I have reason to believe that the cable to pop the hood has snapped at the hood end, or somewhere in between. I've tried pulling the cable from the compartment and it freely comes in.

Here's the kicker: I was installing my new boost gauge at the time, so the battery is disconnected (aka 1 dead MINI). So is the cowl, wipers, air intake, dash board, and center console. Talk about timing...

Is there anything I can do??? I know a trip to the dealer is in order, but I'd much rather avoid having it towed.

 

Can you shut the hood? If so then take it back to the dealer and let them fix it under warranty. Unless the hood can not be safely latched in the closed position, I don't see a need to have the car towed.

 

The hood is shut, and the car cannot be driven because the battery is disconnected and the air intake is off

 

Other than the fact that the battery is disconnected.

 

Oh ****. I forgot that little detail. Sorry dude. I think a call to roadside assistance is in order.

 

MINI Roadside has been prompt and careful the few times we've had to use it. Each time it's been loaded on a flatbed and the driver has made sure to be quite careful with the loading process. Good luck!

 

Make sure to request a flat bed just in case. It sucks but what else can you do?

 

Call Mini Roadside Assistance - it always sucks having to have your car towed into the dealer but they will tow it to the nearest dealer for free (even if that dealer is more than 3 hours away, as I've learned). And they're careful and good with the car. It sucks but towing sounds like your best option.

 

My experiences in 6 years of owning MINIs with roadside assistance have been all positive so far. But then again, I have been fortunate not to have needed their services much in the first place.

 

Ugh. Now I've gotta go put my dash and console back together at least.

 

That's really a bummer. Let us know what the dealer finds out. I wonder if the cable just came loose at the hood latch or if it broke.

 

Mine did this , the spring on the latch pull needs to be re set , you might be able to do it ,after lube under the bonnet all latches .

 

On BMW, You an stick a screwdriver through the front grill and turn the thing and unlatch the hood. I wonder if MINI has one also.

 

Great tips guys. I am waaay to fried to go try this now, but I'll give it a go tomorrow.

 

I wonder if this is going to be a big issue because I am also having trouble with my hood not popping! I have to pull it, go out push the hood down (it only pops a tiny bit) then repeat about 4 times until it finally works! Is a pita! I just keep forgetiing about it though so no dealer trip yet! Good Luck!

 

I dunno. Like I said, I was working on my car, and as the day went on it became harder and harder to pull the hood release until POP!

Just my luck that the car is in an undrivable state (and I can't check my new gauge)

 

"Warranty void!"
I would find a way to open that hood and put everything back before you involve the dealer! When they find out you were tampering, even if you know what you are doing, they might make notes in your records about the air intake removed etc. and this could have adverse effects on your future warranty claims.

 

That's the plan, but the dealer knows about my Alta CAI and they have no issue with it. They cannot blanket void my warranty because of something like that.

 

I went to my car and examined the latch....
There seems to be no simple way to open the hood from outside. The only way I see is reaching from under the car through the gap between the engine and the radiator.
The passenger side one might be less hard because there is more room there. you need to push the little thing to the driver side. but it is very difficult to visualise it without looking at the real thing from the above with the hood open.

 

I don't know if this helps at all, but the release you hit once you pop the hood is straight down from the driver side washer jet. Draw a visual line down to the front of the hood from that jet and you will be very close to the release lever.

 

just a little tip on the towing front, make sure when you ask for a flatbed, you let them know you have a lowered car (even if it's not), there are a number of different style flatbeds, not all are created equal.

We had an otherwise reputable tow company dropping off a sport sedan at the shop today & the driver ripped off the airdam & bumper as he was unloading it.

 

same thing happened to my car - tried to pop the bonnet and something in the latch mechanism snapped and I can't open my bonnet anymore. Have an appt on Saturday to fix it... gonna lube the hinges next time!

 

A little coat of white grease on all moving parts of the pull, exposed cable and latches will work wonders for the easy opening of the bonnet. All Mini owners should do this, as it comes dry from the factory.

 

Good luck! Crappy time to have THAT happen!

 

Chill I have replaced 2 of these. I had to get it from underneath the car when it was on the hoist. with a long skinny flatbed screw driver.

There is a junction in the engine compartmentthat joins the insdie cable to the outside cable,its housed in a little plastic box It pops off there is a kind of little ball socket locking mechanism that holds the cables in place.

I am a tech and its a pain in the @#$@ to do Don't try doing it yourself
reaching through the grill won't work Juist have it towed thats all you can do. Why did you disconnect the battery,why did you keep opening and closing the hood. From my experience once the batt is disconnected I leave everything as is. But Im sure you know that know.

Good Luck