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fuel door

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by preludedude, Sep 2, 2006.

  1. preludedude

    preludedude Junior Member

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    Hey Everyone,

    Has anyone had any trouble with their fuel doors? About a month ago, while driving through the middle of nowhere, I stopped for gas. Imagine my horror when I pulled the fuel door release and nothing happened. I could hear it trying to catch, but it just wouldn't. Being about 100 miles from home and in a hurry, I kind of pulled on the door a bit. (Hey, it had to be done!) Finally, for some reason, pulling the door out a bit didn't break it, and when I tried the unlatch it, it sprang open with panic. Now, the fuel door release does work, but the door looks slightly misaligned, surely from my prying. Haven't taken it to the dealer yet; too lazy. Mine is an '06 by the way.
     
    #1 preludedude, Sep 2, 2006
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I bet the cable (it's a mechanical thing in a high tech car like the Prius--go figure?!) got slightly stretched. I've never tried, but you might take a look where the release is located there by the driver's door, remove that panel and see if there's an easy/obvious way to tighten it up a bit (like a bicycle brake cable?)...it might save the drive to and wait at the dealer if it can be done that easily.
     
    #2 efusco, Sep 2, 2006
  3. delrey

    delrey Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(preludedude @ Sep 2 2006, 01:57 PM) [snapback]313156[/snapback]</div>
    I had trouble with it for a while - it always opened without prying but took a couple tries and then sort of just barely opened instead of popping out a bit. Now it seems fine again, never did anything to adjust it!
     
    #3 delrey, Sep 2, 2006
  4. IndyDoug

    IndyDoug New Member

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    I have an '05 and my fuel door has been scratching and grinding while I open it.
     
    #4 IndyDoug, Sep 2, 2006
  5. preludedude

    preludedude Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(delrey @ Sep 2 2006, 05:33 PM) [snapback]313180[/snapback]</div>
    I think before it just plain would not open, it was doing what yours was doing. But, instead of "fixing itself," it went the other way. I'm going to go to the dealer and complain; they should fix it under warranty.
     
    #5 preludedude, Sep 2, 2006
  6. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(preludedude @ Sep 2 2006, 04:49 PM) [snapback]313190[/snapback]</div>
    That's gross overkill for a hinge that has become dry.

    Just a shot of WD-40 should fix it.

    Here in the land of sand & salt, I've had the "stuck door" situation happen twice over the past 6 years. Both times, a lubricant for the door was the cure.
     
    #6 john1701a, Sep 2, 2006
  7. preludedude

    preludedude Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Sep 2 2006, 06:03 PM) [snapback]313200[/snapback]</div>
    Well, normally I'd agree, but remember, I had to pry the door open since I was in the middle of nowhere, at a gas station, on Empty, and had to pry the fuel door open, thus bending the door a bit. I'm hoping to get a new fuel door and release cable out of it; I'm not trying to take them, but come on; this shouldn't have happened.
     
    #7 preludedude, Sep 2, 2006
  8. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(preludedude @ Sep 2 2006, 05:56 PM) [snapback]313236[/snapback]</div>
    True, I didn't have to do that. Recruiting someone at the gas station prevented the need, allowing pressure on both the cable and door at the same time. But I was under the impression that bending it back wouldn't be a big deal. If that's not the case and permanent damage was indeed caused, you have nothing to lose by attempting a warranty claim. Just do it.

    By the way, thanks for indirectly pointing out the need to add this to the User-Guide. I thought I had already, since the instances in 2001 and 2005 are well documented on my maintenance webpages.
     
    #8 john1701a, Sep 2, 2006
  9. brandon

    brandon Member

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    I have had the issue where, during a winter ice storm, the fuel door had frozen shut from the inside and I couldn't access after releasing the latch without prying the door open with a screw driver. It did slightly bend the edge of the fuel door, but nothing that was noticeable from the outside.
     
    #9 brandon, Sep 3, 2006
  10. paco-shalom

    paco-shalom Veteran Prius Owner

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    My fuel door release does not work well and never has. The door just barely unlatches when I pull the release and frequently (as if I had to fill up frequently) latches again as soon as I touch it to pull it open.

    Has anyone determined if there is an easy way to tighten the cable, or should I just ask the dealer to do it when I go for my next oil change?
     
    #10 paco-shalom, Oct 17, 2006
  11. pinball

    pinball New Member

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    I had the same problem - the 'spring' that pushes the fuel flap open when you pull the lever is really just a piece of bent metal. If the hinge is stuck or stiff the spring hasn't got enough strength to push the flap open.

    The first time it was OMG what am I going to do? but as john1701a says above, WD40 all over the hinge does the trick.
    If you want to give the 'spring' a bit more power just open it up a bit more and the flap will open with no problem
     
    #11 pinball, Oct 23, 2006
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