Fixing fuel door lock/how to/UPDATE

Post by **misha** » 14 Aug 2010, 17:06

I'm planning to fix my intermittent fuel door lock problem.So,i wonder is there any instruction how to do that,or i'll be the first person in this project?

One of the members gave me instructions how to remove it & lubricate it few months ago,but what would really help me a lot is any instruction with pictures included.

The only thing that worries me is that i will work on "blind" untill i remove it because the actuator is hidden and i actually can't see it.

Post by **misha** » 15 Aug 2010, 19:26

Ok guys,here's the update:

I finally managed to fix my intermittent problem with a fuel door lock.I have no pictures but i will explain how i did it the best way i can.

First,you need to remove right panel(passenger side) in the trunk(i'm talking about wagon).You'll see a piece of wire with some kind of handle for emergency opening of the fuel door.Remove the panel just a little more but be carefull with the clips which is holding the panel because they are VERY,VERY fragile.

You should see one torx bolt...remove it and then remove the other 2 torx bolts from the outside of fuel door.The lock(the whole actuator) will pop out from the inside.Then all you need to do is to remove a wire handle for emergency opening from the plastic clip which holds it .Take the actuator somewhere when you can disassemble it and where you can work on the motor of the lock.

Remove the torx bolts from the actuator housing and open the housing.You should see the motor and one big black gear which is powered by motor.Remove the big black gear and it's components and carefully pull of the motor.Remove the pins(contacts)from the motor housing.Use a little flat screw driver in order to release the metal holders of the motor.With holding the motor for metal housing with one hand and for plastic housing where the little metal gear is with another,pull and separate them.

When the rotor and a little axle is revealed the only trick is to clean the black traces from the brushes at the little axle,but inside of the plastic housing.You should see a very tiny little brushes at the left & the right side of the little axle & their black traces.That black traces are the reason why the motor is not working or stucking.Peel off that black traces with a very small flat screw driver.From now on everything is in your patience.You will have a very limited space to work on,but if you really want to fix it,it can be done.

When you finish with peeling of that black traces,reasemble everything and connect the actuator to it's jack.You can try if it works before you install it with a remote or with a key in the trunk lock.It should work like a charm.

All you need to do now is to get it back to it's place.

I hope that this will help to someone and i'm sorry because i don't have pictures for this well done job.My bluetooth adapter isn't working so i wasn't able to transfer the pictures to my computer and upload them to MVS.That is the only reason why i didn't took the pictures for this fuel door lock job.

Regards,
Misha.

rbtrary · Post by **rbtrary** » 20 Jan 2014, 10:39

Just did this repair this weekend following your instructions. Only thing I added was use a tooth pick to put a little dielectric grease on the armature after cleaning it up. Works perfectly now. Thanks!

Post by **misha** » 21 Jan 2014, 12:21

Post by **cn90** » 19 Jan 2016, 22:17

At 175K and temp at -15C, of course my fuel door does not pop open at gas station.

I have 2 options:

1. The ghetto way of removing the plastic latch on the fuel door, this way the door is no longer locked.
I have not done this yet for fear of vandalism (kids putting stuff in fuel tank).
Small fear but...

2. Cleaning the actuator motor. The actual motor is Volvo 9152856: about $100, so I am NOT buying this motor!!!
When activating the fuel door opener (on driver's door), I can hear the fuel door actuator noise, but the fuel door does not pop open.
Any thoughts?

Post by **cn90** » 19 Jan 2016, 22:25

Found a related video on Volvo PN 9152856:

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 20 Jan 2016, 01:16

The latch motor on my '94 seems to work when it wants to and about half the time I have to pull the release by the tail light to release it. I've pulled it apart and lubricated it but it has a mind of its own. Since my wife can find the wire hoop to yank it really isn't that big of a deal, we just avoid stacking a bunch of junk in front of the door to the tail light.

...Lee

Post by **precopster** » 20 Jan 2016, 05:38

On my 2000V70 ALL of my door locks get lazy in hot weather AND fuel latch of late requires me to operate the locks on the window switch. After I do this it springs back to life.

Post by **cn90** » 20 Jan 2016, 09:18

Thanks Lee & precopster for the replies...

As I mentioned above, there is a ghetto fix: on the fuel door, there is a plastic clip: remove it and the door will never be locked again.
But there is a remote risk of vandalism.
Actually when I bought the car 3 years ago, the P.O. removed this clip.
I bought the plastic clip and now I am in this situation of opening the trunk every time need to fill gasoline...LOL.

Post by **mecheng** » 20 Jan 2016, 10:38

Can someone please post a picture of where to access the emergency wire/button?