S40 V40: Problems with bonnet catch on my V40.

[Mega B]

Require some help please guys regarding the bonnet catch on my 2000 V40 the car has never been in any form of accident or anything like that but i noticed that my bonnet appeared to be not fully closed this morning,so when i went to try and push it down i guess to close it the main catch does not seem to hold it closed but the bonnet wont fly open due to the 2nd holding catch.

I have sprayed it with WD40 but it does have plenty of grease on it any way due to it being done on major services,what i cannot fathom out is why has the aligment just started,when you concider the amount of times the bonnet is opened and closed in its lifetime it must be a very small amount.So is this just a small problem that can be sorted out by adjusting something if so what would i need to adjust ???

I could understand if the car was in a accident at some stage to throw out the aligment but this is not the case and also the lack of lubrication as well but once again this is not the case.

So can anyone shed any light on how to rectify this problem please,what worries me more than anything is if i try and adjust it and i get it wrong and i then cannot get the bonnet open what would i do then have to take the grill of or something like that or does the V40 have some form of over ride mechanism just incase something goes wrong.

Thanks.

[DC6839]

This happened to my V40. It was the mechanism that was sticking and no amount of WD40 would release it. So I took off the bonnet catch (3 bolts) and used grease and oil until it was nice and free. Re-installed and all is OK. Clean the excess grease off afterwards so as not to get "messed up" every time you open the bonnet. Not a hard job to do but worth the effort.

[Mega B]

@DC6839,many thanks for your very quick reply,i will attempt to have a go in the morning subject to the weather but you mention about just 3 bolts are the bolts used just to hold the catch in place in one speific place or can you adjust the location of the catch as well or is all the adjustment done on the bonnet part of the assembly.Sorry if it sounds vague but was just wondering if i have to mark the catch so that it goes back in exactly the same location if that makes sense.

[gmain1967]

Originally Posted by Mega B

@DC6839,many thanks for your very quick reply,i will attempt to have a go in the morning subject to the weather but you mention about just 3 bolts are the bolts used just to hold the catch in place in one speific place or can you adjust the location of the catch as well or is all the adjustment done on the bonnet part of the assembly.Sorry if it sounds vague but was just wondering if i have to mark the catch so that it goes back in exactly the same location if that makes sense.

You will get some movement on the catch but not much. And when you go to remove it, remember that the wiring for the alarm on the catch will be connected and needs removed!

My bonnet became temperamental at locking fully and no amount of cleaning of the mechanism resolved it. I put tape over the "c" shape latches on the bonnet itself and noted the marks were out to one side. i lightly tapped the latches across in the direction they needed and been fine since.

[Mega B]

Thanks gents for your words of wisdom regarding this bonnet catch problem,if i can take a look at it tomorrow i will try and update you on how it goes.

Thanks again

[zeroXten]

I had a similar problem on my S40. First time I removed it, cleaned it with WD40. However the problem returned. Cleaned again, once removed, with GT85 and it seems fine now.

[Volvon]

My bonnet used to open all the time, even while driving. I tried everything, took bonnet catch off, soaked in oil etc etc

Turned out over the front right wheel arch liner where the bonnet cable runs, it rubs the plastic coating off the cable housing allowing water in, which rusts the cable from the inside out, eventually rusting up enough to either stop cable movement (in your case the cable is not retracting back in enough) or it snaps entirely (which is VERY common).

[baldmosher]

also see
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=131049

I've already changed the cable last year, but not the shroud... so in my case it could be any of the above, however, the alarm microswitch doesn't engage either, so my money is on a bit of adjustment. Now to find the thread on how to adjust the microswitch....

EDIT:

found it
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...et+microswitch