Bonnet won't open
Moderator: RichardW
Bonnet won't open
I'm wondering if the car is safe to drive on the secondary bonnet catch. I can't get the bonnet open completely. The plastic lever under the bonnet that you lift upwards snapped as I was trying to get it open! My local Citroen dealer can't fix it until next week at the earliest so I was wondering if the car is okay to drive with the bonnet popped up on the secondary catch?
2008 Citroen C5 2.2 HDi Exclusive
- Ben82
- Posts: 1086
- Joined: 03 Dec 2012, 07:47
- Location: Sköllersta/Örebro, Sweden
- My Cars: C5 V6 2004
- x 7
Re: Bonnet won't open
I've done this accidentally on mine, left it overnight on the secondary catch, thinking that I'd go back to it that evening and forgot about it. Did a ~25km round trip and noticed the front looked odd when I put her away in the garage, realised I had forgotten about it and then obviously closed it.
Not sure whether its really classed as safe, but pretty sure you'd need a really strong wind to lift it off the catch AND lift the bonnet up to cause an issue.
Would avoid it if possible though. Maybe tie it down if possible as an extra safety measure?
Not sure whether its really classed as safe, but pretty sure you'd need a really strong wind to lift it off the catch AND lift the bonnet up to cause an issue.
Would avoid it if possible though. Maybe tie it down if possible as an extra safety measure?
2004 Citroen C5 3L V6 Auto
Brit living in Sweden with an imported from Germany French Car!
Brit living in Sweden with an imported from Germany French Car!
-
Onlinemyglaren
- Forum Admin Team
- Posts: 25364
- Joined: 02 Mar 2008, 13:30
- Location: Washington
- My Cars: Mazda 6
Ooops.
Previously:
2009 Honda Civic :(
C5, C5, Xantia, BX, GS, Visa.
R4, R11TXE, R14, R30TX - x 4888
Re: Bonnet won't open
Definitely use a secondary method of securing it.
I had the bonnet of my 265 fly up on a motorway, fortunately at low speed but still a terrifying experience.
I had the bonnet of my 265 fly up on a motorway, fortunately at low speed but still a terrifying experience.
- qprdude
- Posts: 1754
- Joined: 06 Apr 2012, 18:56
- Location: Woking, Surrey
- My Cars: Renault 5 TS, Renault 14ts, Citroen C5 Mk1, Renault Clio sport, Renault Laguna Privilege. Citroen C5 X7 Exclusive. Citroen DS5 D/sport . And around 25+ other brands from Morris Oxford to S Type jag and most things between.
- x 10
Re: Bonnet won't open
Agree with myglaren. Just because it didn't happen once, doesn't mean it won't happen next time. There wouldn't be a secondary catch if it wasn't needed. Find some way of holding it until the permanent fix, or leave it in the garage. The other thing is, if plod see you with the bonnet not secure, you could be looking at 3 points.
Rick.
2013 Citroen DS 5 D/Sport
2007 Renault Clio Campus sport. 1.2l
Sometimes the change doesn't work.
2013 Citroen DS 5 D/Sport
2007 Renault Clio Campus sport. 1.2l
Sometimes the change doesn't work.
-
- Posts: 274
- Joined: 16 Nov 2004, 21:26
- Location: Up North, but not as far as Scotland.
- My Cars: Xsara SX (2003) Last of the line.
- x 6
Re: Bonnet won't open
I don't understand the original post. And I haven't had a drink yet so it can't be just me.
Evoke: Will the bonnet not properly shut now that the secondary catch is broken?
Evoke: Will the bonnet not properly shut now that the secondary catch is broken?
Re: Bonnet won't open
Yes, the bonnet actually won't shut properly now - apologies for not stating that in the original post. In short, I cannot fully open the bonnet as it is caught on the secondary latch, the plastic lever under the bonnet has snapped off and the bonnet won't shut fully if I push it down either.
Next Tuesday is the earliest that I can get it fixed. I do have a second car so may use that for a few days.
Next Tuesday is the earliest that I can get it fixed. I do have a second car so may use that for a few days.
2008 Citroen C5 2.2 HDi Exclusive
-
- Posts: 274
- Joined: 16 Nov 2004, 21:26
- Location: Up North, but not as far as Scotland.
- My Cars: Xsara SX (2003) Last of the line.
- x 6
Re: Bonnet won't open
In that case If you can't get it to shut properly I would suggest you don't drive it far.
However: Although a new plastic lever might be a dealer only part, I would have thought any local indy garage would at least make it safe for you.
However: Although a new plastic lever might be a dealer only part, I would have thought any local indy garage would at least make it safe for you.
- Xaccers
- Posts: 7654
- Joined: 07 Feb 2007, 23:46
- Location: Milling around Milton Keynes
- My Cars:
- x 184
Re: Bonnet won't open
If it's like the Xantia one, then get someone to hold the bonnet up a bit, then you should be able to get a screwdriver or long nose pliers or bent bit of metal behind the plastic lever to open the bonnet.
Once open you'll need to clean and lube the main latches so it will stay down.
