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My E220 CDi (2013) Facelift (W212) bonnet (Hood) will not open. When pulling the red bonnet release lever beneath the parking brake release lever the bonnet should pop up allowing me to reach in and open the bonnet fully. It won’t even popup. I could take it to a Mercedes Dealer but can only imagine their high charges so that’s a last resort. I’m certain there must be an emergency release procedure. Can anyone help?
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
Yes, this exact same thing happened to my S600. The internal cable came off and wasn't exerting any force on the locks. Took it several places and no one, Indy or body shop, wanted to touch it. I was forced to take it to the dealer and I waited so I could "watch" what they did. They put the car on a lift, removed the American passenger side front wheel liner. Took a 4 foot long screw driver and went up from the bottom of the car up to the lock (you can clearly see the access from below) to pop the lock. Once they popped the lock, the hood opened in the normal manner. Then re-threaded a new set of hood cables. Took about two hours total and they clipped me $450. I felt really stupid but I never would have figured it out by myself. I call this tuition at the S600 education center.
May just be stuck, try pulling up on the hood while someone pulls the lever. Happened on my W204, I pulled the opener and the hood didnt pop up but it was unlocked.
Since then I am always adding a little oil to the locks.
Yes, this exact same thing happened to my S600. The internal cable came off and wasn't exerting any force on the locks. Took it several places and no one, Indy or body shop, wanted to touch it. I was forced to take it to the dealer and I waited so I could "watch" what they did. They put the car on a lift, removed the American passenger side front wheel liner. Took a 4 foot long screw driver and went up from the bottom of the car up to the lock (you can clearly see the access from below) to pop the lock. Once they popped the lock, the hood opened in the normal manner. Then re-threaded a new set of hood cables. Took about two hours total and they clipped me $450. I felt really stupid but I never would have figured it out by myself. I call this tuition at the S600 education center.
Oh no, this happened to me yesterday--driver side. I don't know what to do, as I've already tried all the ideas the forum and YouTube has to offer. If I put an LED light right on the latch, I can see nothing from below, as there's just too much stuff in the way. Anyone else solved the driver side? Thankfully the grill was off, as I was working on the radiator. My only idea I had overnight is to perhaps unscrew the hood bracket and see if I can lift it up, and maybe use a hack saw to cut the cable? But I'm hoping for a better idea.
I did some searching for photos of the latches. On my car and what im finding online the passenger side lock has an additional cover that houses the sensor to check if the hood is down, that lock looks harder to pop open. The drivers side looks like its easier, try and use a long screwdriver and push the latch from the bottom or side.
the passenger side looks like there is a small opening in the bottom front corner, may be able to stick something in there and try and push the latch.
Photo shows the drivers lock on the shorter cable, longer cable is the passenger side with cover on it.
Heres just the lock on the drivers side. Push the latch in the direction of the arrow. Blue represents the cable.
Passenger side with cover. Maybe fish something thru the small opening to push the latch.
The long screwdriver works on both sides. I bought a Philips and slotted head from harbor freight for like $11. You go in through the respective wheel well (partially remove the liner) to get to the underside of the hood latches. I had to figure out how to do this on my S550 when I removed the front bumper to replace the radiator.
Watch youtube videos…there are some showing how to access the latch on both sides. The left side isn’t as tough to get to. But both sides have tough angles so use a flashlight to locate the back of the under hood latches. It will take a little time but you can do it.
Thanks to both members who took the time to chime in and even provide photos.
I have a few things to report to future people with this problem--at least in my experience with a W216 on the driver side. My comments may or may not apply to the passenger side. The below method was impossible. There is just too much in the way, and I could not even see the light beacon sitting at the latch, let alone get a 24 inch screw driver to hit it. I spent a lot of time watching YouTube videos about this. I know there are a couple videos with people claiming success by reaching in from the wheel well side. I could not get a screw driver on it that way, but also even if I could, the latch needs to be pulled toward me, so only a hook would work. From the grill pointing towards the wheel well--this had the greatest potential, as I just had to hit the bottom of the latch and push it forward. After much effort, I could not successfully do this. Maybe others could who had better luck and/or experience.
But, I did get it open. Here's what I did...my grill was off, which helped (you could also bust open your grill). I took a flex head wrench and got on the latch bolt nearest the grill. Patiently undo the bolt, and remove it. It will take a while turning 1/4 turn at a time. The hood then pops up like a 1/2 inch. You could try again with the screw driver to hit the latch. Then, look between the fender and hood. You have just barely enough access to get a flex head wrench on the other latch bolt. Again, it takes forever turning it 1/4 turn at a time, but it will eventually work its way out. When out, the entire latch releases from the radiator bracket, and the hood pops up about 3 inches, and you now have access to the latch that is suppose to hold the hood release cable. Hit that, and the hood opens. I'm writing this up here because I saw no one else on the web who did this. But I can say for certain that this works.
Thanks to both members who took the time to chime in and even provide photos.
