While washing my All4, I popped the hood to clean the bugs from the underside and I noticed both hood latches are very loose with quite a bit of play. Tried to tighten them, but the bolts spin as if there is nothing to thread into.
1~ Anyone else have this problem
2~ Before I drive 60 miles to a dealer to be told "This is TYPICAL/Standard/NORMAL MINI build quality", Is it?
3~ Should I not worry about hitting the toll road and my hood flying open and causing me to potentially crash

 

I had noticed that one side (right side) of the hood was not down as far as the left. It was as if the adjustment on one of the hood latches did not match the other. Checked it out and noticed that both of them were loose, but there was no way to tighten them. Pulled on them a bit to see how secure they were. While I could not tighten them, they did not seem to be in danger of coming off. Will wait until my next service to check it out and get them to be adjusted in sync. I do not believe they should be that loose. However, I would not worry that the hood will blow open on the highway. Just my two cents.

 

ChuyLite, if those hood latches are the square metallic parts with black plastic bases I think you'll find that the bases loosely hold the squares from turning clockwise or a/clock. They're not meant to be a tight fit IMO.

If you take off the two black plastic rivets then withdraw these bases you can screw the latches in and out to raise / lower them, then reattach the bases. When you get them at roughly the right height to 'catch' the bonnet you can screw the rubber buffers up or down to hold the bonnet in tension.

I set my bonnet gaps first with the hinge bolts close to the windscreen then adjusted finally with catches then buffers. I did this a few times over a couple of days before I felt it lined up to my satisfaction.

(Careful though; you'll always be looking for symmetry on other MINIs...)

 

thanks for the replies. my 3rd note (hood opening on freeway) was sarcastic. MINI dealer has given me alot of issues about my issues. I do appreciate the responses. My previous cars' hood latches were quite different or if similar, had no play to them.

 

CJM:

I have to say that you were right on the money!

I removed the black bits and saw that the latches could be adjusted. Through trial and error, I determined that (in my case), it was better to adjust the rubber bumpers on the bottom to where I wanted the hood to sit, and then adjust the latches until they both just caught with light pressure on the hood emblem when closing the hood. I also had to make sure that both latches caught. Sometimes, you find one latches but the other one does not. This can appear to be a misalignment problem, but turns out the second latch did not catch. Good stuff. I think I opened and closed the hood about ten times. Not that bad. Further, I did not adjust the hood at the windshield as the gaps seemed fine. I suspect that I will end up doing as you cautioned against (i.e., I will be noticing the hood gaps on other Minis). Thanks again.

 

Thanks. Yes, rubber buffers for position then latches for final tension seems a great way to go, too.

Glad to have the opportunity to pay back in a small way; I owe so much to helpful posts from 'NAM-ers.'

ps:- I've had electromedical treatment for my 'bonnet-gap-phobia' afflictions and my councillor thinks that, given time and sympathetic consideration, a complete recovery is possible.