You know that feeling when you pull on the bonnet release cable and nothing happens,, the cable is still attached but there is no resistance? Yeah I have that right now, and a really low coolant level. I also have the mesh grill that bolts in from the inside.

The only viable option I could see is to just open the bonnet and focus my attention to the locking mechanism. The only way I can see of getting to this is by removing the underpan and seeing I squeeze my arm up through the gap and reach the latch or something 'bonnet opening related' and give it a pull. The though t of this even seems like a massive pain- is there a simply way?

Or do I just set fire to the car and claim on my insurance?

 

I'm not familiar with the 2.7D so I'm assuming that the differences between that and the supercharged 4.2 are limited to the engine.

This summer I acquired an XJR with a broken hood release cable. Here are thoughts on my experiences (again, your setup might be different in important ways):

1. first check the floor panel and hood release mechanism to see if the metal part of the release cable has come undone from the release mechanism. If it has, you've probably found your issue and reseating it takes like 10 seconds.
2. I could not find access to the front latches from below, there were too many panels and coolers in the way
3. there are two latches, and one of them can theoretically be activated by sliding in a metal rod through the mesh and hitting the bottom hammer that protrudes. Unfortunately, this is not possible for the second latch, as the bottom hammer is completely covered by the hood open/close sensor
4. the only way that I could do it in my setup was to got through mesh grill and use 10mm socket to remove the latches.

In my grill setup, the mesh was held in place from behind but I was able to bend it and lift it out. Here's a thread that has a picture with the grill mesh inserts and latches already removed: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...05-xjr-262505/.

Once completed, I was able to reinsert the mesh without difficulty.

Good luck with it.

 

Hi cornishcat,

One thing you can try is to remove or displace the footwell trim kick panel for access to the bonnet release cable where it connects to the release lever. Carefully clamp a pair of Mole Grips/Vise Grips locking pliers to the cable near where it comes out of the Bowden sheath and then try pulling gently to see if the bonnet latches will release.

If the left side latch (as viewed from the driver's seat) is released but the right side latch is not, you can thread a long screwdriver or metal rod through the mesh grille and push on the lower hammer of the latch as scooterforever described and release the latch. I've done it, so I know it is possible. A good bright torch/flashlight or headlamp helps.

Cheers,

Don

 

And once you get in there, replace the cable, as it will be rusted out and useless. Make sure you generously lubricate the new cable before fitting, something Jaguar seems to have forgotten to do. I went out and bought a motorcycle cable lubricator that forces the lube down the cable.

 

Hi Fraser!

On motorcycles and lawn equipment the lubrication of Bowden cables is a recommended practice, but in all the automotive documentation I have studied, lubrication of Bowden cables is discouraged because the lubricant can attract dust and road grit, which can foul the cable long before it corrodes. What to do? In cases where lubrication seems like a good idea, I've used penetrating oil to clean away visible corrosion and grit, then flushed away the penetrant with brake cleaner, allowed the cable to dry, then used a dry graphite spray or dry moly spray lubricant that forms a dry film that supposedly does not attract dust and grit.

Cheers,

Don

 

I hear what you say, Don, but I never had any further trouble with the bonnet cable after replacing and lubing it. It is a normal Bowden cable just like I used to have on my motorbikes.

 

After destroying one of the mesh inserts of my grill I was able to get inside, mine had snapped in the middle. At some point in its life its had body work done, and in the process the sleeve had got damaged. I made my own cable from motor bike throttle cable, I replaced the majority of the sleeting with metal tubing. Its easier to bend these to fit the required contours and they fix in place with clips and ties.

The part where the cable connects to the pull handle looks really flimsy, I can see owners having a number of issues with these coming out.