Can't open bonnet to access Spare wheel + battery

[ram]

How to :- ( Mr2, Mk 2 circa 1990/1991 )

Can't Open the front bonnet ( Spare wheel + battery one ) as cable not pulling, or maybe even broken.

So question is, can bonnet be opened from underneath ( just behind the radiator ) to gain acces to charge my flat battery, as once out of the garage, it has to be driven back. ( slight incline )

Any advice as to how to open bonnet with screwdriver or whatever from underneath would be appreciated, as just bought car and need to flush system also to get antifreeze in it.

thanks.

R.a.M

[Slarty]

As far as I'm aware, the bonnet can't be opened from underneath, there simply isn't enough access to the catch and mechanism.

It might be that the cable is seized. Try removing the lever assembly, unhook the cable and pull the inner of the cable with a good pair of pliers. You'll need to give it a mighty tug though, so don't think it's going to break.

The inner cable had corroded/seized to the outer covering on my car not long after I bought it and the above was how I managed to free my one up. New cable is about £15 or so and doesn't take more than 30-40 minutes to replace.

[Draven]

My old cable streched on my car and wasn't pulling the catch. The way I got around it was to remove the cable from the little bracket inside the car and use two pairs of pliers to pull the cable to pop the catch.. I replaced the cable afterwards.

[loudandproud205]

I'll pm you a how to open as I was locked out with a flat battery

[djpkins]

is it a secret...

[toxo]

Putting advice for how to break into cars in the public forum is frowned upon... it's not a secret but if it were posted it would be removed!

[ashley]

I would question the sense in PM'ing instructions on how to break into a car to a brand poster, first ever post...?

[loudandproud205]

You can't not steal the car from opening the bonnet, so its only stealing the contents of the frunk, or to p1$$ someone of by filling there radiator with rice..........

But its not something you want to read on an open forum and know your frunk isnt secure as no one pays attention to car alarms, well I know they didnt mine

[ram]

Thanks for the replies, and P.M's.

As said, you can't drive a car away, or steal the radio by opening the front bonnet !

So when bonnet wont open, and one has a flat battery cos left the door open in the garage ( for a few days ) then there is only ONE place to ask, and that's here.

I don't trust garages, as unless they have gone out to a car to get bonnet open ( and they are employed to work in the Garage, not go out ) then they wont know, so question was asked here.

Thanks, Ram.

[loudandproud205]

Did you get in it?

Because if it is the catch then you may have a bit more trouble

[ram]

Did you get in it?
Because if it is the catch then you may have a bit more trouble

not yet, as always raining, as need to get underneath as wont open pulling cable.

[ram]

Did you get in it?
Because if it is the catch then you may have a bit more trouble

GOT IN ! ( I have only just bought the car, by the way )

Was not the cable or faulty catch.
It was lack of maintenence of the catch.

A good pull on the interior release leaver, thinking, if the catch breaks, I
am in no worse a possition, and the bonnet opened.

So clean where you can, and OIL the moving parts of the catch, bits that
slide over others, pivots, and special attention to the cleanness,
smoothness and oilyness of the U shape rod on bonnet, and the catch
bit that holds it, then they will all slide effortlessly in future.

i also, and will have to check this in the future, gave the two round rubber
stops each side of the bonnet, in the bonnet at the front, one eighth of a turn
( screw inwards ) just so there would be less pressure pushing up the
bonnet when closed.
As said, will check the correct height for easy release in the future.

Thank for all your replies, and for a private message received that should
not be made public, for openng the bonnet by other means.

thanks again.

R.a.M.