The bonnet cable is a braided steel cable housed in a plastic sheath that connects the interior release handle (usually near the driver’s footwell) to the hood latch mechanism at the front of the car. It runs through the engine firewall. Over time, the steel cable can stretch, making the hood difficult to pop, or snap entirely, leaving the hood permanently locked shut. Replacing it is often labor-intensive as it requires threading the new cable through tight spaces behind the dashboard and engine bay components.