[E90F30er]

Opened it many times before but the latch isn't lifting after pulling the lever inside the cockpit. Bonnet is slightly raised "pops up a little as expected" and I can get my hand to the latch but it's stiff(?) / stuck (?) and can't move it to lift the bonnet! Pressed the bonnet down and tried again - pulled the inside lever no luck, tried again and again! Help!

Bonnet = engine compartment lid.

[jayakrishnanv]

Tried spraying some WD40 to the latch through the space you get when it pops slightly? if not do that and do close and open and it will hopefully

[Icekube]

can you lift the bonnet any more after its "popped" without trying the lever? ie is the bonnet actually hard up against the catch before you try the catch?

it could be that the bonnet is stuck to the rubber seals that run around its edge, which can happen in cold weather, and its not coming up enough for the lever to actually do anything.

[wallsmk2]

It may be caught on one of the side catches which can sometimes stick closed or open if they've not been maintained. But as it has popped and you have a gap suggests it has cleared these and just stuck on the middle large catch. It's shaped like a hook so you could pass a piece of stiff wire (coat hanger) around the 'hook' and move it to the side. You may have to lower the bonnet slightly to get it to clear the latch.

[gaza01]

Wd40 on the latch!...once its popped up
Then try to keep on top of lubing the latch mechanism

[Batts335d]

this happened too mine I was walking on it in the rain and this water got in the latch and rusted it up , I took it b roading gave the sus a bit of a work out half hour later the bumpy roads loosened it up I got it open then sprayed grease/wd40 in the mech and moved it by hand open and closed too work the oil in

[E90F30er]

Originally Posted by wallsmk2

It may be caught on one of the side catches which can sometimes stick closed or open if they've not been maintained. But as it has popped and you have a gap suggests it has cleared these and just stuck on the middle large catch. It's shaped like a hook so you could pass a piece of stiff wire (coat hanger) around the 'hook' and move it to the side. You may have to lower the bonnet slightly to get it to clear the latch.

Yes it appears to be stuck on the middle catch, I can't move the catch. I tried spraying some WD-40 in the gap around the catch but no luck. Should I get pliers and try to move the catch a little?

[John320d]

if you have got a mate with a bmw lift his bonnet and see how his works. this may help you to understand what is causing your problem.

[F31-340i]

Its been said but the catch rusts up. You just need to loosen it.

I did it with a screw driver, but as above it helps alot if you remember how it works.

Once freed, you just lub it up and give it a good waggle and it'll be fine.

[E90F30er]

Originally Posted by John320d

if you have got a mate with a bmw lift his bonnet and see how his works. this may help you to understand what is causing your problem.

Ok no luck on YouTube search for "BMW bonnet latch jammed" or "BMW hood latch jammed".

[surrey 335i]

had this one my one, spray the wd40 in and if your fingers cant push it up use a long screw driver, socket extension, something to lever in and push the catch up to free it off should not require much force if using the above just apply force in correct direction

[Thorium]

I see some of you older model and have this issue. But mine is 09, little fail like this is annoying. Too many early wear and tear on mine car already wtfff.

[JZ1967]

Originally Posted by E90F30er

Yes it appears to be stuck on the middle catch, I can't move the catch. I tried spraying some WD-40 in the gap around the catch but no luck. Should I get pliers and try to move the catch a little?

I had the same issue with my 2007 328xi. I bumped into your post, then this link:

, which explains the middle-latch mechanism do you know which direction to knock it.

Once you know how the middle-latch works, you just need to do the following:
1. Lift it up enough then spray some WD40 to the spring right next to the rubber handle to the middle latch, and wait for a couple of minutes.
2. Use a long flat screw driver, latch it on the the lower hole (you can see two holes, I assume, and the lower hole will get you more torque on the rotation) on this latch, then knock it with a hammer to the __right__.

For me, it only took one knock for the latch to open. That knock also loosened the rust, then you can open it again without any issue.

I think majority of the people who couldn’t open the hood had issues with the latch cable(s) and had to go through elaborate moves to open it. In our cases, it’s just the middle-latch and turned out to be very easy.