cable (£5 on eBay, Teflon-coated stainless steel) through the existing sheath from the cabin end
3. file away the steel grommet on the cable to fit into the bonnet release lever in the cabin
4. fix & cut off excess cable at the bonnet lock end
5 (optional). wrap duct tape around the outside of the sheath where it was cracked and rusted

[stephend]

Very nice how-to - thank you! Hopefully one I won't ever need though.

[Recognized]

I did mine a while ago. Crashed grill to bits, and just pulled older cabel from cabin. After a short trip to bicycle shop, where I got that bike gear Stainless steel cable for £3. Just pushed it into old cable housing from cabin. A few measurings and a screw (from a cabin side) needed. And you are good for life with it.

[Haizum74]

I have read of people successfully using bike cable however I wanted to go down the non-hack/short cut route so people who may just want to replace the cable with like for like can crack on. :-) Thanks for the input though

[baldmosher]

As long as the replacement isn't the same as original because it'll rust and snap again

[Whagwan]

Just about to replace with a my rusted through bonnet release cable with a tandem pushbike one(fortunately I noticed before it went so could remove the spring from the catch so it didn't stick shut.)

What did people use to fix the cable to the bonnet release mech at the front?

[liberate]

i used an eletric wire connector, cut off the plastic dab of grease. also if you get a barrel type bike cable it fits perfect in the red release lever. i didn't need a tandem length cable.

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