Help please - mondeo bonnet catch

Try taking the grill off or reaching underneath. If you can grab part of the cable that is attached to the release, pull it firmly. If you are very lucky the cable will have come adrift just next to the lever (this is usually the part of the cable taking the most strain).

Failing that, Contact local car thief

Mine does this! Pull on the bonnet lever, but the bonnet doesn't "pop-up". I then just grab hold of the bonnet lip and pull up. HTH

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Alternatively try pulling the lever and getting someone else to pull up the bonnet, or if the cable is stretched / too loose try pulling the lever and getting someone else to push down on the bonnet near the catch.

Unfortunately, the grille is held down with bolts which can only be accessed by opening the bonnets.

Unless of course you mean "taking off" as in "with extreme prejudice" :-)

Pete.

Thanks for the replies - I think this is going to be a big job. Tried the pressing down on the bonnet, and pulling up, to no avail. I can actually here a clicking right at the front of the bonnet when the catch is pulled but there is no tension at all. So I guess it's detached right at the end.

So, if I can't get the grill off with the bonnet down - how do I get in?

If you wait till tomorrow morning, I will have a Mondeo in for a service. I will have a look and let you know how to get in without the cable. The one tomorrow is an N reg, I don't know whether there are differences on years though.

mrcheerful

There are differences, an R-plate will be a MKII / facelift model - the one where Ford took a perfectly good design and tacked on an ugly chrome grille.

I didn't know that, not having ever driven a Mondeo. It might, however, still be an option. I expect that a replacement grill wouldn't cost much from a scrap yard. Mr Cheerful might even be able to acquire one tomorrow ...

Well, I had a look at the N reg one. The catch assembly is quite well designed !!!! The mechanism is a bit like a car door lock, the bonnet part is a wire loop which passes a catch which flys across and is retained by the part attached to the cable. I am surprised that it has failed, have you tried with an assistant to pull the cable and pressing and lifting on the bonnet?? It would be quite feasible for the release mechanism to work, but stiffness (of the mechanism) prevent the bonnet lifting easily. The only non damaging way I can see to open one, is a long piece of steel rod (5mm or so) pushed across the top of the catch assembly from the left of the car (passenger side) Just above the headlight. This would push on the release catch and let the other half fly open.

Second choice is to pull/cut the grill off then unbolt the catch assembly (4 10mm nuts) You could then get fingers behind the catch and release the mechanism and raise the bonnet.

mrcheerful

Thanks v much for the advice - much appreciated.

I have tried the pushing and pulling the bonnet while someone else operates the lever and it's no use. But I'll try the rod - if I can find one - and if that fails it'll be cutting the grill out.