• New Cars
    • First Impressions
    • Road Tests
  • Classics
    • Classic Profiles
    • Classic Driving Impressions
    • Classics Information
    • Events and Days Out
  • Motoring For Fun
  • News & Views
  • Bookshelf
  • Technical
    • Grumpy Old Mechanic
    • Kim’s Tips
  • Features
    • Visits
    • Track Days
  • Contributors
    • About our contributors
    • Kim Henson
    • Chris Adamson
    • Kieron Fennelly
    • Ant Henson
    • Rachel Henson
    • David Miles
    • Gerald Morgan
    • Dave Moss
    • Dave Randle
    • Robin Roberts
    • Tom Scanlan
    • Glen Smale
    • Jeremy Walton
    • Keith Ward
    • John Price Williams
  • More…
    • About Wheels Alive
    • Tips for using this website
    • Useful Links

Wheels Alive

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Please release me

Author/Source: Kim Henson

10th October 2014

grumpy smallThe other day, the lad who works for me was looking puzzled (actually that happens quite often, but I digress). On enquiry, he explained that he had been looking in vain for the bonnet release catch/handle, on a modern Peugeot…

He was surprised to find that this release catch/handle was in fact located on the left hand front door pillar, so is only accessible when the door is open.

Now what in heaven’s name possessed the person responsible for this ridiculous location? Why not leave the handle inside the vehicle (usually beneath the facia, in the manner used for decades), where it is more readily accessible, also, for those new to the vehicle, easier to find? Dunno.

Anyway, to me, it seems crazy to install a bonnet handle that can only be reached if a door is open. What happens in the event of an accident in which the car is too seriously damaged for the door to be opened? How can anyone open the bonnet to disconnect the battery in such an emergency, for example?

Another scenario I’d rather not think about is if, a little way down the line, the battery fails, and the car is parked with its left side close to a wall. The car can’t be started, and guess what, the door can’t be opened in order to reach the bonnet release to open the bonnet in order to change or re-charge the battery! Wonderful. Don’t you just love it?

Save Post as PDF

Categories: Grumpy Old Mechanic, Kim Henson Tags: Bonnet releases, Grumpy Old Mechanic

Tip: For improved search accuracy, enclose search terms for multiple words in quotation marks. For example:
"Land Rover".

Advertise with us

Recent Posts

A summer of fun at Beaulieu

Lakeland Motor Museum kicks off the start of The Club Triumph Coast 2 Coast Run

The Motor Ombudsman marks nearly one million contacts as ADR Regulations reach a decade of service

INEOS Grenadier ups its game with portal axle collaboration

New Chief Executive Officer for The British Motor Museum

Legacy of Austin pedal cars honoured with Blue Plaque at original factory site in Bargoed

Kia EV3 GT Line S – Road Test

National Motor Museum to take Sunbeam 350hp Blue Bird to Wales for the World Land Speed Record centenary

Contributors

contributors

Our well-respected contributors live and breathe motor cars; aren’t we lucky?

Contributors to the site include talented, highly-respected people (so they tell me) on the hallowed membership list of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and from the similarly well thought-of Western Group of Motoring Writers. In addition there are valued contributions from other knowledgeable and capable motoring writers who have something useful to say about all aspects of driving and running vehicles in the 21st Century. All of our team are passionate about motor cars!


Read about our contributors  ››

Tags

Suzuki crossover Tyres British Motor Museum Estate car Beaulieu MPV saloon 4x4 hatchback EV all-electric Coupé large SUV five door hatchback PHEV National Motor Museum Compact SUV Electric road test SUV luxury SUV The Motor Ombudsman estate Kia First Impressions Hybrid plug-in hybrid City car Seven seater SUV

All Tags ››

Like us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook

Wheels Alive Social

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Please share our website

Contact us

We welcome your questions, comments and feedback. Please click here to contact us.

Advertising Opportunities

Please contact us if you would like to discuss advertising opportunities on Wheels Alive.

Copyright © 2025 Kim Henson, Wheels Alive