Fuel Tank Door Problems

On mine the door doesn't pop open enough sometimes and it closes as I reach for it. I enlist the help from another person while I hold the lever up. When I bring the car in for an oil change I ask them to take a look into this problem. The door has only remained completely shut once or twice. I coerced it open with a credit card.

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A little WD40 or equivalent lube in the appropriate dried out hinges, etc. does the trick. If your technician is worth his salt he should know this.

- Greg

SendFree preferred memberships Free for the first m>> The fuel tank door on my Prius won't flip open when I pull the lever. I

Sadly, quite common on the Classic Prius. :(

When you close the fuel filler tank door, make sure that the tether cord holding onto the gas cap doesn't get into the door hinge or V-spring that pops open the door. (Since I've been checking this, I have rarely had a problem opening my 2001's door.)

You may need to pry open the V-shaped spring latch, to give a little more push the next time you open the fuel filler tank door. Some people have gone so far as to add another coiled spring inside the V spring, to aid the weakened V spring metal.

and then there's my mother's method with her 2002 Prius - carry a thin plastic device to slide into the door and use as a lever to open the door. (fingers tend to re-close the door rather than open it.) For a while she was using a plastic disposable knife, which she stored next to the fuel filler door lever at the floor of the driver's seat, but now her preferred device is one of those fake credit cards that comes in the mail ("you could have a credit card that looks as pretty as this one if you send in the application" type).