Hood Stuck Closed

[Tim Book2]

Hi everyone - I'm getting used to my Stag (Mark II) which I acquired in April. Recently the hood has got stuck in a closed position - not good on some of the sunny days we've had! It seems to be the catch at the rear which will not release when I pull the lever behind the front passenger seat. Any ideas, please? Tim

[Ian F]

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Tim

It could be the catch has stuck, in which case it may help to get someone press the hood at the rear whilst trying to release the catch? Can you tell whether the front catches for the tonneau cover are releasing? If so then it may not be the cable broken/detatched?

If it is the cable, type in Tonneau catch in the search field and you will find numerous previous posts with advice as to how to release it via the rear seat etc.

Good Luck

Ian F

[singapore stag]

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Hi Tim, Believe it or not I replaced the plunger pin ( you know the one with the bolt and spring) on Sunday and when I closed the hood it would not open again. The first method I tried several times (which i will not recommend) is you get a thin screw driver or lever andprise the catch in the plunger hole.

The best way is get in the car and undo the 2 bolts holding the plunger pin in place, lift the hood off then prise out the plunger pin. I had to adjust the pin in relation to the depth and centre of the hole several times before the hood closed and opened in a smooth motion.

Sukh.

[jamcarr2]

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May be a silly question but have you released the two catches at the front first . I find that mine will not release unless I firstly release the front caches

JOHN

[Thurlo Squire]

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Sounds like the cable which goes from the rear ofthe release lever to the plunger releaseat the back either needs adjusting or has broken. I would remove the nearside rear cubby panel to get access to the release lever cables to check.

You should then be able to manually assist the cable to release the plunger.

Nigel

[V Mad]

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Release the front levers first,then try pulling the release lever. If it will not release, try banging the rear hoop at the corners while pulling the catch.

It may also help if you fold the top back slightly as this moves the hoop a bit and may release it.

Finally as Sukhi says you can unbolt the plunger from the rear hoop with a thin open ended spanner.

[Dieter H. Marschall]

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Hello,

One of the first steps I took after I had bought my Stag was to remove the two bolts at the back of the rear backrest. This way I have easy access to the catch just in case it is stuck.

Good luck with yours! Dieter.

[Tim Book2]

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Thanks to everyone who has replied to my earlier request for help . A few ideas that I will certainly be exploring! Looks like the next thing to do is to find out how to dismantle the rear backrest so that I can get to the centralbolt. Tim

[Greenstag]

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Tim Book2 wrote:

Thanks to everyone who has replied to my earlier request for help . A few ideas that I will certainly be exploring! Looks like the next thing to do is to find out how to dismantle the rear backrest so that I can get to the centralbolt. Tim

Hello Tim

I've had to do this on my sister's car and it's not that hard just awkward.

Start by lifting out the seat base then grip the seat back at the bottom and give it a good yank forward. You're actually bending the brackets here but it seems to the only way to do it.

Now lie in the back of the carwith a selection of spanners and/or sockets. Reach up the back of the seat back and right at the top you will locate 2 nuts, one either end of the seat back. Undo these and your seat back will lift out...Simples

David

[SaphireSpud]

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Hello Tim,

well, what do you know? I went to put down my hood today (hood up last Sunday on the South East / West Wales and Bristol combined run due to appalling, heavy rain, or as we call it here in Wales - " just a normal day") and the rear pin would not release.

Luckily, after reading the above advice as sent to you, I released the front catches and gave the rear a couple of slaps with the palm of my hand and the catch released! Phew! With the tonneau up, I then adjusted the cable to the rear catch.

All o.k. now.Thanks to those who solved my problem.

Hope yours is as simple to solve.

Regards, John.