Hood Release - only partially opens hood

[Al Gray]

I have a 2001 740il with 111, 400 miles. In the past when I have pulle the hood release cable to open the hood only the drivers side of the hood was free and the passenger's side was not. After a few trys the hood would always evenutually open. Today that was not the case. After trying to open the hood several times after pulling the hood release handle only the drivers side is free and the passengers side is not. Each time I try to open the hood after a failed attempt I always push down the hood on the drivers side to close it.

What is going on here. I read of a fix on the 7 Series E38 forum where the hood release cable broke (I don't believe my cable is broke because it partially opens the hood) and I don't feel like breaking the kidney grill (at $70 per grill) to get access to the Bowden cable.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Why is this system only partially working?

Al Gray

[jdwtpmd]

I have the same car and exactly the same problem. With the hood open, the cable to the passenger side seems loose. I don't know how to adjust it.

John

[Al Gray]

I have the same car and exactly the same problem. With the hood open, the cable to the passenger side seems loose. I don't know how to adjust it.

John

John,
Thanks for your response. It is not like the cable is broken but the part that actuates the passenger's side is not doing the job. Maybe someone else has a solution.

[Al Gray]

I have the same car and exactly the same problem. With the hood open, the cable to the passenger side seems loose. I don't know how to adjust it.

John

According to my source at a BMW dealership here in southern NJ the hood latch should be lubricated at each oil change. What happens is that dirt and grime comes in via the grill and it gums up the cable so that the hood latch is not actuating correctly. On a warm day after the car was running I finally got the hood open and I cleaned both hood latches and the cable with brake cleaning fluid from a spray can. Once cleaned I lubricated the hood latches with white lithium grease from a spray can. This procedure was recommended by my source at the BMW dealer. The hood latch now works perfectly.

Al Gray