How to open the bonnet on a VW Golf Mk7 when the handle won't work

[@bencook3430]

Used this method today. Was a struggle with my sausage hands but managed it. Useful when cable is still connected to latch. Thankyou for posting it!!!

[@nickfowles2943]

Glad it helped

[@originlgazza5925]

Absolute legend mate I didn't have a cable but halfords sell those you have for £3 so a £3 cable, mole grips, and a very sore hand later mine is open too saving me an estimated £120 at garage and being told I will never be able to do it myself it's done I honestly can't thank you enough!

[@nickfowles2943]

@@originlgazza5925 No worries chap, glad it helped!

[@chrisward1056]

I just managed to do this too. I couldn't get mole clips in the gap. So, I managed to get a cable tie onto the plastic end of the cable to pull it and this worked. I then tied some thick metal wire to connect the broken ends. Saved me a fortune, thanks!

[@nickfowles2943]

Ah, good thinking! It’s a fiddly job for sure. Glad the video helped.

[@emmams5]

Fair play to you Nick, thanks for posting. My neighbour just called into me with the same problem. I'm going to now attempt this repair on the side of the road, God help me.

[@stanislavjohn6156]

As another had said, i managed to loop a cable tie over the wire and pull it, thanks for helping with this absolute nightmare of a job

[@nickfowles2943]

Glad it helped!

[@phatso786]

Thanks for this trick. I used a bike cable as well and it opened right up. I was able to hold it down with my finger.

[@garfphelps4893]

I tie the cover shut with cable ties to prevent it opening whilst the bonnet is shut.

[@originlgazza5925]

I have done this now on mine lol

[@douglasstalley6475]

Just a quick thanks,after watching your video it gave me the confidence to carry out this repair. Worked a treat....thanks again

[@malvynn2001]

This looks really good Nick, I've had the same problem on my 2016 Passat R line so will give this a try today.

[@edgarasdauksa]

thanks for a good advice, I'm currently waiting for a replacement cable to be delivered and then I will try and do the same on my passat b8

[@AG-jd8tg]

Thanks for uploading this mate especially going into a bit more detail than the rest very helpful!

[@nickfowles2943]

My pleasure.

[@DrPococksMagicPills]

Many thanks for the post. Let me know that it was possible. I made a slop knot on the end of a piece of electrical cable and slid it over the end of the front cable. A good tig and up popped the bonnet

[@user-yf3kg2dq8k]

Great video, worked for me and saved loads of time and money !

[@joaquinstabbington673]

This video is called "How to open the bonnet...", but the how to open the bonnet was never covered. Instead, there is in-depth discussion and video of how to reconnect a disconnected joint AFTER the bonnet is open! Call it what is is, maybe?

[@andrewmccutcheon4650]

Thanks, I have to do this today. It's rubbish on a 6-yr-old car. I've always bought VWs (coming from aircooled) but every one is lower quality than the older one it replaces. Oh well, that's progress

[@eggycat]

Thanks for this video!! I haven’t done it yet but wish me luck.

[@user-wj5tp9rq4l]

Long shot for a reply, reckon this'll work on the MK7 R? Mine did it today after I jumped it to go buy a battery, just a horrible day all around

[@robertdavis5714]

Thanks for the insight Nick, hopefully I never deal with this nightmare, safe to assume your car is right side drive.

[@nickfowles2943]

Hi Robert. Yes, it is right hand drive. It’s a pig of a job, so prevention is better than cure for sure!

[@ericasmithson6522]

@@nickfowles2943 ..Hi Nick..need your expertise here. I am facing 1 now. any other way I can jump start the car? Please and thank you VW Golf R MK7.5 Wagon 2017

[@georgezambellas3776]

Worked well for me.Thanks!

[@deenali90]

Thank you Nick, you're a lifesaver!

[@nickfowles2943]

You’re welcome, I’m glad it was helpful!

[@maxbrinckman8355]

So how do you fix the handle?, must have pulled mine to hard, isnt releasing the hood anymore

[@nickfowles2943]

Max Brinckman Hi! That’s what happened to me. It was so stuck that when I pulled the handle it popped the cover of the housing open and released the cable, leaving me unable to open the bonnet. The video above shows you how to access the area you need to reach (assuming that the cable housing door has popped open and not that your cable has snapped or that you have some other issue which is preventing you from opening the bonnet).

[@tedjohnson64]

Very impressive!

[@CubeCyclone]

As a preventative measure what about cable tying the opening plastic end? Is that feasible?

[@nickfowles2943]

smidsyonfire Yes, absolutely! The video is aimed at helping those who were in the same situation as me, ie unable to open the bonnet because the cable had popped out. Certainly, I’d advise putting a cable tie round it to prevent it from happening. Much simpler to avoid the problem in the first place!

[@CubeCyclone]

Thanks Nick :) I must say I am surprised how poor some of the manufacturing is compared to their original price tag and no recalls to put things right.

[@menzidumakude8801]

Is possible to remove the rear hood latch

[@nickfowles2943]

Hi Menzi. I’m not sure what you mean… Are you referring to the bonnet?

[@dice1902]

Watched a other guy he lifted the bonnet a tiny bit and took bolts out the bonnet lach mines just went😩 just got the car from arnold clark and needed a new caliper bonnet went when fixing that then was told all my alloys are fake and arnold clark said what do you want us to do about it arnold clark is a joke sorry for the rant 😂

[@darrenhaigh4613]

These are designed to never be opened when they fail, I scrapped my mk7 due to this

[@ericasmithson6522]

and I thought VW have the best car engineering.. I am facing 1 now. bloody hell..and it is not easy when you have pretty basic tools. let alone the another additional cable..VW is not that smart now, arent they any other way I can jump start the car? VW Golf R MK7.5 Wagon 2017

[@-a6833]

They used to, 30/40 years ago and earlier, these days it's quite the opposite, but they rely on their good name still, from halfbaked engineering to cutting costs heavily on integral parts, vw isn't what they used to be

[@Bert.....]

Watching this back do you realise how much you say errrrr

[@nickfowles2943]

I hadn’t, no. I’m not a tv presenter though, I just made a video to try and help people fix their car, so I help you found it useful.

[@Bert.....]

@@nickfowles2943 no its a good video just wondering if it was just nerves ?

[@bigjay290386]

Rob what are you trying to achieve? Don’t be a plum!

[@Bert.....]

@@bigjay290386 move alongggg nothing to you to see here

[@malvynn2001]

I may have to try this myself as same as happened to my 2016 VW Passat, just wonder if the same method would work or if anyone has tried it?