Faulty bonnet catch ??

gonzosquidgy · Jan 14, 2013

First of all Happy New Year to all Porsche owners.
My wife has just got her Boxster back from local indy after small paint job on bonnet but now the bonnet won't spring up. The bonnet release is working but not springing high enough to put your fingers underneath.
Before I take it back and play merry hell, could this be pure coincidence that a spring or latch has broken or come adrift. (the garage says that the bonnet has definately not been removed and they had problems lifting it also).
Is this a small job I can do myself as don't want to let anyone mess about and make it worse?

Cheers
John

kasspa · Jan 14, 2013

Hi John,

not sure if this could be a 'related' issue but after washing my car recently, opened bonnet to wipe water away & upon closing it wouldn't latch down.....

turned out to be one of the plastic screw covers that had come loose & had obviously dropped down into latch as I wiped away water....

could this be related to your problem but in 'reverse' so to speak!!
although you've obviously got to get bonnet open to further investigate[

]

hth

Paul

gonzosquidgy · Jan 14, 2013

Thanks for that Paul.
I can open the bonnet by using something to prise underneath after releasing the catch. I've checked everywhere and can't find anything obvious. It's almost as if there should be a spring to lift the bonnet an inch after releasing the catch. You can hear the release mechanism work ok but the bonnet doesn't spring up that half inch in order to place your fingers underneath to release the manual catch.
John

Richard_Hamilton · Jan 14, 2013

I would take the plastic cover off (item 15) - two 1/4 turn fasteners (item 16) and look for something obvious. Maybe spray the latch with some WD-40 if the lever is a bit sticky.

gonzosquidgy · Jan 14, 2013

Thanks Richard
I've done that and can't see anything obviously broken or adrift
Sprayed with WD40 but bonnet doesn't seem to want to spring up at all!!??
Strange, as all looks to be working ok