Exterior

Hood Release Broken - Now What?

>I went to release the bonnet (hood) today and the lever wouldn't move.
>Pulled it a bit harder and there was a sort of thunk/snap sound and now
>the lever moves no problem, but the bonnet is still closed fast.
>
>Anybody know how to release the bonnet any other way and any suggestions
>on stripping down to investigate?

The same thing happend to me the plastic piece in the car where it attaches to broke. See if you
take that off if you can pull the cable to release the hood. Otherwise I can't tell you.

Good luck,
Gregg


I did the same thing.

I had over extended the length of the screwable rubber feet at the front of the hood. I was
attempting to even-out how the corners of the hood sat, relative to the fenders/bumper, when
closed. By over extending the rubber feet, I put too much stress on the release mecnanism and
when I tried to open the hood the weak-ass plastic gave way.

Until I get the repacement part do the following:

1. Have a friend firmly press down on the hood crest.

2. Pull the handle out from the broken plastic shell along with a about 2-3 inches of plastic
encased cable.

3. Use the 928 pliers from the trunk to release the hood. To do this I closed the open part of the
pliers' head over the bare cabel between the release handle and plastic/metal cable sleeve
(should be about an inch to work with). With the pliers closed over the exposed cable, use the
top of the release handle (the part opisite where your grab the handle) as a pivot point against
the face of the head of the pliers. Hold the pliers firm and pivot the handle up and out. This
should give you the leverage you need to open the hood.

4. Adjust the rubber feet under the hood so that the next time you need to open the hood you
won't need an assistant to take pressure off the latch mechanism.


As discribed, I hope this is undersandable. It pulled my fat out of the fire when I broke my
handle and works like a champ.

Regards,
Joe.


Per Gregg's observation. If the plastic piece at the lever mount point in driver's feet area, left
wall broke:
Pull cable toward you. See the end of the cable sleeve. Grasp around cable flush against end of
sleeve with pliers - channel locks work well. Put end of lever against channel locks, and pull
lever towards you. This should pull cable out while sleeve is held in place, thus replacing the
brittle/broken plastic holder mechanism.

Have Fun,

Thom Ross
86.5 928S3


A fool proof way to open a 928 hood on the pre 87 body style, however it may work for those as
well, Is to reach in threw the grill and up to the latch in the center of the front end, pretty much
under the emblem. You'll be able to feel the cable attaching to the lever that actuates the hood
realese. If the cable hasn't been pulled out of the arm then simply pull down on the cable and
then that will open the latch. However you need fairly small arm, so you big hulking 928
owner's may not be able to reach it. But get your kid or the neigbors kid out there to reach up
there and grab it. Or make a tool to reach up and hook over the cable so you can pull it down.

Unfortunetly this technique can be used on any 928 from 78 to 86 and subsequently anyone
can break into the under the hood area with minimal difficulty, if their arms are small enough.

Hope this helps!
James Renfrew
78 928


Bad luck! Same happened to me last week - and today I got the hood (bonnet here in England!)
open again. Here's how:

Move the release handle's outer plastic cover downwards and it will unclip from the plastic
piece that's bolted to the car. Then you can unclip the handle from the piece that's bolted to the
car (although it sounds as though yours might be already free!).

Use a pliers (the type with a hole in when closed) to go around the cable next to the handle.
Now you can lever the handle against the pliers so that the cable moves through the hole and
the outer sheath is stopped by the pliers.

Get a friend to push down on the hood centre while you work the handle against the pliers until
it releases. Smile :-)

Once you get it open, grease the cable and latch mechanism and work the cable a few times to
free it up. Investigate why the latch seized. Finally buy a new plastic piece to replace the one
you broke.

Good luck

Jonathan M Rackowe
1991 928GT, Manual, Baltic Blue Metallic