VW Polo bonnet latch - need diagram

my3cents

Bonnet latch broken. I've had a good hard look at it and I seem to be missing a part between the end of the cable and the lever the cable pulls.

Now what I don't understand is that the cable pulls (its a cable) and the lever needs pushing, so I'm missing something between the two.

Problem is I can't find a diagram or picture of the actual bonnet latch to find out what is missing anyone got any ideas where to look?

Perhaps a new cable includes the bit I'm missing only I don't know?

VW Polo Classic (the saloon) 2004 1.4 60HP engine.

my3cents

So found the diagram here http://workshop-manuals.com/volkswagen/polo-mk3/body/general_body_repairs_exterior/bonnet_flaps_cab_central_locking/bonnet/removing_and_installing_bonnet_lock_cable/ but that doesn't help me my cable comes in from the left hand side as in the dotted one in picture but there is no info on whats on the end of it to make it push the lever that a cable from the right would pull.

Have the latch off now and there is nothing at the back of it that the cable can pull so I'm missing something? Cable has a small crimped ferrule on the end.

my3cents

So three posts of me talking to myself I'll finish by explaining the answer which is so simple I can't believe how long it took me to work out :rolleyes:

In the left hand drive version of the car the end of the cable is attached to and pulls the lever. The body of the cable is static.

In the right hand drive version of the car the cable is attached to the body of the latch and the outer part of the cable moves and pushes the latch.

I'm just missing a couple of mm of the end of the ferrule so need a new cable. I just didn't want to get a new part without understanding how to fix it.

Buffman

my3cents wrote: »

I'm just missing a couple of mm of the end of the ferrule so need a new cable.

The last time it happened to me I was very short of time before an NCT and knew running the replacement cable would be a very akward job, even if I could get it in time.

Most bonnet release cables are very similar to bicycle cables. Luckily I had a few bike ones around and was able to find one with the correct nipple on it to fit the release latch, most of them will be the 'barrell nipple' type. So I connected that to the existing cable using a small electrical block connector and it worked fine, once I 'fine tuned' the length. That car's still in the family and the release still works fine.

Might be an option for you. I'm not that familiar with the Polo, if it's a handy job and the cable can be gotten resonably cheap, great.

my3cents

Thanks, the genuine spare part I need is €18 (may be VAT on that) and I was lucky that the cable is in two parts. There is a plastic joiner under the bonnet on the left which unclips and all I need to do is clip in a replacement and its a short run to the latch itself. So an easy job that I don't think is worth complicating.

Buffman

Ye, that's a very resonable price and the two-part cable leaves it very handy, so sounds good.

My one was a full length cable and IIRC around €50ex vat, so I chanced it with the 'fix' first.