Bonnet wont release

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gumpclipper
Joined: Sun 17 May, 2009 15:55
Posts: 5

  Z4 roadster 2.5i
Location: rochdale

Bonnet wont release

Post by gumpclipper »

Tried pulling the catch in the car but it wont pop, any ideas? ? doesnt feel like the cable is pulling
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Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
Posts: 9521

  M roadster S54
Location: Romford Essex

Post by Gazza »

Try pressing down on the bonnet while someone pulls the lever.
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Crozzy
Joined: Tue 17 Oct, 2006 12:58
Posts: 2

  Z4 roadster 2.5i
Location: Rowde

Post by Crozzy »

I had this happen to me. You need to spray a bit of WD40 on the catch inside the engine bay.

First you need to take off one of the grilles, should just pull out but might need a bit of force to do it though or if you might be able just to spray through the grille if you've got one of those red pipe things that come with the can.

After spraying just pull on the bonnet release a few times and it should open up.

Well it worked for me anyway :P
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unclemart
Joined: Tue 12 Aug, 2008 20:29
Posts: 279

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Thatcham

Post by unclemart »

double post ??
Last edited by unclemart on Sun 31 May, 2009 18:17, edited 1 time in total.
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unclemart
Joined: Tue 12 Aug, 2008 20:29
Posts: 279

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Thatcham

Post by unclemart »

I had a simular thing - When | pulled the lever the bonnet did not pop up
I had to increase the spring tension on the two sprung loaded catches/retainers - do this by using a flat bade screwdriver and wind them in half a turn.
Need to open the bonnet first of course - Get someone else to apply a lifting pressure on the bonnet while you pull the lever.
Was an easy fix :wink:
Remember "To become old and wise - First you need to be young and stupid"

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gumpclipper
Joined: Sun 17 May, 2009 15:55
Posts: 5

  Z4 roadster 2.5i
Location: rochdale

Post by gumpclipper »

just put it to bed guna have a go tomorrow, tried pushing the bonnet but no joy, got some wd so willl give it a spray, thank for the quick replies.
gumpclipper
Joined: Sun 17 May, 2009 15:55
Posts: 5

  Z4 roadster 2.5i
Location: rochdale

Post by gumpclipper »

pulled the grill out,sprayed it with wd40, hay presto job done. thanks for the advice. p.s was a bit dodgy pulling the grill out thought it was guna crack but it came out with a bit of force
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Ex330i
Joined: Thu 24 May, 2007 12:32
Posts: 47

  Z4 roadster 3.0i
Location: West Bromwich

Post by Ex330i »

I had this from when I bought the car 18 months old - funny the stealer hadn't noticed! Same prob - no lubrication. The stealer said it wasn't listed as a service item. I said it appeared to be very common so why don't they copper grease the mech as a matter of course? "It's not a BMW service item sir" *****s!!!!
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Ian in Lancs
Joined: Sat 24 Jan, 2004 16:21
Posts: 19

  Z4 roadster 2.5i

Post by Ian in Lancs »

standard problem on pre facelift Z4's. The lock is exposed to the elements and the lube dries out. I fixed it with regular squirts of mountain bike chain lube (all weather).

On the 2006/7 Z4M's its replaced with two catches - one either side.
bertiejaffa
Joined: Fri 26 Jul, 2013 09:28
Posts: 1733

  M roadster S50
Location: Manchester

Re: Bonnet wont lock

Post by bertiejaffa »

Thought it better to revive an old thread..

Ok so my bonnet releases fine.... making it stay closed is another issue - taken me 5 minutes the last few times to get the catch to engage... any thoughts?
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swappy
Joined: Sun 14 Dec, 2014 18:28
Posts: 28

  Z3 roadster 2.0

Re: Bonnet wont release

Post by swappy »

Hi,mine was the other way, was i pig to open you really seemed to have to pull hard on the lever, and then it wouldn't catch sometimes when closing, So I gave both the catches on the slam panel loads of WD40 to dissolve all the old muck and grease, then gave it a bit of a scrubbing with an old tooth brush then more WD40 to wash any remaining muck out then greased with copper grease and gave the lever a few pulls in between and sorted :D
Simple and cheap just a bit messy :lol:
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Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
Posts: 9521

  M roadster S54
Location: Romford Essex

Re: Bonnet wont lock

Post by Gazza »

bertiejaffa wrote:Thought it better to revive an old thread..

Ok so my bonnet releases fine.... making it stay closed is another issue - taken me 5 minutes the last few times to get the catch to engage... any thoughts?
I would say the cable is sticky causing the catch to stay open
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

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bertiejaffa
Joined: Fri 26 Jul, 2013 09:28
Posts: 1733

  M roadster S50
Location: Manchester

Re: Bonnet wont lock

Post by bertiejaffa »

Gazza wrote:
bertiejaffa wrote:Thought it better to revive an old thread..

Ok so my bonnet releases fine.... making it stay closed is another issue - taken me 5 minutes the last few times to get the catch to engage... any thoughts?
I would say the cable is sticky causing the catch to stay open
Thanks Gazza - I assume by that diagnosis that the cacth itself is very very simple and so it can only be the cable sticking (and probably a new cable?)
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Robert T
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Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: Bonnet wont release

Post by Robert T »

Either that or the return spring doesn't.

Cheers R.

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Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
Posts: 9521

  M roadster S54
Location: Romford Essex

Re: Bonnet wont release

Post by Gazza »

Spray both catches as previously described, spray some light oil or WD40 up the sleeve of the cable. Pull it a few times. I doubt you will need a new cable
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

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Ex330i
Joined: Thu 24 May, 2007 12:32
Posts: 47

  Z4 roadster 3.0i
Location: West Bromwich

Re: Bonnet wont release

Post by Ex330i »

swappy wrote:Hi,mine was the other way, was i pig to open you really seemed to have to pull hard on the lever, and then it wouldn't catch sometimes when closing, So I gave both the catches on the slam panel loads of WD40 to dissolve all the old muck and grease, then gave it a bit of a scrubbing with an old tooth brush then more WD40 to wash any remaining muck out then greased with copper grease and gave the lever a few pulls in between and sorted :D
Simple and cheap just a bit messy :lol:
Although the WD40 has helped get things working again, it may only provide a temporary solution as WD40 is quite volatile and its lubrication properties will soon be lost - especially on the bonnet catch which gets lots of the environment blasting through it. You can keep things working by regular spraying, but the catch will work longer if you apply some decent grease to the moving parts (say lithium or copper grease - these aren't affected much by temperature etc.) Mine has been fin for over 7 years since I applied some lithium grease!
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therealdb1
Joined: Tue 25 Jun, 2013 21:47
Posts: 263

  Z3 roadster 2.0

Re: Bonnet wont release

Post by therealdb1 »

The bonnet release may not be a service item according to BMW but it definitely needs maintenance.
Over time the system siezes due to lack of lubrication and you end up snapping a cable trying to open the bonnet. Then you really have made a job and a half for yourself!
How do I know that?
When after several days I finally got the bonnet open I replaced both catches and both cables and now keep them in fine fettle and it is a pleasure to operate the release so it was well worth doing and the parts are considerably cheaper than you might think from a franchised stealer.
bertiejaffa
Joined: Fri 26 Jul, 2013 09:28
Posts: 1733

  M roadster S50
Location: Manchester

Re: Bonnet wont release

Post by bertiejaffa »

Thanks all for the advise - Im working away this week (as usual :head: ) so I wont risk doing it till the weekend, but at least I now have another little task to look forward to!! :lol:
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