XC70: Body Bonnet stuck

[rob s80]

So I'm starting to think these Canadian Volvo's aren't as well kept as the UK ones

Soo recently I had an issue where the bonnet open notification was up on the dash, so a little tinkering by myself I got it off.

(Left hand drive vehicle) so I found what it was , the second bonnet catch on the passenger side (furthest away from the driver seat) was the issue, so with the bonnet opened , I looked down into it and using a pen pressed down the latch and closed the bonnet and sure enough the notification went off.

Now I can't open the bonnet, and it's that same latch that wont lift.

The lever inside the car I can pull and the drivers side latch with pop and lift but after that the lever is very stiff.

So how do I get it open ?

I can pull apart the grill thankfully and reach into the latch and cable, I've tried pulling the cable from there but I don't think that was ever going to work !

So I'd like to be able to get back under and check my oil level !

Any suggestions please And thank you ?

Vehicle is the 2008 XC70 P3 3.2AWD

[Tatsfield]

Faults with the bonnet latch are often cured by soaking the mechanism with penetrating fluid and allowing it to work its way into the innards to free up the seized components. Usually this is done when the electrical switch which monitors the open/closed state of the bonnet gets stuck and the spray can be directed from on top with the bonnet open but since you can reach the mechanism from below, a spray can with a long spray tube to direct the fluid from below may do the job. When the switch, not the latch, seized on my XC70, it took several weeks for the penetrating fluid to free it.

[Ian21401]

Where is the bonnet release lever on your left hand drive car? On our right hand drive car it is to the right of the driver in the kick panel just forward of the A post.
Wherever it is, is it still moving freely or does the fact that one of your bonnet release catches is not releasing prevent it moving fully?
My initial thought is that the catch in the slam panel is seized for some reason which is why the release lever in the cabin becomes stiff after it’s initial movement. I do not know whether there are two cables from the cabin release, one to each slam panel catch, or only one. It’s quite possible that there are two and the one to the seized slam panel catch is defective in some way.
If you are able to open the bonnet somehow my first investigation would be to ascertain whether the non releasing catch moves freely and if it does is it moved by the operation of the bonnet release lever in the cabin then move on from there.

[rob s80]

Thanks for the replies kids !

I will have a go with some penetrating oil since I can get to it no issue, will the fact I've pressed down something in the lock too turn off the warning light possibly have caused it to lock in place ?

In regards locations, one of my last cars was a UK V70 D5 and they are exactly mirrored. So on our cars here the release latch is also in the drivers foot well and the catch that won't move is the furthest one away from the release lever.

If I pull the lever the driver side will pop no issue, I can reach in and grab the cable too for the one further away and there is movement, it only becomes tight and stiff when trying to release the mechanism.

Hopefully that information is good

[Ian21401]

So is there one release cable which actuates both release catches?
Is there some slack in the cable which extends from the driver’s side catch to the passenger side catch, or is that section of cable beginning to seize, or is the catch itself beginning to seize?

[Tatsfield]

I make the assumption that the latch with the switch is in the same place as on the RHD cars and it is only the release lever which is in a different place because you said that you pushed the right hand latch down to make the switch operate and the warning went out.

Once the fluid has fully penetrated the seized parts, any movement you can create between the two adhered surfaces will allow the fluid to lubricate and release the latch. I used WD40 Specialist High Performance Silicone Lubricant in the hope that it would provide better lubrication than simple WD40. And it did but in my case it was only the switch not the latch which was seized and once freed and lubricated it works every time. I wish you luck with your attempt!

[rob s80]

So just an update on this

It's actually the cable that's pretty stuck , but only at the further point from the lever in the interior... So rather than replace the entire cable etc I'm gonna throw in a make shift release cable that will be reachable from the front of the car to open the bonnet. Cheap option !

[Ian21401]

Sorry but I don’t understand where the cable is stuck. Do you mean that both the latches are free and that the cable to the left hand latch, (your driver’s side ) is free but the cable to the right hand latch is stuck/seized ?
If that is the case then persevere with the lubrication/releasing fluid until it is free.

[rob s80]

Originally Posted by Ian21401

Sorry but I don’t understand where the cable is stuck. Do you mean that both the latches are free and that the cable to the left hand latch, (your driver’s side ) is free but the cable to the right hand latch is stuck/seized ?
If that is the case then persevere with the lubrication/releasing fluid until it is free.

Yes that seems to be accurate.

My mechanic is a swedish specialist here and is very good at his stuff.

He said the cable would need to be replaced entirely but he came up with a very cheap make shift repair for me

The original cable etc is still connected up and intact so I'll get the spray oil etc and see if that helps it over time