[Mark444444]

Hi All,
Today I added washer fluid to my car and now I can’t close BMW’s new good mechanism. It actually appears that the two sides of the latch are different lengths. Has anyone had this issue and solved it? Worst case scenario I’ll take it to the dealer tomorrow but this is kind of ridiculous for a $92k car.

[RichardInCA]

From my experience the hood is sensitive to where you push it, if you push down over one of the latches I think it closes pretty easily, but if you push in the middle it does not. Ymmv.

Per the manual one must “energetically close the hood from 20” ” - seems as though BMW is expecting you to just drop it from a height to ensure it closes.

[RJH52]

I had a bit of trouble trying to close my gently. Opened it again and just dropped it and it latched fine.

[Mark444444]

Thanks for the help. I don’t know if you guys can tell but one of the metal bars has a LOT more thread visible by the bolt than the other. Wonder if that’s it..

[RJH52]

Originally Posted by Mark444444

Thanks for the help. I don’t know if you guys can tell but one of the metal bars has a LOT more thread visible by the bolt than the other. Wonder if that’s it..

Was it latched correctly before you opened it up? I’d think if that was the issue it would have never been latched correctly

[SpaceSilver.X1]

I don't know if the i5 and 530 have identical hoods so it may have been a different problem that I experienced. When I test drove the 530i last month, I encountered the opposite problem. I just wanted to look under the hood. The hood popped, but could not be opened/lifted. The salesman was able to push it close, but when he popped it again, the hood still could not be lifted up at all.

I waited out front while he went to get help. A tech came out and he was unable to solve it. We walked over to another 530i(a customer's that had a "sold" placard on it). That one opened just fine. I looked around then engine and they closed it back again. Not really sure what happened to the one that wouldn't open, since it was the dealer's demo.

[Mark444444]

Originally Posted by RJH52

Was it latched correctly before you opened it up? I’d think if that was the issue it would have never been latched correctly

I had a similar issue last time I opened it and it took me 20 or so minutes of opening and closing it before it latched so this is a recurring issue

[RichardInCA]

I just went to clean out some of the over night storm debris from my car and saw both of.my hood latches look like the OP’s - I have no issue with unlocking or latching - I just push down on the two raised ridges either side of the BMW badge

[Mark444444]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

I just went to clean out some of the over night storm debris from my car and saw both of.my hood latches look like the OP’s - I have no issue with unlocking or latching - I just push down on the two raised ridges either side of the BMW badge

So both of yours have the same amount of thread or are they uneven like mine?

[RichardInCA]

Both had thread exposed. I guess the question is less about whether you can see the threads versus whether the “loop” is engaging both latches.

[Mark444444]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

Both had thread exposed. I guess the question is less about whether you can see the threads versus whether the “loop” is engaging both latches.

Right. The one with no thread is significantly shorter and doesn’t seem to be engaging

[RichardInCA]

OK I went and took a tape measure in case it helps: approx 2. 1/4” from the bolt or ~2 1/2” from the surface of the black mounting bracket. I still had to give it a shove to close it.

[dubb13]

interesting I have not had this issue

[Trevor G]

I had same issue. Dropped the bonnet from a higher point and problem solved.