Volvo fuel door issues wont latch rant

mossyrock · Post by **mossyrock** » 25 May 2010, 21:04

Ok,this is a bit of a rant so be prepared. All in all the Volvo is a pretty decent rig. Its obvious they spent the majority of there time harnessing the safety angle and missed on a few others. Well I have found the weak link in my XC 90. The place where the daunted Volvo engineers flat dropped the ball and made an otherwise really nice rig have a real beyond cheap item....The fuel door. The fuel door on a car has got to be the most idiot proof item on the car but could the Volvo guys leave well enough alone....NO NO NO ! They had to take something as simplistic as the fuel door and put a 50 cent plastic hinge on it. Then put some weak locking spring on it. But the crowning jewel of the system is the power locking mechanism that is only supposed to latch once the car is in motion. GIVE ME A BREAK !

Well I have had about enough of my fuel door floppin in the wind. My plan is to take the snippers to the fuel door latch and spend a whopping 2.99 at Wal-Mart for some velcrow and fix it properly. I will glue half to the fuel door and the other half on the spot where the latch is. Bam....I will have fixed what 10 coked up sweedes could not do right the first go round.

Yes this is a rant but it had to be said.

Hawaii Soccer Mom · Post by **Hawaii Soccer Mom** » 16 Jun 2010, 01:56

I have an 2007 XC90 with the same problem.. darn thing works on and off... its usually "on" when I bring it to the dealership- its like they think I have nothing better to do than make these things up. have you ever gotten your's "officially" fixed? although your velcro idea sounds good...

Post by **vegasjetskier** » 16 Jun 2010, 06:07

mossyrock wrote:But the crowning jewel of the system is the power locking mechanism that is only supposed to latch once the car is in motion. GIVE ME A BREAK !

The system, at least on the S80, has a timer on it that doesn't lock the door until the ignition has been off for about 10 minutes. This is to give you time to fill up the car at the gas station. So what you're experiencing could be normal operation. The spring in the hinge should hold the door in the closed position until the lock engages.

Retired MVS Contributor · Post by **Retired MVS Contributor** » 16 Jun 2010, 08:35

Rant noted and appreciated...I'm on my 3rd hinge...

There is no latch, spring tension keeps the door shut...The ears for the spring on the cheap plastic hinge assembly break off allowing the door to swing in the breeze...The spring is still there, but it isn't doing anything...You can tell by swivelling it back and forth while the door is open...If it were not broken you would not be able to do that...The lug on the door that fits into the hole in the body is not a latch...It is part of the locking device and this lock has a time delay built into the software so that the tank can be filled while the car is locked...It will lock by itself after about 10 minutes...It NEVER locks immediately when you leave the car and lock it, whether you do do it remotely or with the key...A new hinge costs $10 from IPD and can be installed from outside the car with simple tools without tearing anything apart...

If you are someone who locks the car while driving (I do, there have been too many car-jackings) the door will be locked and will not be "swinging in the breeze"...

This plastic hinge should have been made of metal...What could it cost?...$5 more than the plastic?...

Retired MVS Contributor · Post by **Retired MVS Contributor** » 16 Jun 2010, 10:58

A better deal, just found out that Groton FCP has the hinge for less that $7...

mcdermd · Post by **mcdermd** » 16 Jun 2010, 17:24

IPD also sells a replacement but it is $9.26USD

Volvo Ocean Race · Post by **Volvo Ocean Race** » 07 Dec 2010, 01:48

Yes shame from Volvo also many of my Volvo friends have the same issue after
few years with new car. My is 2006.
Duck Volvo engineers and who made this spring and system need to be kicked from
Volvo factory immediately. Shame. My toy car with remote control have the better
solution for this door.
I put wide cable tie with hole around the spring and short screw with big head. Just push screw a little bit
more in plastic and done.

mnsherk · Post by **mnsherk** » 24 Apr 2012, 19:50

Buy a small rare earth magnet and apply it to the inside of the fuel door so it will be opposite the head of the upper left screw when the fuel door is closed (see pic). This works like a charm (I have not had my door flapping in the breeze since I did this) and has minimal cost.

Elliot9874 · Post by **Elliot9874** » 07 Apr 2017, 13:58

Genius thanks.

I can never get the fuel door to lock. Some times the latch locks but the fuel door is still open not flush and doesn't lock..

It's like i need 2 people to close the fuel door lol

Cuba · Post by **Cuba** » 29 Sep 2017, 18:25

mnsherk wrote: ↑24 Apr 2012, 19:50 Buy a small rare earth magnet and apply it to the inside of the fuel door so it will be opposite the head of the upper left screw when the fuel door is closed (see pic). This works like a charm (I have not had my door flapping in the breeze since I did this) and has minimal cost.

This is exactly what I did to solve the problem and it works better then the original set up imo. Very satisfying action, clean and tidy to boot.