[Vwdiesel] IT'S OPEN! Re: a3 Jetta hood won't open

[Will Taygan]

Thanks all, I was getting a little obsessive about opening this.  

The rubber/plastic bushing had worked its way partially out of the
holder and the ball had slipped out of the fork-lever.

So, the a3s have this box around the latch, so it's not possible to get
at it from the bottom or the side.

Sandy sent a great picture, I've put it up for others to see if they
need it (Thanks Sandy!)  Next step was going to the Junkyard, but it is
Sunday :)

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7578/hoodlatchts9.jpg

A bent coathanger (looped like a candy cane) fit nicely in just in front
of where the cable enters the box on the driver's side, then there's a
fork (that you can't see) which holds the ball at the end of the cable
just below the secondary latch.  I pulled that to the right and voila!

I ended up pulling the whole grille (and breaking some little plastic
parts I'll need to glue together.)  It made it a bit easier, but now
I've done it hopefully I won't have to pull the grille again if it falls
off another time.

Will.