Emergency bonnet opening in Renault Trafic

Before assuming the bonnet cable has snapped, make sure the problem is not simply the opening procedure. Normally, the Renault Trafic bonnet opens in two steps:

1. 1. Pull the release lever inside the cab. It is on the left-hand side, low under the dashboard, near your left knee, and marked with a bonnet symbol.
2. 2. Go to the front of the van, slide your fingers under the front edge of the bonnet in the centre, find the safety catch and move it sideways while lifting the bonnet.

Secure the open bonnet with the metal prop in the correct hole. If you feel no cable resistance after pulling the lever and the bonnet does not move at all, the cable has probably snapped or slipped off the latch.

How to open a Renault Trafic bonnet with a snapped cable?

With a broken cable, the lock has to be released directly by one of two methods:

1. Through the grille: Use a torch and a small mirror to locate the lock arm visible through the grille slots. With a long flat screwdriver or stiff hooked wire, pull or push the mechanism sideways until the latch releases. Removing the grille first helps, and in tighter versions removing the headlamp gives better access.
2. From underneath: Drive onto a pit or lift, remove the lower engine cover and reach behind the radiator. From below, you can pull the lock mechanism or the broken end of the cable. This route is used when access from above is blocked by the front crossmember and the air-conditioning condenser.

If the lock is only jammed or frozen and the cable is intact, ask another person to press the bonnet firmly down while you pull the cabin lever. After opening, replace the cable with a new one; if the latch was forced with a tool, also check the condition of the bonnet lock.