Gas door help ASAP

[Flipped192]

So today i threw CEL so first things first, i decided to check the gas cap. I got to unlach the door and its stuck... I tried to gently pop it open and wiggle it but i cant open the latch.. I am running low on fuel lol and i cant get in it. ANy ideas????

[JimmyJazz]

If your doors are locked, the gas door is locked. That's all I've heard about.

[Eidolon]

+1 above. If the doors are unlocked, then so is your cap and there is no retention mechanism. When you push on it to open it at a gas station, all you're doing is taking advantage of an assist. So if you can get something dull under the door, you may be able to gently pry it free of what's holding it shut.

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[Flipped192]

ya i used a credit car and wiggled and tugged and it came out. I have no idea how it would get to be like that.

[Panzer Leader]

WD40 or some other lube on the mechanism and hinges. First I have heard of a problem like this. If you did not try it before, hit the lock/unlock door feature a couple of times. Might free it up.

[Chewy]

I actually had to order a new popper from Greg last week. I actually threw a paper clip in the back seat to use for the time being. Unfortunately you can't just buy the popper. You have to buy the whole damn mechanism. BOO!

Here's the popper that's NOT replaceable. The whole mechanism was around 60 bucks I believe with shipping.

I tore the popper apart and found what was broken. I tried fixing it and found that I needed a stiffer steel to do so. You'd understand if you took it apart.

Chris

[foreosu]

This same exact issue happened to me this morning. Threw the gas cap code on the drive into work and when I went to fix it after getting to work, the freakin fuel door is stuck shut. I briefly tried to wiggle it open, but it wasn't happening. I'm heading back out at lunch to see what its going to take to get it open. And of course I am on "E" and need to get gas before going home. THis should be interesting...

[Chewy]

Paper clip used gently to pull it open worked the bee's knees until Greg got me my new mechanism. I think I broke mine when I was correcting the paint though. My car never threw a code or anything.

Chris

[WickedMom]

The gas door itself will not throw a code... but the cap will

[Todasi]

The gas door itself will not throw a code... but the cap will

A woman's always right ya know...

[texn884]

I htink it has something to do with you all running low on fuel, the car is getting back at you for doing that, maybe?

[WickedMom]

Running low on fuel will not set the light either...


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[Panzer Leader]

Maybe its the Moon's gravitational pull.

[I12XLR8]

I have had the same issue a couple of times! The first time I was pretty freaked out as I was on a trip and the low fuel message had been blinking at me for while already. Tried everything I could think of (but wanted to avoid prying it open) so called road-side assistance. Of course, right after I got off the phone with them my wife tried it and it popped open.

It has happened again at least three more times but if I patiently try to open it the usual way it eventually comes. This is one of the items that I have never been able to reproduce at the dealer so haven't had it fixed yet.

[hayabusa160]

this one detail about this car really kills me. first thing i noticed when i took this car home was the fact that they use a stupid thing like that to lock the fuel door vs a regular cable. maybe im old school but i hate how they keep adding electronic gismos on to everything possible on the car. its only one more thing to break. give me a damn cable for the fuel door! these car manufactures needs to stop making people so lazy.
the fact that it always works everytime you open and unlock the door adds more use to that little thing vs a cable that you only pull when you need it. shit if you dont want to use a cable thats fine put a damn button there for it.
i just had to vent about that ok

[loren]

So, all who have had issues with this - here's my vent. The design on this is a POS!! There is no manual override or any other way to open the fuel door if the "latch" decides to no longer work. Every time you lock and unlock the car, including when you drive down the road and the "auto lock" locks all the doors, the fuel door "latch" mechanism also locks. This is a POS manufactured in China. The only way I figured out how to "unlatch" the mechanism once mine would no longer open was to "CAREFULLY" pry the fuel door open. You will NOT be able to "pound" the post out of the plastic hole in the back of the fuel door. If you pry the door open from the back side it will bend the plastic post enough to come out of the fuel door. The locking mechnism is a post which goes through a plastic round piece attached to the back of the fuel door. Because the Post and the Round Hole on the back of the fuel door are both plastic, it's a hit and miss on which one will break or bend enough to open the door to replace the mechanism. I got lucky and the post bent before anything else broke. If you have "heard" the mechanism getting "louder" when you lock your doors, REPLACE IT! Online, the part is about $75.00. If you have to replace the Fuel Door and or other pieces, the fuel door - unpainted - is $75.00 as well. This does not include the arm mechanism, which is part of where the locking post goes through to lock it in place. This can cost you even more. From the Dealer, the locking "latch" mechanism will run you over $100.00. I was tempted simply to break off the pin on the locking mechanism so it didn't lock anymore after I figured out the price (and decided it was a POS!). You actually don't need it to lock. The "assist open", when you push against the door also has enough attachment to the door to keep it closed without the locking pin. The wires to the mechanism go through the fender well into the trunk. By pulling the inside right trunk panel, you can easily see the wires going to the mechanism. You just can't see or get to the mechanism this way in order to open the fuel door. The mechanism is held in place by 3 Torq's screws. Hope this helps the next person who runs into this issue.