How to Open the Hood for an Audi (A3) / VW

Intro

Hey guys! Matt Popovich here. Today in my series of Audi posts, I’m going to show you how to open the hood. This is very simple and while I will be demonstrating it on a 2015 Audi A3, the procedure will likely be the same for any Audi or Volkswagen models, and will be similar for most other cars. If in doubt, check your vehicle’s owners manual for the specific procedure for your car.

2015 Audi A3 Owner’s Manual, pg. 199

TL;DR

1. Ensure wiper blades are touching the windshield (not raised)
2. Open front driver door
3. Pull the hood release towards the driver
4. Underneath the front center of the hood, pull the end of the “rocker switch” upwards to lift the hood
5. To close, pull the hood back down towards the engine and push it shut

Opening the Hood

First, make sure your wiper arms are not raised from the windshield. Otherwise, the paint on the hood could be damaged upon open. Next, you will need to open the front driver door. Then, between the speaker on the bottom of the door and where the driver’s left foot would be, pull the hood release towards the driver. Upon pulling, you will hear the hood somewhat “unlock” as we have just released the primary latch. This release is in the inside of your car for security so that any random person can’t open your hood from the outside.

2015 Audi A3 Hood Release Location

Next, we will go to the front of the car. Underneath the front center of the hood you will find the “rocker switch”. Pull the end of the switch upwards to release the hood. This additional step is for safety in case you accidentally release the hood or if the hood release fails while driving, the hood will remain closed and not obstruct your view.

Closing the Hood

To close the hood, pull the hood back down towards the engine and then push it shut. You should hear it click, telling you that the latches have been closed. Remember that we need to shut two latches here: the secondary or safety latch, then the primary latch. As a sanity check, you should not be able to pull up on the hood if the hood is properly shut.

To assert your dominance over the vehicle, you can also just.. slam the hood shut, which is probably what most people will do.

Outro

That’s it! You’re now one step closer to being a certified mechanic! 🧑‍🔧

Please let me know if this was helpful or if you had any questions or issues in the comments.

 

 

Disclaimer: Matt Popovich is not a mechanic. Please do your own research and consult with a professional before attempting any DIY repairs. Matt Popovich assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this post. Matt Popovich does not provide a warranty for any of the listed information and does not guarantee any expressed or implied result. Use this information at your own risk. Matt Popovich recommends safe practices when working on vehicles and or with tools seen or implied in this post. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this post is the sole responsibility of the user and not Matt Popovich.