2008 Passat bonnet won’t open

Captain Kidd

I recently bought a 2008 Passat 1.9, I know next to nothing about cars but want to learn, unfortunately I never looked under the bonnet. The car physically is in great shape, everything works, or at least I thought it did until I tried to open the bonnet this evening. The lever didn’t do anything, it didn’t pop the bonnet. I have read online that others have had a similar problem. Could be a broken or rusted latch, stretched or broken cable. If anyone has any advise on how to open it, or fix this or how expensive this might be to get fixed, any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Captain Kidd

The car had passed the NCT a few days before I purchased it, would it have been opening then, I’m guessing the bonnet is tested during an NCT, would anyone know of another way of opening it if the lever isn’t doing what it should? Thanks for any help

Atlantic Dawn

From memory it's like a cable from a bicycle brake, it could be that the cable has broken or lost connection with the point on the bonnet where it releases.

This might work, if you get access you should be able to make a permanent fix...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTvEeQ4V6LE

Captain Kidd

Thanks for posting that, while searching i read somewhere that someone tried this or something similar and somehow damaged a different cable. Id be a little worried to poke around with a screwdriver But I really appreciate you posting this. If the car passed the NCT I’m hoping that they must have had an easier method. Would anyone know how much first I should pull the lever in the first place, maybe it’s stiff but I’m worried too much force and I’ll break something else.

Captain Kidd

In case anyone is here with the same problem, I managed to open the bonnet by gettinging someone to push down on the bonnet just above where the locking mechanism would be while I pulled the lever again, that seemed to do it.