How to open hood on BMW 328i

Major General

Drives: Odysse

Join Date: Jul 2005

Location: Seal Beach, CA

Hood Latch... where the hell is it?

Why does BMW need to make everything so difficult.
Got an Estoril Blue/Red 328 M-Sport loaner complete black grills.
Reallyl nice car but the headlights are pointed down 5 feet in front of the car. I figured I'd raise them up, but couldn't figure out how to unlatch the hood!!!

I've worked on MANY cars and could always open the hood. I ran my hand under the entire width of the hood and looked through the grills for a lever that pops out on some cars. It was pretty dark, so maybe I missed it??
What gives??

Thanks for any help.

__________________

Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by some of the top engineers in the world because some guys sponsored by a company told you it's "better??" But when you ask the same guy about tracking, "oh no, I have a kid now" or "I just detailed my car." or "i just got new tires."

First Lieutenant

Drives: 335i x-Drive M-Sport Min. Grey

Join Date: Dec 2012

Location: MA

Pull the hood release twice and it will open.

Lieutenant Colonel

Drives: 2022 G80 M3 AWD

Join Date: Sep 2013

Location: Atlanta, GA

^ +1

Happened to me.. I had to go to the owner's manual haha..

__________________

Captain

Drives: 2018 SQ5

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: SoCal

Doesn't it say 2x on the handle?

Major General

Drives: Odysse

Join Date: Jul 2005

Location: Seal Beach, CA

It might, but it was pretty dark when I was messing with it.
Not sure why the latch needed to be reinvented.

Thanks for the help M-Sport.

.

__________________

Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by some of the top engineers in the world because some guys sponsored by a company told you it's "better??" But when you ask the same guy about tracking, "oh no, I have a kid now" or "I just detailed my car." or "i just got new tires."

Captain

Drives: 2018 SQ5

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: SoCal

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus

It might, but it was pretty dark when I was messing with it.
Not sure why the latch needed to be reinvented.

Thanks for the help M-Sport.

.

It's alright, there's a post somewhere about a Russian opening the hood while he was driving... must find.

Major General

Drives: Odysse

Join Date: Jul 2005

Location: Seal Beach, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve33

It's alright, there's a post somewhere about a Russian opening the hood while he was driving... must find.

I was thinking some fool would do something like that eventually.
Sometimes I think BMW does things just to be different- not necessarily to be better.

.

__________________

Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by some of the top engineers in the world because some guys sponsored by a company told you it's "better??" But when you ask the same guy about tracking, "oh no, I have a kid now" or "I just detailed my car." or "i just got new tires."

First Lieutenant

Drives: BMW M2

Join Date: Apr 2012

Location: Switzerland

I think it is more practical as you are keeping your hands clean this way, no more searching for the lever unter the hood.

Private

Drives: BMW 320i Sport

Join Date: Jun 2013

Location: UK

Agreed - its much better - no more groping for a 'somewhere' latch getting dirty mits.

And it is impossible to undo the hood by accident as it takes two pulls - the russian must have been trying to open it on purpose?

OP - try checking the manual sometimes, or ask the dealer what is different on the car when you pick it up!

Lieutenant Colonel

Drives: 335i MSport + MPS/MPPK

Join Date: Jan 2013

Location: Irvine, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeRR

I think it is more practical as you are keeping your hands clean this way, no more searching for the lever unter the hood.

This. BMW made it more practical.

Major General

Drives: 15 F80 M3, 22 G01 X3 30i

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: Wendell, NC

Yeah, I struggled with the hood latch too, until I figured it out. But those headlights on the loaner - are they the self-leveling Xenons or the standard halogens? I'd take it back to the dealer before messing with it myself. Just a suggestion.

__________________

Private First Class

Drives: 2017 330i xDrive M Sport

Join Date: Jan 2014

Location: Montreal, Qc

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus

Why does BMW need to make everything so difficult.
Got an Estoril Blue/Red 328 M-Sport loaner complete black grills.
Reallyl nice car but the headlights are pointed down 5 feet in front of the car. I figured I'd raise them up, but couldn't figure out how to unlatch the hood!!!

I've worked on MANY cars and could always open the hood. I ran my hand under the entire width of the hood and looked through the grills for a lever that pops out on some cars. It was pretty dark, so maybe I missed it??
What gives??

