My 06 Fabia VRS has been in for its 90k sevice this morning at the local Skoda dealer. Before taking it in I gave it a thorough clean and topped up under the bonnet etc

When I collected the car I was told that the technician had had probems releasing the bonnet - but had eventually opened it. I explained that I never had problems with it and it had worked fine this very morning. I paid up and had a quick look before driving home - when I released the catch under the dashboard the bonnet partially released from it normal flush position, but the little bar that normally pokes out from grill was nowhere to be seen - when I queried this I was told the technician had had to release it with a screwdriver? As the place was closing there wasn't a lot of time to get into discussions and I said I would check it out further when I got home. Having arrived home I am not happy as it seems impossible to get under the bonnet and I can only assume the technician has broken the release cach off in his attempts to access the engine to do the service - I will of course be taking this up with the dealer, but can anyone confirm if this is a common problem and how I can open the bonnet in the meantime until they fix the broken catch?

Many thanks

The plastic pull thing/catch inside the car is plastic with cog/teeth on it - the teeth can break meaning it falls off if this is what you mean?

Thanks Ad Lav, no the 'pull thing' inside the car is OK and hasn't fallen off - it is the plastic bar that should protrude from the grille (when you pull the aforementioned pull thing) that appears to be the issue. The story I got from the dealer was that the technician gained access via a long screwdriver through the grille slat - but I am at a loss to see how this was achieved. I have sent an email to the dealer telling them I want it sorted FOC, and that it shouldn't have been released back to me in this state.Having been working perfectly this morning, I can't see how it can suddenly break without someone having been fairly hamfisted with it!

The plastic pull thing/catch inside the car is plastic with cog/teeth on it - the teeth can break meaning it falls off if this is what you mean?

Argued point, if bonnet could not be released using normal method, you should have been contacted and fully informed of situation.

If you then gave the garage permission to gain entry, you would have to bear the damage inflicted thereafter.

My plastic release snapped in half when i let my bonnet to from to high up. Dealer could have done this. You may want to ask them to show you how they got the bonnet open. Call there bluff.