Can someone with the bentley manual look up what is says regarding the hood cable replacement. I just tried to replace mine following the newtis description and got everything except the cable release behind the brake booster and dsc module. I figured I was missing something major since the mini dealer wants 4 hours ($625 ) of labor to do it. I'm guessing the booster needs to be moved? Something needs to get out of the way back towards the firewall, thats for sure.

 

I have two two cables that travel back to the passenger side and then down to the hood release. You can see them both coming out into the "bin" where the ABS controller is.

 

Yours are actually in front of the black plastic where the abs controller is? I have two that come through the firewall. The cable running to the passenger side release goes straight down the sheetmetal to the release. The cable for the drives side runs behind the black plastic bulkhead and again behind the brake booster, under the windshield wiper actuator, before traveling down the sheetmetal on the drivers side to the release.

Its super easy to get the passenger side dealt with but I cant even get my hands behind the brake booster and cant move the bulkhead by the abs controller anywhere near far enough to get my hand down that side.

I'm presuming both the brake booster and the abs controller need to be moved to access the cable but cant find any documentation saying so.

 

If you have a new cable can you create your own routing to the drive side?

 

Yes and no. I could run the new cable to the drivers side. But I dont think I have a reasonable way of getting the old cable out. Its held in behind everything with some pretty stout clips. If it didnt have the clips I would just tape the end of the new and old cables together and pull the new cable through the back while I pull the old cable out of the car. But the clips are way too secure to let that happen.

Now, I could always just leave the old one in there, but I dont really want to do that if I dont have to. The hood will still release with the old cable, theyve just stretched far enough that the lever doesnt work. I currently have them popped off the lever and can open the hood by pulling each of the cables with a vise grip. Kinda janky but it'll keep the hood usable until I figure out how to get the old cable out.

 

If you cut the end of the cable at the latch and then install a barrel cable fitting you should be able to eliminate the access cable and get the interior release to work?

 

I was having this issue shortly after i purchased my MC. All i did was add a zip tie to the cable right before the ball on the cable end and that was enough to take up the space of the stretched cable..worked like a charm, kinda janky still, but its cheaper than a new cable and it worked.........

 

Walnuts: I hadnt thought of that. That sounds like it would probably be the easiest way to solve the problem by far. Plus, if I try it and it doesnt work I havent really lost anything.

Just casually looking at barrel fittings, I have no experience with them, how is the cable affixed to the fitting? All the ones I'm seeing have a through hole. I'm assuming theyre crimped/swaged on?

Chris: I think I saw either your repair or someone elses who used something as a spacer. I briefly tried to throw something in between and couldnt make anything work, its stretched a bit further than a zip tie will fix.

 

Most are a brass type barrel with a hole of the cable and then a screw that pushes down against it. Would think a hardware store or autoparts would have one.

 

I would put two on for good measures as they are so cheap.

 

 

The cable tie is also a great idea!

 

in the beginning i had 2 zip ties on the cable and it was not working, i thought failure, but then i tried just 1 and it worked .......the barrel with a pinch bolt could work but you would have to cut the ball end off the cable, if i thought of that in the beginning i think i would have tried that....i remember using them in my R/C car days.......

 

A fishing type lead sinker that crimps on also might work.