Getting to the hood latch. . .

So, I was an idiot who didn't put the cover back on the hood latch cable box on the driver side headlight after working on some stuff . . . Closed the hood, and now I can't open it withe the darn hood release handle in the car. Called around and a lot of places want to charge over $150 just to open the hood for me.

Doing some searching I found that I could buy a whole new grill for the GTI for about $60. So, I'm thinking if I just cut out the grill, I should be able to get access to the hood latch mechanism to disconnect it from the frame or the hood latch itself to unbolt it from the hood. Either would allow me to openthe hood again and fix my issue.

I was hoping someone might be able to point me to a blow out drawing of the latch/hood/bumper of the MK7 GTI to verify this will actually work. Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

Golf MK7 Grill

Care to share you source for a whole new grille for $60?

Link is at the bottom of the OP

Same thing happened to me 6 months ago. I did the same search and couldn't find anything. There is a Chinese YouTube video of someone sticking something in the grill to trip the latch on a mk6. I took off the bumper and was about to smash out the grill to get in there. Unfortunately its nearly impossible due to the design of the mk7. The latch is very well covered and impossible to reach.

I got a flat pry tool and pressed against the grill and hood to pry it open an inch right above the emblem. Then I got a wrench (I don't know what size), and turned the screws under the hood. There is a U shape piece on a plate screwed onto the hood. There are 2 screws diagonal you have to remove. I could only do a quarter turn at a time. It took 20 mins. Once the plate is unscrewed and detached from the hood, it lifts right up. Then you can reattach the cable to the ball socket. Pull the lever in the car and the U piece plate is released. Screw it back on and good as new.

It is slow and tight in there. Be patient and keep doing small turns.

Here are the 2 screws you need to take off

I was actually talking with someone else about this and am going to try and do this tonight. I was looking at the clearance though and can not see anyway of fitting in a wrench to do this without first cutting out the grill. I will try what hou suggested, and if it doesn't work I will be making a How-to on cutting up the grill to get access to that very same hood latch.

Amazed that VW made this soo hard to do!! F-U German engineering.

Welp, you must have had a lot more clearance than me cause there's NO WAY i can fit a wrench in there without cutting up the top of the grill. I've already placed an order for the replacement grill from Partsgeek, and will attempt the fix this weekend.

Thanks for all the help. I'll update the post and then create a write-up at the end of it all.

I discussed here some time back: http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showpost.php?p=477400&postcount=5

I had the mechanism where the cables connect together disconnect. Previous to the MK7 you could remove the emblem and there was a release https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HBKMhn_rO8. Unfortunately, I was never able to find a non-destructive method to open for the MK7. I did multiple searches and reviewed the repair manual. Repair manual only warns to never close hood if problem with release mechanism... so no help. Searches I found was someone who ended thread with I believe I need to destroy my grill, and another where the dealer told him nothing they could do and to take to a body shop. Yes, a ridiculous response. See here: http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21345

I removed fender well, but there is no way to get anything past the head light (particularly with LP) to latch onto the cable. I ended up cutting through the emblem area of the grill, and then I had enough clearance to get a long 10mm combination wrench and remove the two bolts securing the hook (that fits into latch) to hood. Repaired problem with cable and ordered a new grill. It was not a fun experience.

Do post if you find a non-destructive method.

It is very hard and you need a long thin wrench. Had to borrow one because mine didn't have enough reach.

Once I got it open, I reattached the cable into the housing and then Mummy wrapped it with tape so it will never open up again and disconnect

I tried to get some space in the hood/emblem area to fit a wrench in there, but there was no way. I must have made the clearance tighter after the intercooler install. I'll actually be tearing out the grill this weekend and will create a how-to with pictures on the method I use.

I wish I could get away with out tearing up the grill, but the partsgeek grill i found doesn't look to expensive and hopefully is the same quality. I may wait till it gets in before tearing up my grill since all the other grills I've found were like $120+ and theirs was only $60. Little worried its going to be really low quality, will update when it gets in..

just wanted to share I finally did the write-up . . .

Can't Open Your Hood....Well here ya go!

I just had this happen. Took off front wheel drivers side, removed the wheel well liner, removed dust cap from headlight, reached hand up above headlight and held latch closed while someone else pulled the lever. Fixed with a zip tie.
2015 golf tdi mk7.