1.Going on another thread I would be interested to know how many backroomers have checked there bonnet catches to make sure they are working correctly.
2. How many backroomers have had a bonnet catch failure.
1. Never.
2. Never.
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1. half a dozen times or so on an Avenger
2. once on an Avenger
Never since.
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1. Often
2. Never
And it has a key-operated lock to help defeat thieves.
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L\'escargot.
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And it has a key-operated lock to help defeat thieves.
Never liked that feature myself. Say you had to open the bonnet in an emergency - chances are you won't be able to find your keys, or you'll be all fingers and thumbs.
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>> And it has a key-operated lock to help defeat thieves. Never liked that feature myself. Say you had to open the bonnet in an emergency - chances are you won't be able to find your keys, or you'll be all fingers and thumbs.
Please enlighten us DD, i can't think of one possible "emergency" scenario where I would want to open my bonnet.
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Please enlighten us DD, i can't think of one possible "emergency" scenario where I would want to open my bonnet.
A couple of examples.
An electrical fault and you need to disconnect the battery pronto.
An under bonnet fire and you want to crack open the bonnet a smidgen to poke the nozzle of your fire extinguisher in (note, don't fully open the bonnet or you will intensify the fire by feeding it oxygen)
Both scenarios made difficult by having to faff around with a key beforehand.
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>> And it has a key-operated lock to help defeat thieves. Never liked that feature myself. Say you had to open the bonnet in an emergency - chances are you won't be able to find your keys .............
Same key as door and boot key.
--
L\'escargot.
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Same key as door and boot key.
I realise that. But it's far simpler to pull a lever in the cabin than having to faff about flicking the Ford badge out the way, inserting the key, turning one way to unlock the bonnet, then turning the key back the other way to overcome the safety catch.
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>>1. Never.
>>2. Never.
If you never check then how do you know that you never had a failure ?
We had one fail on a 2000 seat ibiza, and I had to regrease a 1998 a4 once.
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I think the bonnet flying up and smashing your windscreen would be a good indication that it has failed.
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yeah, but most failures result in them NOT opening rather than flying up.
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Once or twice on a 1953 Austin A30.
It was about the only thing on the Renault that didn't fail, so there, Watchdog.
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On an Bond Mk C, The bonnet came open at 30mph, whipped over the screen a few inches above my head( soft top was down) and went bowling down the road behind me.
I still consider myself lucky not to have been beheaded.
pages.zoom.co.uk/elvis/markad.html
There was no self latching of the bonnet , just a square door knob shaft to turn two catches.
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On every car I've ever had, when I close the bonnet, I then try to lift it again, to ensure it is correctly closed.
If I understand the problem with the Renault catches correctly, this would mean that the catch was perfectly safe.
So, in answer to your questions:
1. Yes, I check it every time
2. No.
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1) Every time I close the bonnet
2) Once on a Short Wheelbase Land Rover, when the bonnet blew open (the spare wheel was not there, as it was being repaired). Quite frightening as the view totally went.
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I did once see the bonnet moving and realised it wasn't fully closed, but the safety catch held it. I have never had a bonnet open on me, but I did once buy a car whose bonnet - front boot cover actually as it was a VW 411 Variant - had come open in the past, and was dog-eared as a result. Got another from a breaker. I like patchwork cars.
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1, not until now, but will probably start 'cos it's now playing on my mind
2, never
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Once on a Morris Minor that was devoid of engine and front grill section. It was on a 6' tow rope at 30mph at the time! A little hairy.
It didnt even bend the bonnet or break the hinges, not many modern cars would survive that. A good learning experience as it means even now I always check that the safety latch works.
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pmh (was peter)
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The Xantia has two main catches which operate together to hold the bonnet closed and a safety catch as well. Operating the bonnet release causes it to spring open and "bounce" off the safety catch (but not past it), so it acts as an audible guide that it is working.
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1. Never
2. Never.
Passed a Clio yesterday with a partly open bonnet, a disaster was impending I fear.
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1.never
2.never
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Never.
2 x Fiestas
1 306
1 SEAT Toledo
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1. Every time I check oil levels etc. About once a month. A good but gentle press down,then a tug up is all it takes.
2. Yes, on a Morris 1000. Luckily happened on a deserted country road,but still very frightening.
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1. Every week.
2. Never
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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1. Never (these days)
2. Once (Original Panda - it normally shut with a bit of a slam, but clearly i didnt slam it hard enough!)
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1. Its a LandRover, so I KNOW the bonnet opens OK!!! (I love it really)
2. Once, couldn't open it because the cable somehow got kinked between the rubber and steel of the drivers footwell. Soon sorted.
James.
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For me:
1. Never
2. Never
But in the late seventies my dad had (I think) an Audi - rust bucket it was. Anyway:
1. Never
2. Yes - remember the bonnet flying open and no view ahead!
Now the "catch" on the Mondeo hatchback failed at the weekend and would not lock/close. But that would be another thread. Fixed now with new parts.
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1. On the Clio following the Watchdog reports, it was immediately obvious to me that if I closed the bonnet I would know that it was not closed and I would also know if the secondary catch (the one in question) had not engaged because the bonnet would spring back up a good inch further than if the secondary catch had engaged.
2. On a Beetle, I was not reversing at the time, phew!
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Every time I shut the bonnet I give it a little pull upwards to check its latched, also the bonnet sensor would soon flag up by beeping & on the display if its still open & the alarm also wouldnt arm.
Never had a bonnet come open on the move.
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1. Never as I never open the bonnet - it's something for the dealer to do when the car is serviced.
2. Once on a Ford Escort MK2 - the bonnet release lever came off in my hand.
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1. often
2. never - on a car, had a faulty one on a Volvo FL10 a few years ago, bonnet popped open and then raised it self so headlights were pointing straight up like anti aircraft search lights - not the best thing to happen on M25 at 4am!!!!
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1. Often.
2. Once. Had a slight prang when I drove into the back of somones car. Bonnet would happily close and so I though no more of it as the car was perfectly driveable and booked in fro repair when all the bits had arrived. Until at 60mph in the dark on a country road...BANG. Bonnet up and zero visibility. Fortunately it was a 9pm with no-one else about. Had to drive 10 miles home at 25mph to prevent it flipping again.
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1 Regularly, because...
2 AX Gt, many moons ago, bonnet flew up whilst making progress in the third lane of the M4. Was looking in nearside wing mirror at the time, heard a loud thump and looked ahead to see that the world had turned metallic grey!
Managed to get to hard shoulder by leaning across passenger seat and peeking through the bottom inch of windscreen that wasn't obscured by bonnet. Back to bikes after that, much safer than french cars...
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