Ford Dealer have broken Bonnet lock

forgotmyname

If its like the mondeo lock the rear piece is made from plastic and goes brittle with age.

Furpurse

Just had a call from them. They told me it can break at any time even driving down the road, so they are not to blame. I told them not to do anything and ill get it done elsewhere.

Like I said earlier these people are theives. Ford main dealers to be avoided from now on. :mad:

forgotmyname

You took a 10year+ old car to a main dealer?

Furpurse

10 years?? No, its just 4 years old.

They said I would need the barrel replacing. £130 in total. The part costs £30.

Would I be able to buy one online or does something have to be done to it to accept my key only?

vax2002

The problem is, getting the bonnet open, buy some white silicone grease with one of those tins with a straw and fill the lock with grease for a day before, then use the spare key and if you jiggle and joggle, you get it eventually .
Once up you can fit the new part with two 10mm T-hex bolts after taking out the grill.
If you dont mind having a different key this can knock the price down a bit.
However if the bonnet wont budge, then the problems really start as you have a choice, a new grill or the drill
Grill or Drill
if you go for grill you have to break the grill out, wrench the locking bar out and use a cross head screwdriver.
If you go for drill, you cut out an area under the lock badge that will still be covered by the badge, drill out the two bolt from the rear and pull the lock out through the hole, then either fit a new lock or just use a very long cross head to open it.
Some Ford dealers have a homemade tool which is a 3 foot long cross headed shaft bent in the right places that can be threaded up from underneath and knocked in to open the bonnet without damage.
As said, they do fail if not greased often and the price if that includes Labour is not that excessive .

Furpurse

I am incapable of doing anything like that. I would surely mess it up and it would end up worse than when I started.

The Manager at the Ford Dealership has just called me up after speaking with Head Office (who I called yesterday)
They now say they will do it for £80 all in.

May just go for it to save anymore hassle.

Strider590

^^ If you went to the garage and asked them to check something silly (like coolant level), any decent god fearin mechanic would probably have fixed your bonnet catch for free... At least temporarily if not for good.

What you have there is people in suits looking at their screens, taking the black and white tickbox "oh it must need a new part" approach, when all it probably needs is a good clean/lube.

Furpurse

I guess I could give it a spray with silicone grease and leave it overnight before I take it back in. Do I get this from Halfords?

Ford did say the nylon cable has snapped and this happens a lot on these cars. If it has snapped then spraying the lock will not help I take it?

fivetide

You could try stuff like WD40 or 3 in 1 oil if you have that laying around? Will make a bit more mess though being runnier and all.

5t.

Edit to add WD isn't a lubricator, you'd still want to grease up properly once it is open but it is a good freeing agent.