Stupid question, I know.. but -

I have not been able to figure out how to pop my hood open since I bought my MINI. It might just be a matter of me having chubby fingers, but I can't get the hood release to pop. I think I feel it around the middle of my hood but when I press on it it only moves a small amount and of course doesn't release. With this being my first MINI I know I am overlooking something totally small and obvious, but can anyone help?

Is there any particular way to pop it? Does it get pushed up, down, or to the side? I apologize for my ignorance >.< Hahaha heeelp! I really need to check my oil level.

 

Year and model? There's a Gen 1 R52 and a Gen 3 R60 in my garage and they each require a different approach to invading the engine bay.

 

Oops, that might help huh?

It's a 2013 S, an r56.

 

its pretty far off center, basically aligned with the right side stripe if you have stripes that is.

 

No stripes. :( and I think I can feel it, I just can't get it to pop.

 

after you pulled the hood release by the kick panel. while facing the hood, slide your right hand and fingers inside toward the right side of the hood to pull the release towards yourself. It is by between the hood scoop and headlights. Don't need strong pressure.

 

I will try it right now I don't care if it's dark outside hahahha

 

Nope, no go. I don't feel anything I could pull towards me. The only thing I can feel that even moves goes upwards and yet nothing happens. Don't know if my fingers are too short or I'm just not strong enough or what but it's SUPER frustrating.

 

Start at the MINI logo, stick your fingers under the lip of the bonnet and feel for the latch which is about 8 inches to the right (not the car's right but your right) and you should be able to locate the paddle. Lift up the paddle and you're done.

 

I hope these are self explanatory; should be similar, even though they're from my '12 Coupe S.

 

I know where the latch is, when I lift up, nothing happens. Hence my frustration. All I get for my troubles is red, scratched up hands from the edge of the bonnet. I even tried using the handle of a brush for leverage. Nada. Maybe it's stuck, I don't know. I cranked on it pretty hard. It goes up but it doesn't go far enough or something.

 

are you doing a pulling motion or more of a pinching style? I just went back to my car and pulled harder and I think I can see where that could cause trouble.

 

Not quite sure what you mean by pinching? All I can do is lift it. I've tried it gently, I've tried it hard, and I've tried it really hard, or at least as hard as I can press it. I dunno.

I will have a guy I work with try it tomorrow, maybe he can get it open. Never had this much trouble popping a hood open. I may not be mehanical, but good grief I know how to open a hood at least, lol.

 

it's all good. I tried to show how I grip the hood in the last pic, if that helps at all. Be sure to update what you find tomorrow, I'm very curious.

 

Thanks for all your help and the pics! I will update tomorrow after my friend Shawn tries. (It will probably pop right open for him of course)

 

It's not a stupid question...good luck to Shawn!

 

I wonder if she is lifting the hood while pressing the lever and there is not enough room for it to release. She lifts before pressing and it hangs on bracket.

 

That's what I was thinking. I ran into that issue when I first bought my MINI. I was trying lift the bonnet while pulling up on the lever. Didn't work too well that way.

When I put no pressure on the bonnet and just used my fingertips to push the release lever, no problems. Is now mostly muscle memory.


-Paul