I opened the bonnet on Sunday to check the oil before going off on a long drive and closed it with the force I used on the big RR. The usual system I use is to lower it until it is about 6" from being closed and then drop it allowing it to slam, then pressing hard to check it was fully closed.
On Sunday afternoon, driving home, one of my passengers commented that when I accelerated hard the bonnet appeared to be lifting on his side...........
I forgot to check it when I got home and most of my driving yesterday was spent trundling round at more sedate speeds until I pulled down the slip road onto the M9 and accelerated up to 70 on the main carriage way. As I passed a couple of X5's cruising in the inside lane one of them hooted and flashed it's lights (which at the moment I take as acknowledgement that they have just seen an RRSport for the first time) and as I hauled ass up to 80 I noticed the nearside of the bonnet fluttering and it got to be a very alarming flutter! So that was what I was being hooted for, not because I have better taste than them!!!!!
I pulled off at the next junction and sure enough the nearside catch had not engaged, the safety catch and the drivers side hooks were properly closed and the bonnet would not have come up unless the safety failed. Anyway, when I got home I opened and closed the bonnet a couple of time and every time the nearside catch failed to engage when a moderate drop was used........ looks like either a call back to the dealer or I'll have to get used to using more force.
I suppose the moral of the story is to have blind faith in modern electronics and hope that the monitoring system also has an electronic probe on the dipstick to warn of a low oil level and washer water and open the bonnet as infrequently as I can get away with!
I have also noticed that the main tailgate needs more force than I am used to giving it to make it slam home.......... the big RR needed just an easy push closed but this wagon needs to be treated more firmly! I put that down to even better door seals being used to help keep the cabin so quiet.

Last edited by Tim in Scotland on Wed Jun 15 2005 3:33pm. Edited 1 time in total

I'd get it checked Tim. We had a similar problem with our last Tdi Discovery and ended up with a dent in the bonnet when I slammed it shut after the 6th time it blew open on the M90 heading home. Each time the safety catch held it but it was worrying.

In the end what was wrong was the cable to the catch had no free movement in it and the catch wasn't closing fully. I ended up adjusting it myself on the drive and it was fine until we traded it in a couple of years later. Renny Thomson
MSA Scrutineer

Autocar have had the same problem - but at much higher speed than I was doing

Tim perhaps on your next trip to B&Q you may consider picking up a roll of Duck Tape...... ..affix it to your bonnet....... call into your dealer,looking extremely worried & bearing this weeks copy of Autocar ........this should do the trick. 
" WITH MORE EXTRAS THAN A HOLLYWOOD EPIC "

Have you spoke to the dealer over this, if so what are they doing about the problem.  Its out there somewhere. Second V10 Treg on the drive at the moment.

I have found the only way to close the bonnet successfully is to cringe as you slam it shut from about 6 to 8 inches high!!

Andrew wrote:

I have found the only way to close the bonnet successfully is to cringe as you slam it shut from about 6 to 8 inches high!!

Same problem when I took delivery.

I think it's best to close the bonnet gently and press home each side firmly so that you know it has caught. It's easy to check, just try lifting at each side.

My old P38A developed a dint in the bonnet using the push gently method, some things never change  Its out there somewhere. Second V10 Treg on the drive at the moment.

When I closed the bonnet on my dealer's demo I thought I had dented it after pressing down on it! It's quite soft.....aluminium I believe? And they say 4x4's are pedestrian unfriendly.

It happened again today despite slamming the bonnet pretty hard so drove along to the dealer and they adjusted the nearside catch while I waited, and then told me that nearly every car delivered by the dealer has been back for the same fix. I think it may be a dealer mechanics "fix" rather than an official technical note "fix" from Solihull. So if you have had this problem too give your dealer a visit and ask them about it.

Tim, I quized my dealer today over the bonnet catch issues & unfortunately he or the dealership hav'nt come accross any such failings as yet, but looking at the quantity they are shifting I'm sure it will only be a matter of time because it seems as though it is a common problem.I have made him aware of other peoples experiences re this & other points raised on this site. 
" WITH MORE EXTRAS THAN A HOLLYWOOD EPIC "

My service manager said to let the bonnet fall in place from approx 15" height and put some force behind it - he mentioned that for YEARS landrover bonnet's need to be closed with force but not push it down but let it fall in place with force - i hope this makes sense.... - Robert

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