I need to replace my bonnet release cable as mine is broken. At presnt I have cable ties attached to the lock under the bonnet that a mechanic put on for me. Just have to put my hand through the gap to pull it, which is ok for now, but looking to get rif of the car so better get it sorted.

A mechanic has quoted me £80 to fix it which I think is alittle steep and Fiat want £25 for just the cable which again I think is alot, so wanna get one and replace it myself. I have a link in the classifieds.

So....I have a Haynes manual, but no decent pics on how to do it. How is the best and easiest way of replacing the cable once I get one?

If you can give me a good step by step with pics if poss, I would be very grateful.

Carl

its a pain in the butt feeding it back from engine bay to inside the car, probably why fiat want so much to do it.

but any way feed cable behind bulkhead carpet cover stuff, follow route of old one, remove catch fit cable to it refit catch. remove handle in side car, now pull old cable out of hole where it goes into car and push new one through, go in side car find cable end fit it to handle, refit handle

ive got 2 of these to do but keep putting it off, a guide will come up when i get around to it, probable some time next month

Ahh i wish there was a guide, finally got my car back tonight and my cable snapped! Got my bonnet shut aswel!

might be worth taking the handle off inside car first 2 8mm spanner size nuts, mrs dave's had just popped out of the leaver, didn't find out till we had took off bonnet catch we started at the hard end :bang:

Yeah! Thats what had happened to mine! Think my cable has stretched though, connected both ends and only just opens it now, after pulling the lever it stays up untill i push it back down aswell :bang:

i think mine has stretched too cos it doesnt always open when i pull it.

have you greased the catch lately?

Hmm, the one under the bonnet? Is it the spring in the lock? It seems to go to that! If so then no and looks a tad nasty!

should be greased every service

Only an idea but...
Disconnect the old cable at the release catch and attach the new one to the end of the old one then pull one out and the other in - all at once. The ends could be hooked over each other.

there is a bit on it that will stop it happening

They are i nightmare to fit apparantly.The cable goes from the drivers side across the bulkhead to passangers side then foreward to front of car then across to catch.Think my garage even had to move pedals back too. It took them longer to do than fit a new cambelt!!.

Yeah! Your better just keeping the oil cable and trying to improvise to make it tighter, like wrap the end round the lever twice if you can, just to pull it tighter. Mines a tad bit better after I greased the spring but I only have WD40

Hello,

Here is a GUIDE on how to replace the bonnet cable on a Mk2 and Mk2b Punto. Its a fairly straight forward job once you have removed things that are in your way, and should take no more than an hour.

Its a job that I would ALWAYS advise doing if your bonnet cable is worn or damaged, as replacing it AFTER it has snapped is a greater problem than replacing it BEFORE it snaps.

Hope that helps,
Alan