Hello, I would greatly appreciate any help with this problem on my 1998 Octavia SLX TDI.  When I pull the bonnet release from inside the car the bonnet lifts slightly as usual, so the cable seems to be OK, however when I move the lever behind the grille it does nothing and I can't open the bonnet any further.  I can get my hands in under the bottom of the grille but I'm not quite sure what I need to do to release the bonnet fully.  Does anyone have a photo of the linkage between the lever behind the grille and the catch I need to release to get the bonnet to open?  Many thanks in advance ...

Can't help you with piccies, sorry. but the parts explosion below may help you make some sense of things.  Clicky for the full catalogue picture here.

 

Well, I find the lever (part 24)  less than positive in operation.

I have had the same issue, lift the bonnet as much as possible and get your other hand to the catch to open the bonnet.  Then oil the lever pivot then with some good oil along with the catch itself.

 

They must seize up over time being in an exposed area at the front of the car.

Edited 18 December, 20196 yr by Liverpool-Lad

Many thanks gents, that’s very useful.  I’m not at home just now but I’ll have another go at it tomorrow.  Cheers!

Hello, success at last!  I shone a small torch through the grille and managed to find and release the hook which was stopping the bonnet opening fully.  It was quite tricky as the with the bonnet raised enough to get my arm through the gap below the grille the hook was fully through the U-bolt under the bonnet and didn't want to move, however with some judicious twisting of the bonnet (and a slightly sore arm!) I managed to persuade the hook out of the U-bolt.

 

I then discovered that the top end of the release lever (24 in StickMicky's diagram) had managed to get itself on the wrong side of the protrusion at the front of the hook, so it was just flopping about in mid-air when I moved the lower end.  I moved it back to the correct side and bent the front of the cross-member (where the lever pivots) upwards slightly to prevent the same thing happening again.  It works now so fingers crossed.  Now to fix the starter motor ... Thanks again for the assistance.