Bonnet stuck please help!!

[andymuggwump]

I'm currently in a whole world of pain with my XC90. I have just successfully changed a split intercooler using the method that D5GILL posted a while ago.
Anyway after refitting everything my bonnet is stuck shut. There is little or no resistance on the release handle inside the car when it's pulled and the bonnet does not 'pop'. I think I've maybe stretched or trapped the cable somehow whist the crossmember was removed / refitted. I'm at a total loss I've tried pulling on the inch or so of cable that I can see attached to the release handle inside the car but that hasn't worked. Any ideas???

[andymuggwump]

Hi Have removed the cable pull hande inside the car so that I could get a good hold of the cable and pull it. I pulled it hard but it wouldn't budge. I think the cable is all still attached but I must have trapped it. Is there anyway of releasing the bonnet from the front or from underneath? I have done searches on other forums and they seem to suggest that there is an insiders bit of knowledge for sorting this but for security reasons they never allow the info to be posted on the forum. If so hopefully someone reading this can PM me the info.

[RoyMacDonald]

perrussell had this problem so you could try searching his posts. He dosn't have an XC90 now but you could try and PM him in case he is still a forum member.

His main dealer did get the bonnet open OK so it is possible.

[andymuggwump]

I have read that it may be possible to remove the screen washer reservoir from below therefore giving better access to the area where the bonnet catch is from below. Does anybody know how easy it is to get the washer reservoir out from underneath?

[andymuggwump]

Even if I get my hand/screwdriver or coat hanger up into the area of the first catch on the drivers side, it occurs to me that I don't have any idea what I'm supposed to do to operate the catch. It would be a major help if anybody could take some pics of their catches and cable routing so I have a fighting chance at this.

[Lancee]

Find someone with the same car and ask to look under the bonnet.

[andymuggwump]

Thanks Lancee, if no body is able to take some photos then thats what i'll have to do.

[andymuggwump]

At last after days of trawling the internet for answers and getting nowhere and calling the local main dealer to be told by their cheif tech that "your going to find it very difficult getting into that car" (I could almost see him scratching his chin, sucking air through his teeth and pound signs lighting up his eyes), I decided to get underneath and see what could be done.
In the end it really was simple. I removed the skid plate, reached up on both sides and managed without any difficulty to flick the bonnet catches on both sides. Then hey presto up she popped.
On inspection what had happened is that when I was doing the intercooler swap and had removed the cross member and suspended it out the way, the cable for the first of the two catches had come out of it's guide where it attaches to the catch. It was simple to pull it back into its guide, lubricate the locks just in case then flick the catches back down with a screwdriver and operate the lever in the car to confirm all was now fine
Can't tell you how relieved I am.

[bobdabuilda]

Isn't there only one bonnet catch? there is on mine! I looked yesterday and was going to suggest using a 1m piece of 15mm copper pipe to reach up from underneath in the space at the back of the rad to push the catch up. Glad you got it sorted in the end.

[andymuggwump]

Two bonnet catches, one at each end of the radiator at the back of the cross member. If you look at the underside of your bonnet you should see two u shaped anchor points. There is only one wind hook catch though but it wasn't that that was stuck.