Oil your bonnet catch

I thought I would change the pollen filter, so went to open the bonnet and the grill release mechanism would not work. I tried a few times and still no joy.

So whilst pulling the release catch I gently pushed the bonnet up and down. It did the trick and the bonnet opened. I had look at the bonnet mechanism and it was seized. A bit of silicon oil and it soon started to work properly.

So keep those mechanisms oiled.

Also a big issue with the 3B Passat and Golf 4. They can often go two years without being opened and I have lost count of the number of Golf 4’s and Passat 3B’s where I haven’t been able to open the bonnet without spending and hour or more exercising the lock and safety catch with releasing spray and it is chargeable time.

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Originally Posted by Crasher

Also a big issue with the 3B Passat and Golf 4. They can often go two years without being opened and I have lost count of the number of Golf 4’s and Passat 3B’s where I haven’t been able to open the bonnet without spending and hour or more exercising the lock and safety catch with releasing spray and it is chargeable time.

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Unbelievable, two years !

Those people deserve to break down :p

What about screen wash, in winter I sometimes have to fill it once a week!

I know, it defies comment. It confuses me that they pass the MOT but they must do although the bonnet should be opened at the MOT. I have seen this on cars that have not yet had an MOT so a corroded catch at less than three years old.

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Originally Posted by BigCol

Unbelievable, two years !

Those people deserve to break down :p

What about screen wash, in winter I sometimes have to fill it once a week!

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:biglaugh: As a positive if the car can go 2 years without needing to tinker with anything under the bonnet it must be a quality product.

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Originally Posted by kurtas2006

:biglaugh: As a positive if the car can go 2 years without needing to tinker with anything under the bonnet it must be a quality product.

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Somebody must never use screen wash. I defy any car to go two years without needing an oil top up!!!! unless it's doing 1 mile a day! :aargh4:

Even simple checks.

I regularly see cars go two years or more without a top up of oil. We try to discourage people to not use the 2 year Longlife interval but customers like it as it costs less in the short term. It is nothing unusual to have a car come in with the service warning saying “service now”, the oil level warning light on, the screen wash light on, the bonnet catch rusted in the safety catch position and hardly any oil in the sump. You may not be able to comprehend such mechanical neglect but most people do not give a toss.

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Originally Posted by Crasher

I regularly see cars go two years or more without a top up of oil. We try to discourage people to not use the 2 year Longlife interval but customers like it as it costs less in the short term. It is nothing unusual to have a car come in with the service warning saying “service now”, the oil level warning light on, the screen wash light on, the bonnet catch rusted in the safety catch position and hardly any oil in the sump. You may not be able to comprehend such mechanical neglect but most people do not give a toss.

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And those same people sell their sludged up 1.8t's no doubt to people off here who do give a toss but sadly inherit the problem.

Shocking stuff.

Ohh yes, very much so. I despair of telling people they have a serious problem such as oil pressure loss and they say “I am going to flog it”, basically to anyone they can unload it onto-private or trade. A dreadful attitude but one that is very prevalent.

Hold on.

No opening of the bonnet at all in two years?!

My washer bottle is empty after four vigorous squirts (steady!) How is this even possible?