Had this with Juliet recently, the bonnet release mechanism got stuck in the open position so the latches wouldn't hold the bonnet down, had to give them a good clean and spray with 3in1 oil, then work them manually to free them up.
Once open you'll need to clean and lube the main latches so it will stay down.
Had this with Juliet recently, the bonnet release mechanism got stuck in the open position so the latches wouldn't hold the bonnet down, had to give them a good clean and spray with 3in1 oil, then work them manually to free them up.
1.9TD+ SX Xantia Estate (Cassy) running on 100% veg
1.9TD SX Xantia Hatchback (Jenny) running on 100% veg for sale
Laguna II 2.0dCi Privilege (Monty)
DIY sphere tool
1.9TD SX Xantia Hatchback (Jenny) running on 100% veg for sale
Laguna II 2.0dCi Privilege (Monty)
DIY sphere tool
Re: Bonnet won't open
Apart from driving it at very low speeds to get it repaired i would not be driving this. I have a mate that has had 2 bonnets fly up on him when on the secondary catch, both were customers cars when road testing. First time was just a mistake not closing it properly after working on it, the second time the bonnet was deliberitley open on the secondary catch as he had test leads coming out from under the bonnet, knowing this & have been bitten before he tied the bonnet down with wire aswell & the bonnet still came up on him.
Not a good idea to be driving around like this.
Not a good idea to be driving around like this.
Re: Bonnet won't open
Okay, thanks all. I'll drive my other car until next Tuesday and then take the C5 slowly to the dealer.
2008 Citroen C5 2.2 HDi Exclusive
Re: Bonnet won't open
A quick update on this: my local Citroen dealer is still awaiting a 'secondary' bonnet release cable. It's been over a month! So, I had a local independent workshop temporarily fix the problem. They cleaned up the bonnet latch and greased it again.
So, I can now get the bonnet open and closed. However to close it I have to drop it and then push it down so it closes fully. It won't close fully just by dropping it. Any ideas what could be causing this? I've lowered the bumps stops to their minimum height but I still need to push the bonnet lid down to fully close the bonnet.
So, I can now get the bonnet open and closed. However to close it I have to drop it and then push it down so it closes fully. It won't close fully just by dropping it. Any ideas what could be causing this? I've lowered the bumps stops to their minimum height but I still need to push the bonnet lid down to fully close the bonnet.
2008 Citroen C5 2.2 HDi Exclusive
- qprdude
- Posts: 1754
- Joined: 06 Apr 2012, 18:56
- Location: Woking, Surrey
- My Cars: Renault 5 TS, Renault 14ts, Citroen C5 Mk1, Renault Clio sport, Renault Laguna Privilege. Citroen C5 X7 Exclusive. Citroen DS5 D/sport . And around 25+ other brands from Morris Oxford to S Type jag and most things between.
- x 10
Re: Bonnet won't open
I always lower the bonnet until it catches on the "U" bracket , then gently push it home. I just tried it, and it does close properly by just dropping it from a few inches though. I noticed that the release cable was very slightly slack on the mechanism after I had pulled the bonnet release.
Not sure what your dealer means by "secondary cable", as mine would appear to have only one and it's the same
model as your's.
Not sure what your dealer means by "secondary cable", as mine would appear to have only one and it's the same
model as your's.
Rick.
2013 Citroen DS 5 D/Sport
2007 Renault Clio Campus sport. 1.2l
Sometimes the change doesn't work.
2013 Citroen DS 5 D/Sport
2007 Renault Clio Campus sport. 1.2l
Sometimes the change doesn't work.
Re: Bonnet won't open
^ I know, I think the dealer is just messing around.
However, some good news, I think i've fixed it! The bump stops were far too low. I raised them to about 4mm and now the bonnet latches completely shut when dropped from around 6-8 inches. I had sprayed grease onto the movable parts of the latch mechanism so this may have helped too.
The manual says that the bonnet should be dropped to shut it completely so it's working as per the manual now. I'm very disappointed with my local Citroen dealer!
However, some good news, I think i've fixed it! The bump stops were far too low. I raised them to about 4mm and now the bonnet latches completely shut when dropped from around 6-8 inches. I had sprayed grease onto the movable parts of the latch mechanism so this may have helped too.
The manual says that the bonnet should be dropped to shut it completely so it's working as per the manual now. I'm very disappointed with my local Citroen dealer!
2008 Citroen C5 2.2 HDi Exclusive
- qprdude
- Posts: 1754
- Joined: 06 Apr 2012, 18:56
- Location: Woking, Surrey
- My Cars: Renault 5 TS, Renault 14ts, Citroen C5 Mk1, Renault Clio sport, Renault Laguna Privilege. Citroen C5 X7 Exclusive. Citroen DS5 D/sport . And around 25+ other brands from Morris Oxford to S Type jag and most things between.
- x 10
Re: Bonnet won't open
Hope it's a permanent fix then evoke. You should phone the dealer and ask what a secondary cable is.
Rick.
2013 Citroen DS 5 D/Sport
2007 Renault Clio Campus sport. 1.2l
Sometimes the change doesn't work.
2013 Citroen DS 5 D/Sport
2007 Renault Clio Campus sport. 1.2l
Sometimes the change doesn't work.