Well, just had an Autoglass man around to replace my windscreen (8" crack from a stone on Saturday), and after 5 mins he calls me over and says he can't open the bonnet. Seems that only the passenger side catch was releasing. Claims he just pulled the lever normally, but now we can relatch the passenger side, but pulling the lever just releases that side again. Can just about reach the center lever under the front of the bonnet, but that doesn't release the driver side catch.

Anyone know if there is anything I can do, or is this a dealer job? Be a real pain to go visit a dealer, and in the meantime I'm driving around with an 8" crack in the screen .

Help much appreciated.

Andrew

 

First, remember that the hood is aluminum and soft so it'll dent very easily (but not so easy to repair) so be gentle with whatever you do.

I'd try having someone press down in the area of the latch that isn't releasing while someone else pulls the release lever inside the car. You might get lucky and just have a sticky latch that will release if there's less pressure pulling up on it...

 

Thanks, but we tried that. Pushing down, pulling up, there and opposite sides, while I was pulling lever, pretty much every combination .

I'm wondering if he yanked the lever too hard the first time - I presume the latches are connected by cables..? Maybe one snapped/stretched. Not that he is likely to admit it, but I've never had the problem before.

Andrew

 

I doubt it's possible to pull to hard and have it break a cable. Just coincidence / unlucky - would have happened to you next time you opened it. Depends where you are located ... if in the UK, you should be able to call BMW Assist and have them fix it for free, and within an hour or two, at your house.

 

I may be being stupid here, but do you not need to be signed up with BMW Assist to use them? My car is a 03/53 E60 530d (I'll get round to doing a sig sometime . If it came with some BMW assist when new (I'm second owner), I imagine it's expired by now...

I am a member of the AA, but given the car isn't broken down, I don't think they'd help for free either.

Booked into a dealer for Wednesday. They suggested it might take a while to get into it .

Thanks, Andrew

 

Ah right yes, you get 3 years free BMW Assist when you buy a new car, sorry! You could phone the AA and say you need to fill up your oil, water and washer fluid so cannot drive the car until you have got the boot open. But, they would probably just use a big steel pole to force it open ... dealer visit looks like the only option.

 

In case anyone cares, dealer had it in last week but couldn't get it open easily. They said they were going to have to break in, so would order some parts in advance to replace the bits they are going to have to break. In today, and I'm waiting to hear what the damage is (in all senses of the word ).
Update later today.
Andrew

 

Good luck... I hope they don't charge you for any bits they don't use ... !

 

The 3 year free assist was only with MY07 and on I believe.

 

Not in the UK. We had it on our first E60, bought in 2004.