Left my MY97 WRX in the garage for a few weeks - battery dead. Bought myself an Accumate battery charger to keep battery in tip top condition - great.

Now, I can't pop the bonnet - the catch just doesn't do it - I have tried pulling the cable with pliers but I just can't get the bonnet open.

getting very cross - any ideas?

 

Searched the forum, got the wife to 'jiggle it about a bit' after I had applied some WD40. Scoobynet to the rescue!!

All good now - but that bonnet catch has gone rusty v quickly....

 

Either take it off, soak it in penetrant, regrease it and, if you're confident it's absolutely 100%, refit, or just chuck it away and buy a new one.

There's only one thing worse than a catch that's stuck shut: A catch that doesn't close properly and allows the lid to pop open when you're wanging down the motorway.

 

For anyone else in this position, you can usually get it to pop by getting someone to pull the release in the car and bouncing gently on the bonnet where the catch is.

And yes: get it off, cleaned up and regreased, sooner.