Thanks for any help.

Like they said.

You will probably need to go to the dealer to fix your problem though. You can't just adjust the headlights hight, you probably have a broken level sensor arm like I had.

Too much is never enough

Drives: Too Many

Join Date: Mar 2008

Location: SE PA

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus

I was thinking some fool would do something like that eventually.
Sometimes I think BMW does things just to be different- not necessarily to be better.

.

If I remember correctly, the redesign of the hood latch is a byproduct of more stringent pedestrian protection regulations in Europe.

Major General

Drives: Odysse

Join Date: Jul 2005

Location: Seal Beach, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by southbynorth

Agreed - its much better - no more groping for a 'somewhere' latch getting dirty mits.

And it is impossible to undo the hood by accident as it takes two pulls - the russian must have been trying to open it on purpose?

OP - try checking the manual sometimes, or ask the dealer what is different on the car when you pick it up!

You know what a loaner is? I pick up the car in the morning, ie NO HEADLIGHTS needed. There's NO MANUAL in the car because they don't want anyone to lose it because they're going to sell teh car eventually. By the time I went out to dinner, it was WAY past closing time for the service dept. As for whats different, I'd expect the headlights to turn on since it's autoheadlights, which they did, but they're pointed down too much- I'm not going to check that when I pick up a car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassthe1st

Like they said.

You will probably need to go to the dealer to fix your problem though. You can't just adjust the headlights hight, you probably have a broken level sensor arm like I had.

I'll mention it to them when I drop it off.

__________________

Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by some of the top engineers in the world because some guys sponsored by a company told you it's "better??" But when you ask the same guy about tracking, "oh no, I have a kid now" or "I just detailed my car." or "i just got new tires."

Captain

Drives: 2020 M2C

Join Date: Jun 2013

Location: Irvine, CA

Agree - the 2 times is much simpler and no need to get hands dirty. Just need to make sure when closing, simple drop down evenly to let it catch evenly. If not even, only one side will catch leaving a crooked hood.

Major General

Drives: Odysse

Join Date: Jul 2005

Location: Seal Beach, CA

What are you guys opening the hood for that doesn't require you to get your hands a little dirty??

.

__________________

Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by some of the top engineers in the world because some guys sponsored by a company told you it's "better??" But when you ask the same guy about tracking, "oh no, I have a kid now" or "I just detailed my car." or "i just got new tires."

Too much is never enough

Drives: Too Many

Join Date: Mar 2008

Location: SE PA

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus

What are you guys opening the hood for that doesn't require you to get your hands a little dirty??

.

I'm thinking these are guys that don't open the hood...

First Lieutenant

Drives: BMW M2

Join Date: Apr 2012

Location: Switzerland

Filling up the washer fluid for example?

First Lieutenant

Drives: BMW F21 116D

Join Date: Oct 2012

Location: B

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus

What are you guys opening the hood for that doesn't require you to get your hands a little dirty??

.

To clean the engine bay??

__________________

2012 - BMW F21 116D ED

Please check my amazing car rental website at http://www.bscc.eu!

Colonel

Drives: 2017 F80 ZCP

Join Date: Aug 2012

Location: Memphis

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus

What are you guys opening the hood for that doesn't require you to get your hands a little dirty??

.

Uninstalling my JB4 for dealer visits

But my hands probably get a bit dirty doing that...

Lieutenant Colonel

Drives: 335i MSport + MPS/MPPK

Join Date: Jan 2013

Location: Irvine, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus

What are you guys opening the hood for that doesn't require you to get your hands a little dirty??

.

I'm thinking these are guys that don't open the hood...

It is much more efficient to pull the hood lever twice than to pull the lever once and then push the latch.

Captain

Drives: 2013 328i

Join Date: Oct 2013

Location: SF Bay Area

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus

I've worked on MANY cars and could always open the hood. I ran my hand under the entire width of the hood and looked through the grills for a lever that pops out on some cars. It was pretty dark, so maybe I missed it??
What gives??

Thanks for any help.

Went back and looked at it (the lever) again, pulled it once more and BINGO! Actually, I think it's a great feature.

ETA I was only looking to verify they DIDN'T build the car with a dipstick.