Bonnet won't. open - help !!

[focusman]

Hi all, Gotta major problem here. Feels like a mechanical linkage has come adrift - key turns in both directions but has no effect. Taken splash-guard off hoping to get at lock from underneath, but no access. How do I deal with this guys ??

[Deleted]

Very easily to be honest. First step is to provide vehicle details so we know what we are going to be advising on!

[focusman]

Apologies ! Forgot in my panic ! It's a 57 plate mark 2 Ford Focus

[focusman]

The other thing that I should have mentioned is that the bonnet is currently closed/locked !! Mr Haynes only seems to believe that problems only occur with the bonnet open ! Nightmare !

[rhyds]

Its a well known issue with MK2 Bonnet locks.

There's a guide here if you're in a rush

www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/35338-guide-to-fixing-common-focus-bonnet-lock-problem/

or you can wait for someone more knowledgeable to give an answer!

[Karl]

Extra Long thin flat screwdriver
Smash the white outer housing holding the cable to the latch
Force it out
Can then unlatch/open bonnet
With no damage to grille
Order an lock repair kit from a ford dealer
Or buy a blank / eBay repair jobby

Done too many to remember

[Deleted]

I'm no expert on Ford, however I have done a couple of bonnet locks that won't open when the bonnet is securely closed. The first one I did was the most difficult obviously because some of the job was because I did not know how to do it. 

Working now from memory of the second one I did;

Un-clip the grille from the bumper so that the grille can be lifted. Try not to crack the plastic. The barrel lock has a tag on it that when depressed will allow the barrel to be released from the grille. That is the easy part. Now to release the bonnet lock you need a pick or two to pick out the trim clips holding the plastic trims to the lock panel. It might seem difficult but a bit of patience and your there. You then need to STOP weight training because you now need THIN arms to put your hands between the bonnet and lock panel to get a 3/8 drive ratchet spanner on the 10 mm bolts at the rear face of the lock, one on each side, it can be done as I've done it. Once you have the two 10 mm bolts out you can feed the lock cable through the lock panel with the bonnet lock as you lift the bonnet and slide the whole assembly through. the bonnet is now open.

My first one took ages and I struggled, however the second one took me say 20 minutes as I then knew what I was doing. 

If you don't do too much damage to the lock mechanism during removal, there is a common fault and that fault is the white plastic connector that goes between the cable and the lock on the lock panel, it cost about £3 or so but if you damage too much you could see a bill around £100, its your call. 

[focusman]

Not without trouble along the way, I have now managed to open the bonnet and removed the lock assembly.  My current problem is that I can't seem to separate the "white plastic bit" with the cable attached from the lock casing itself.  (I'll need to able to do that to use one of those repair kits). Anybody got any ideas/advice/experience on this one ? INcidently, thanks for all your help so far - at one stage, I didn't think that I would even get this far !!

[focusman]

.... or to put it another way, how can I get at the male and female X-section pieces ??

[Deleted]

Take a photo and upload it then I can remember what I did. I was reasonably confident that the cable past through the lock panel from the engine side and then the lock itself was attached to the cable, and then the lock was secured to the lock panel with two 10 mm bolts. 

[focusman]

    Oh dear !!  What a day !  I'm back to square one !

    Last night, I had the whole assembly back in the car and used a 8mm bar to simulate the bonnet loop.  It was 100% reliable - it worked fine EVERY time for 60 or 70 goes !

    So, this morning I was confident in closing the bonnet for real.  Initially, it would do the lefthand key movement OK, but wouldn't release on the right-hand key movement.  Now, I've got to say that the spring-loaded "plunger" that points up to the bonnet cover seems to be seized in some way - I've tried everything to free it up, without success.  So, as the right-hand key movement wasn't working, I decided to fit an extra spring to push the bonnet cover upwards. That didn't work, and now I can't open the bonnet again !!

    So, I've removed the splash-panel again, the grille, and lowered the radiator to get the best access to the back of the lock as possible.  I've even loosen off the the latch loop-plate in the bonnet cover to see if that will help, but no luck.  I just cannot get the lock to release or free up from the horizontal chassis member.

    Never mind, tomorrow is another day .......... (probably more misery !!)

    To cap it all, my landline had become unreliable and BT have been here Monday and again today - hopefully, they have now fixed it !!  (seemed like my right arm had been severed .... !!)

     Guardian, WHEN I get the ****** thing out again, I will upload a photo !!

    

 

[Deleted]

To be honest at the moment because I have only done two, I can't remember exactly but I was reasonably confident that you can release the bonnet lock without doing all you have done. I do remember removing plastic trims from behind the grille over the top of the lock panel with a pick, and I do remember using a ratchet spanner 10 mm to remove the two securing bolts that hold the lock to the lock panel. Once you have managed to release the lock first stage you put a piece of wood between the lock and lock panel and then get your hands in to undo the bolts. I did both of the examples I did that way. 

[focusman]

I only lowered the rad (and removed the fan so that I could see the lock better.  The 2 10mm bolts are out, but the metal part only wriggles around a bit and doesn't move backwards sufficiently to allow the spigots to clear the holes in the horizontal chassis member. The two "claws" on the cylindrical plastic bit have been pushed in at the front so that it should pass through the hole in the chassis member. The trouble is that the whole assembly needs to move both backwards and upwards at the same time, to allow the bonnet to open.   Once again, separation of the metal bit and the plastic bit would solve both "problems"

[Deleted]

Jul 5, 2019 21:11:59 GMT 1 focusman said:

I only lowered the rad (and removed the fan so that I could see the lock better.  The 2 10mm bolts are out, but the metal part only wriggles around a bit and doesn't move backwards sufficiently to allow the spigots to clear the holes in the horizontal chassis member. The two "claws" on the cylindrical plastic bit have been pushed in at the front so that it should pass through the hole in the chassis member. The trouble is that the whole assembly needs to move both backwards and upwards at the same time, to allow the bonnet to open.   Once again, separation of the metal bit and the plastic bit would solve both "problems"

That is how I did it now I remember. Get an assistant to lift the bonnet as you guide the lock and cable through the lock panel (its not a chassis member) That was confusing. 

[focusman]

    Good day yesterday !!!  Decided that the "plastic bit" and the "metal bit" must part to get things out and release the bonnet lid.   So, underneath the car (reaching up to back of "metal bit"), I used a screwdriver to prise the two apart.   Success !!   With a bit of wiggling, the bonnet lid was released !! 

    I refitted the "metal part" (i.e. lock mechanism) to the cross-member, and proved that, using a screwdriver to operate the X-section now exposed,  it was working correctly (when operated with the bonnet lid as a load) and reliably.

    So I turned to the "plastic bit" and found that turning the key only caused the other end to move erratically.  If I "loaded" the X-section end, movement of the key didn't result in any appreciable movement at the X-section end.  Driving the X-section end, it would move continuously in either direction !!   Conclusion - cable is broken !!  (The intermediary white plastic X-section rod was NOT to blame)  Is this a coil-type cable - i.e. a bit like a speedo cable ??

    Anyway, this is clearly the bit to be replaced.  On trawling eBay, I see that there is a "rod type" replacement - anybody had any experience with these ?  Do they have their own "problems" ?   Otherwise, I'll just order a regular replacement part + the longer white X-section rod without claws.   For the moment, I've a gotta sure-fire means of bonnet release - a piece of 4mm rod with a flattened end to engage with the "metal part" X section.

    Hopefully, the above will help anyone else faced with this nightmare !!