PSA: Cable Tie Your Bonnet Release Cable Junction Box

[mrmatto]

when I get home I'll hit it with the zipties and lube.

Mmmm a wild Wednesday night

 

[IWMTom]

Where exactly should be lubed?

The latch mech.

 

[evilhomura89]

Unfortunately this can still happen. Happened to a friend.

I ordered a new cable, planning to replace it but now I'm wondering if there's any form of reinforcement that can be done to prevent the above from happening
That black part that broke is supposed to be some PA66-GF50 material (polyamide mixed with glass fibre)

What I can do now is add some lubricant under the black sliding mechanism but I'm not sure it'll help with anything

Do you think adding some sort of "volume/mass" to the metal ball would help spread out the pressure on the black plastic ball seating socket?

 

[IWMTom]

I ordered a new cable, planning to replace it but now I'm wondering if there's any form of reinforcement that can be done to prevent the above from happening
That black part that broke is supposed to be some PA66-GF50 material (polyamide mixed with glass fibre)

What I can do now is add some lubricant under the black sliding mechanism but I'm not sure it'll help with anything

Do you think adding some sort of "volume/mass" to the metal ball would help spread out the pressure on the black plastic ball seating socket?

Lube the latch mech at each service and you shouldn't have an issue. Cable tie the junction box as a backup.

 

[sloopercat]

They make stainless steel zip ties. Much thinner and they don’t decompose over time. It has always amazed me that Germans can’t make plastic and rubber that last, when the Japanese can. Any auto parts store should have the SS ties.

 

[evilhomura89]

Lube the latch mech at each service and you shouldn't have an issue. Cable tie the junction box as a backup.

Yeah, definitely gonna do that
I've opened up the junction box, the interior seems to be in a good condition for now

Replacing the cable is not an easy task as it is hidden behind the structure holding the intercooler without any easy access...removing that structure will require full bumper removal (similar to intercooler replacement)

 

[IWMTom]

Yeah, definitely gonna do that
I've opened up the junction box, the interior seems to be in a good condition for now

Replacing the cable is not an easy task as it is hidden behind the structure holding the intercooler without any easy access...removing that structure will require full bumper removal (similar to intercooler replacement)

I just fiddled about a bit and got it through with minimal issue.

 

[avenali312]

Yeah, definitely gonna do that
I've opened up the junction box, the interior seems to be in a good condition for now

Replacing the cable is not an easy task as it is hidden behind the structure holding the intercooler without any easy access...removing that structure will require full bumper removal (similar to intercooler replacement)

Sounds like a good excuse for an IC upgrade at the same time haha.

 

[evilhomura89]

I just fiddled about a bit and got it through with minimal issue.

Any tips on doing the replacement?
Recommended tools to navigate the tight area and re-seat the cables in its position?

Did you remove the hood latch sensor cable while replacing the cable?
I peeked through the gap and noticed that my cable is seated under the hood latch sensor cable

 

[IWMTom]

Any tips on doing the replacement?
Recommended tools to navigate the tight area and re-seat the cables in its position?

Did you remove the hood latch sensor cable while replacing the cable?
I peeked through the gap and noticed that my cable is seated under the hood latch sensor cable

I removed the latch mech and was able to push through the new cable with minimal issue. There's a few parts of the channel exposed where you can get your fingers in from memory.

 

[wootang00]

Hi Everyone. I am in a similar situation right now where my hood release lever works intermittently. Sometimes it'll open with one pull. Sometimes it takes two pulls to open. Sometimes it wont open at all. With the hood open and my wife pulling the hood release lever, i can hear and see that the ball is moving every time at the latch area. The hood release junction box is also closed and zip tied. The issue is that it will not release every time. It's probably like for every 5 times it releases the hood, it gets stuck for a while. And then, if I have my wife pull the lever while I pull on the hood, I can get it to release. Could it be that the upper part of the release cable has lost its tension perhaps and not moving the latch far enough to open?

Any thoughts?

Also, any thoughts on how much it costs for labor to replace the front and rear hood release cable at a shop?
I was able to find the part numbers : 5G1823531C - Front Hood Cable Release / 5G0823535B - Rear Hood Cable Release for a 2017 Mk7 GTI.

That being said, once I realized that the hood release lever was working intermittently I removed the grill in case the hood gets permanently stuck so I can reach the 10mm screws in the hatch lever to release so I wouldn't have to drill the grill in order to open it.

Thanks in advance.

FYI - IWMTom - I looked at your picture to see if the steel cable was not in the channel but my 2017 GTI doesn't seem to have the same release as yours. Its a metal ball that comes from a steel cable.

 

[Diggs24]

If pulling the hood helps to let it unlatch then the latch probably needs realignment.

 

[wootang00]

If pulling the hood helps to let it unlatch then the latch probably needs realignment.

Hi Diggs24,

I actually tried that and centered it accordingly.. still same issue after a while.. Should the latch be aligned more to the left or right perhaps?

Based on this post, (https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/hood-release-cable-replacement-guide.378187/)

I think its the Front hood release cable (5G1823531C) that has some sort of tension issue. Perhaps its not enough tension to release the latch. It looks like that's the more common failure as opposed to the Rear Hood Release cable.

I haven't had a chance to open the junction box but I'm guessing something inside there might be failing.

Thank you.

Any other thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[wootang00]

Hi Everyone,

Just an FYI, I ended up figuring the issue out. It was indeed the Front Hood Cable Release. There is a clip where the cable and the metal ball is supposed to seat flush into the latch mechanism. It looks like that clip portion (its plastic) broke off and as such the cable and the metal ball were not flush with the latch mechanism. So while the cable was working, as it was not flush, there was not enough tension given to the latch to pop open the hood.

As a short term fix I got some rope to pull the cord flush with the latch mechanism and tied it to the frame of the car. I'll probably just get a long zip tie and call it a day as i'm sure while the part is cheap (approx. $25 online), the labor to replace would probably be fairly expensive.

Hope this helps someone out in the future.
Thanks.

 

[Genegenie]

While the cable junction box certainly can break / fall apart, I wonder if it's an adjustment related issue as the bonnet release on my M8 is waay easier than any of my 3 Mk 7's were....