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Closing the Bonnet


mrchic

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Hi all

 

I searched and found a thread on here posted a few years back about a problem closing the Bonnet on the Zed.

 

I tried dropping the bonnet from various low heights, but ended up pushing down to close.

 

What's the preferred method, is the bonnet happy enough being pushed closed with your hands, just worried about damaging or denting it.

 

 

Maybe the latch needs adjusting

 

Cheers

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strange, my instructor taught me not to drop a car bonnet, as it could break the headlights... so i always lower it, and then press it firmly to click it. id be a tad worried about my safety if i was strong enough to dent the bonnet with my fingers.

 

Same principle as with doors - I always wince when someone slams it unnecessarily, thats probably why my electric window no longer works. I'd much rather someone took two attempts to close it than slam it overly hard the first time.

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strange, my instructor taught me not to drop a car bonnet, as it could break the headlights... so i always lower it, and then press it firmly to click it. id be a tad worried about my safety if i was strong enough to dent the bonnet with my fingers.

 

Same principle as with doors - I always wince when someone slams it unnecessarily, thats probably why my electric window no longer works. I'd much rather someone took two attempts to close it than slam it overly hard the first time.

 

Same here, I was always taught to let it come down gently & then close in with fingers. Unless its my van & then I slam that POS :lol:

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Ive always had solid built cars until and always used my hand to assist in closing the bonnet until I bought my brand new Reno 182 back in the day. I literally picked up the car from Southampton and drove it back down to Swanage and thought I would have a noesy at the engine, after I had finished I closed the bonnet how I normally do without a second thought. End result was a hand print dent on the bonnet, wasnt sure whether to laugh or cry :cry::angry:

 

So now I always drop the bonnet from about a 1ft lol

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Your instructor isn't being paid to tell you how to close your bonnet, he's just passing on personal opinion. As with most of these things the information is in the hand book. In this instance, and contrary to the norm, Nissan instruct us to "slowly close the bonnet and make sure it locks into place".

 

Personally, there is a far greater chance of marking the paintwork than ever smashing a headlight :lol: so I will continue to drop from around a foot in line with most other manufacturers recommendations, this ensures a more positive engagement of the catch. A gentle push doesn't always fully engage the catch with numerous models I've tried over the years.

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I always lower it on to the catch then push firmly, not with finger tips but with reversed palms on the edge of the bonnet lip, thus spreading weight and not getting finger prints on the bonnet. I honestly don't think that slamming things does anything any good, you wouldn't slam a cupboard door or a glass would you? Plus I wouldn't want to risk damaging a headlight, seal or bonnet because I slammed a bonnet closed.

 

Just my 2p

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Your instructor isn't being paid to tell you how to close your bonnet, he's just passing on personal opinion. As with most of these things the information is in the hand book. In this instance, and contrary to the norm, Nissan instruct us to "slowly close the bonnet and make sure it locks into place".

 

Personally, there is a far greater chance of marking the paintwork than ever smashing a headlight :lol: so I will continue to drop from around a foot in line with most other manufacturers recommendations, this ensures a more positive engagement of the catch. A gentle push doesn't always fully engage the catch with numerous models I've tried over the years.

+1
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I've always been a "drop it from about a foot" type of guy, however I close mine gently on the Z. I've had a few close calls where I've taken the battery cover off and forgotten to put it back before trying to close the bonnet - if I'd dropped it I reckon I would have bent the bonnet out of shape.

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I've always known the metal cross panel where the release mechanism is bolted as the 'slam panel', hence I'm also one who drops it from about a foot.

 

A mate (many years ago) ably demonstrated why 'positive engagement' was A Good Thing when he carefully pressed his bonnet home, heard it 'click' and set off down a motorway slip road. He'd not cracked 60 before it released...

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