I have a few things to report to future people with this problem--at least in my experience with a W216 on the driver side. My comments may or may not apply to the passenger side. The below method was impossible. There is just too much in the way, and I could not even see the light beacon sitting at the latch, let alone get a 24 inch screw driver to hit it. I spent a lot of time watching YouTube videos about this. I know there are a couple videos with people claiming success by reaching in from the wheel well side. I could not get a screw driver on it that way, but also even if I could, the latch needs to be pulled toward me, so only a hook would work. From the grill pointing towards the wheel well--this had the greatest potential, as I just had to hit the bottom of the latch and push it forward. After much effort, I could not successfully do this. Maybe others could who had better luck and/or experience.
But, I did get it open. Here's what I did...my grill was off, which helped (you could also bust open your grill). I took a flex head wrench and got on the latch bolt nearest the grill. Patiently undo the bolt, and remove it. It will take a while turning 1/4 turn at a time. The hood then pops up like a 1/2 inch. You could try again with the screw driver to hit the latch. Then, look between the fender and hood. You have just barely enough access to get a flex head wrench on the other latch bolt. Again, it takes forever turning it 1/4 turn at a time, but it will eventually work its way out. When out, the entire latch releases from the radiator bracket, and the hood pops up about 3 inches, and you now have access to the latch that is suppose to hold the hood release cable. Hit that, and the hood opens. I'm writing this up here because I saw no one else on the web who did this. But I can say for certain that this works.
Was the cable end loose or had the outer “tube” of it just fallen off the hole on the lock body?
I had the driver side hood lock on my S550 get stuck and I opened it by pulling the cable by hand thru the wheel well.
The cable runs right at the edge of the hood as single cable to a point where it splits in two separate cables for each lock. Thru wheel well I could reach the separate cables and pull the driver side one to open it.
The cable outer tube is mounted to the lock body with a rubber grommet and the hole is cut open on underside. Over time the rubber wears under vibrations and the cable falls out leaving it inoperable. Pulling the whole cable by hand thru the wheel well works as you can pull the inner core of the cable when you just pull the whole cable.
For a fix I used small cable ties on each lock to prevent cables from falling from the lock body. I did this same fix for my E550 too.
Problem is much bigger if the end of the cable becomes loose as pulling in the whole cable won’t work.
Was the cable end loose or had the outer “tube” of it just fallen off the hole on the lock body?
I had the driver side hood lock on my S550 get stuck and I opened it by pulling the cable by hand thru the wheel well.
The cable runs right at the edge of the hood as single cable to a point where it splits in two separate cables for each lock. Thru wheel well I could reach the separate cables and pull the driver side one to open it.
The cable outer tube is mounted to the lock body with a rubber grommet and the hole is cut open on underside. Over time the rubber wears under vibrations and the cable falls out leaving it inoperable. Pulling the whole cable by hand thru the wheel well works as you can pull the inner core of the cable when you just pull the whole cable.
For a fix I used small cable ties on each lock to prevent cables from falling from the lock body. I did this same fix for my E550 too.
Problem is much bigger if the end of the cable becomes loose as pulling in the whole cable won’t work.
My problem was the cable fell out of the outer tube. I have not fixed it, as I still need to remove it again to fix my radiator. But I will use your suggestion to adhere it with a cable tie--thanks. I did try pulling the cable, but was not able to release it in this manner.
Now, if I could just figure out how to remove the lower radiator bracket to extract the radiator. Really Mercedes, you had to put one of the three screws holding the bracket sandwiched between the bracket and the condenser???
Follow up note answering my own question for future readers...I finally figured out how to extract the radiator bracket third bolt...I moved the air baffle in the front, and suddenly there was the head of the bolt. Would have been nice in WIS included this step.
Follow up note answering my own question for future readers...I finally figured out how to extract the radiator bracket third bolt...I moved the air baffle in the front, and suddenly there was the head of the bolt. Would have been nice in WIS included this step.
Yes, that last hidden screw is a pain to figure out how to access to remove. I basically had to take the front end off the car (bumper cover, front support, headlights, etc.) to get to it to be able to get access to replace the radiator.
My problem was the cable fell out of the outer tube. I have not fixed it, as I still need to remove it again to fix my radiator. But I will use your suggestion to adhere it with a cable tie--thanks. I did try pulling the cable, but was not able to release it in this manner.
Now, if I could just figure out how to remove the lower radiator bracket to extract the radiator. Really Mercedes, you had to put one of the three screws holding the bracket sandwiched between the bracket and the condenser???
Are you sure you pulled the correct cable? When the outer tube falls but the inner cable stays connected it for sure opens the lock if you pull that cable in question.
If you still have not reattached the cable to the lock you can easily test for this with the hood open where you can see the correct cable going to the lock that does not open.
Remember, you need to pull the correct cable after the point where the cable coming from inside the car splits to two separate cable for each lock.
Are you sure you pulled the correct cable? When the outer tube falls but the inner cable stays connected it for sure opens the lock if you pull that cable in question.
If you still have not reattached the cable to the lock you can easily test for this with the hood open where you can see the correct cable going to the lock that does not open.
Remember, you need to pull the correct cable after the point where the cable coming from inside the car splits to two separate cable for each lock.
Yup, pulled on the correct cable, as I could hear movement at the driver side latch location. Perhaps I did not pull hard enough, for fear of breaking something? I still have not reattached it, as I continue to work on the radiator. Finally extracted that yesterday...again WIS disappointed me leaving out crucial details, and their fuzzy B/W photos from 10 feet away are of no help.
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