BMW e39 5 series How to open hood with no tools in 30sec when cable is broken EZ DIY 

Thank you very much! Glad it helped and you were able to fix the issue!!

Thank you, glad it helped!

Hey thanks man!!!! I appreciate that!!

Same. I've got the problem couple days ago and i googled my ass of till i was at the point where i smashed my front grill to do it by myself than i found this way. Later on i gave our bmwstore a call and talked to them couse they thought the only way to open it is to cut it out and than put a new hood on.😂👍 i guess i can spend the 2000 bugs for some parts :'D

Haha! Yikes! Hopefully it doesn't happen to you but if so, you know what to do!

gonna try this on my e39 cable broke..wish me luck!! easiest vid ive seen on youtube 👌👌

Thanks! you will get it!

Thank you!

Thank you and hope it helps!

Thank you so much for the encouragement brother!

@@xam2215 It will work from 2001 onwards

Thanks! I tried on my 1999 model and could not open the hood this way.

Anthony R. Ct actually no... bmw uses a dead bolt system. when you press lock twice, the door is locked inside and out, you cannot open it from the inside or out without the key. so break all the windows. you aint opening the doors :)

haha! You are welcome!

Thank you and glad it helped!

Eeeeks, possibly seized latch? Try to have someone push down on the hood with light pressure as you try to open the latch

You are welcome!

Hahaha, I had no choice! I was desperate as my "check oil" light came on in the mountains of Virginia. So I pulled over and started taking things apart on the side of the road; basically just trying to understand where the cable was run and how it works. After feeling around, I used the only thing i had on hand to press the release on the latch. I honestly thought it would release just the one side. I was really fortunate BMW put things where they did :) Im sorry, I haven't had that issue yet. But if I did, I would take the trunk lid apart to see how the mechanism works. You will most likely find something worn or fallen out of place.

I have a right hand drive?

In your case, I would assume on the right side if it's a RHS drive

you very welcome my friend! glad to help!

thanks for the video. my hood would not open on my 540i bmw .I used needle nose inserted the handles down end of the needle nose to move the cable to the right in the small hole .hood opened right up .if a woman can do this anyone can .so happy I figured this out .now I need to just buy a new cable have it replaced

haha! thank you and i hope you got it my friend!

AcousticHills actually i didnt. it was too hard to remove it on my E87 but fortunately the wire is broken at the handle so i just disassemble the system and pulled the wire directly. still, thank you, it would have been my plan B (probably breaking the grill bars...)

oh good stuff! glad you ended up getting it in the end :)

Try having someone pulling up on the hood while you push the tab. See if that works

The cable runs thru the left (drivers) side of the vehicle. This isn't a right hand drive vehicle. so the main hood release was on the left side of the car. If you have a right hand drive car, I'm sure it would be the opposite to this.

@@AcousticHills ok thanks so if my hood release is on the left(American driver's side), the release I push on with my key is on the right(American passenger side).

@@jaqenhghar6996 np, it would be on the left drivers' side. Same as in the vid 👍

@@AcousticHills ok gotcha! It was a bit confusing because your actual release is on the opposite side of the portion you push with your key. I appreciate you responding to me! Great vid!

@@jaqenhghar6996 thanks! Hope it works for you!

yea i was thinking if this would be reversed on rhd models

Thank you ! :)

Nima Sami same. How did you manage it?

Maxwell Elliott youre welcome friend!

It should, that's an e39. Try it out! If it does, you saved yourself time and money. If not, it cost you 5 mins.

@@AcousticHills right? i got the right grill off... finally got a flashlight working... sunday i will check it out... it looks a little different like maybe pull the cable towards me then pop a screwdriver up the right latch and maybe then the left swivel handle up should do it i hope

@@AcousticHills im still working on it.. four days... now, pulled the frayed wires under the inside drivers latch with pliers, used machete under the hood.. pulled on cable, pulled all release latches finally the left side un hooked but the right side still locked up tight LOL

Try having someone pull up on the release inside the car and hold it while you lift the hood. might have to jerk it a few times. Hopefully it is just stuck and pops out! I don't own one of those but I would imagine it wont be as easy as mine.

I don’t think so I used the same method as this on 523i and it worked I think Diesel engines are different maybe

Same here I have the 525i and I can’t seem to find anything that these people doing with the grill lol

Anytime! thank you :)

It is subtle but you will get it. The pic was taken kind of up-side-down, couldnt get a good angle on the cam.

@@AcousticHills my dilemma, hoodline broke at handle near driver seat, oil leaking at about two quarts a month. I haven't been able to open the hood in a few weeks and now I can feel the pistons start to grab the cylinders. I am not able to run my car until I can get into the hood. Saying that, I have been trying for days now reaching in, I can feel the v where you set the key, but I can't get any sense of direction as to where you are pushing the key ( in the video you say towards driver side I think, but in diagram it looks opposite?

@@pinkyishere9056 It was in (towards you) but to the drivers' side. Wish I can help more. I don't have the car anymore so another video showing it better isn't an option sadly. Is it possible to pull the interior up and use a set of needle nose vise grips to pull whats left of the cable up? or has is broken that far back? Hopefully you get it!

hahaha, great!!! at 2AM lol

Yeah i was doing it in the night

I'm not sure, try it out!

My right side of the hood is able to raise just need the left bonnet. E39 2001

Hey there. Try pressing down on the hood at the latch while someone keeps the hood release pulled. If its seized, it may be enough to pop it out. If not, could you see any peice of the cable? I dont have the e39 anymore, otherwise i would go out and try to see

I'm not sure, try it out! At the worst, you'll have to replace the kindy grill.

Why would you brake a window?

@@tonycuadros5297 because he forgot his keys under the hood and the car was locked ... just think a little

Excellent! You are welcome my friend!

you are welcome!

Oh im not sure man, i never owned one of those. You can try it, remove the kidney grill and feel for it. Hopefully you can get it

Alexis Melendez hello, i think you are replying in the wrong video lol. my name is not Nathan. but if i were to guess, id say have a different key made up and try that.

AcousticHills sorry and thanks

Anytime friend!

sesk.por no

lol, yea that would suck. They would have to be fairly careless to do that tho.

DerAlbaner if you got a DIESEL engine in your e39, the intercooler is in the way? thats good to know! thanks

yes, i can reach it a littlebit with my fingers but i can't say if its the part that you mean. i feel the V shaped think and also tried to pull, push ist but nothing worked, also the cable is right there so i dont know what to do anymore

It should be the same layout as in the picture i have in the video(its a bad pic i know) perhaps try using a rad hose pick or a pair of needle nosed pliers as one person here wrote that she had done. That would be a tight spot sadly. Id be trying everything not to take my front end apart! Hopefully you get it my friend!

AcousticHills i would but these tools are to big to fit in it doesn't work

DerAlbaner ah man, i was afraid of that. i wish i can come over and help out! whyd they have to put the cooler there lol.

I'm having the same issue got 2 latches but the right one won't open

laosfinest same but trying again today

Zay Springer yes

You didn't watch the video huh?