Fuel door stuck at gas station

greasefingerss · Post by **greasefingerss** » 04 Mar 2008, 19:23

A funny thing happened to me the other day. I pull into the gas station and the attendant tells me to unlock the fuel door. Here in New Jersey you can not fill your own vehicle up with fuel. I am saying to myself WTF he is on drugs. To my surprise the fuel door does lock but it locks when the doors are only locked. I never knew this. So the vehicle is not locked and I use my key FOB several times at no avail. It turns out that the plunger that locks the door is stuck in the locked position.

I had to drive home and stick the red extender tube from a Wd-40 spray can in the slot and spray the heck out of where I imagine the plunger is, to get it to move again. Needless to say I was late to work that day. If that did not work them I was getting ready to remove the interior panels to access the mechanism? I am thinking of removing the panel anyway to disconnect the electrical harness, so that it can never lock again.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 04 Mar 2008, 19:39

Open the passenger's side taillight access cover and look over along the quarter panel. You should spot a wire with a hoop on the end of it.

Once you find that wire give it a pull toward the back of the car and the door should open. (it happened to my sedan last week)

...Lee

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 04 Mar 2008, 21:31

Could be the attendent really reefed on it and tweaked the lock pin.
You might wanna check out the possibility. In this day and age, a secure
gas tank is a Good Thing! I'd try and fix it...

shoagie · Post by **shoagie** » 05 Mar 2008, 11:56

The attendant at the State Inspection Station (also NJ) sprang mine two years ago, by pulling on it while it was locked. Of couse he denied it & said it was that way. I can't wait to retire to another state.

phoenix_iii · Post by **phoenix_iii** » 07 Mar 2008, 08:30

I pump my own gas in NJ. They can't physically put a hand on you. =)

(Former resident but frequent visitor) =(