Gas Cap Door Stuck Closed Help!

[carlexes330]

I have a problem with my Gas cap door it wont release when the release button is pressed is there an adjustment anywhere or shall I just dealer warranty this before I run outta gas ???

[1990LS400]

Well sure, have the problem fixed by the dealer if your car is under warranty -- or by somebody if it's not.

Does your car have an emergency fuel filler door release in the trunk like other Toyota/Lexus cars with an electric fuel filler door release? Open your trunk and look for a pull tab or something similar near the fuel door.

If that doesn't work and you're in an emergency situation where you have run out of gas, pop the trunk trim away from the side and take a look. Our old 98 Camry isn't a nice ES330 but its non-electric fuel fuel filler door cable can be unplugged from the backside (inside the trunk) of the fuel filter door to allow the fuel filler door to open.

Edit!: I just checked my LS and the manual fuel door opener tab in the trunk was nowhere to be seen. I'm guessing that the body shop that removed the rear bumper cover had to remove the trunk trim and missed seeing the dangling manual fuel door opener cable when they put things back together. I just now removed the trunk trim and fished out the manual fuel door cable and then reinstalled the trim panels. If your ES has a manual fuel door opener in the trunk, it should be described in your owners manual -- at least it is in my LS owners manual in the section on how the fuel door is opened.

[carlexes330]

Well sure, have the problem fixed by the dealer if your car is under warranty -- or by somebody if it's not.

Does your car have an emergency fuel filler door release in the trunk like other Toyota/Lexus cars with an electric fuel filler door release? Open your trunk and look for a pull tab or something similar near the fuel door.

If that doesn't work and you're in an emergency situation where you have run out of gas, pop the trunk trim away from the side and take a look. Our old 98 Camry isn't a nice ES330 but its non-electric fuel fuel filler door cable can be unplugged from the backside (inside the trunk) of the fuel filter door to allow the fuel filler door to open.

Edit!: I just checked my LS and the manual fuel door opener tab in the trunk was nowhere to be seen. I'm guessing that the body shop that removed the rear bumper cover had to remove the trunk trim and missed seeing the dangling manual fuel door opener cable when they put things back together. I just now removed the trunk trim and fished out the manual fuel door cable and then reinstalled the trim panels. If your ES has a manual fuel door opener in the trunk, it should be described in your owners manual -- at least it is in my LS owners manual in the section on how the fuel door is opened.

[homemechanic]

90% of the time the cause of this problem is because the spring inside the gas door is missing. The spring is simply a little clip that pushes the door outward once the lock is released, think of the spring as a door hinge.

1. You can get someone to push the door while the 2nd person pushes the release button.

2. Slide a piece of index card or thick piece of paper into the gas door before pushing the button. This is what I am doing right now for the last 2 years.

[steviej]

90% of the time the cause of this problem is because the spring inside the gas door is missing. The spring is simply a little clip that pushes the door outward once the lock is released, think of the spring as a door hinge.

1. You can get someone to push the door while the 2nd person pushes the release button.

2. Slide a piece of index card or thick piece of paper into the gas door before pushing the button. This is what I am doing right now for the last 2 years.

This happened once on my ES, I would have someone push the button and I would open the door using a piece of blue 3M tape (doesn't leave sticky stuff or harm paint).

The funniest time, was when I was alone in the summer at about 2AM and there was no one else around, I mean no one. I guess the store attendant was in the bathroom or something. I used a q-tip and a length of dental floss. Smushed the end of the q-tip in the crack so that the cotten head would bunch up behind the edge of the fill door. It was soft so I didn't worry about the paint. I then tied a lenght of dental floss to the other end of the q-tip and held that taught in my right hand. I then reached with my left and hit the opener button while I gently tugged the floss to get the door to open past the locking mechanism. You get real creatvie when you need to.

steviej

[homemechanic]

another quick fix to this problem would be make a small patch with double sided tape. use the thick kid and place it at the upper or lower right hang corner of the gas door. when u push the button, the door will pop out because the tape is pushing the door out a little. i can't believe it's like $15 for a gas door spring @ the dealer

[Daniel Chan]

HI, I am new to the forum, can anyone please help posing the instruction on how to replace the spring as well as the part number, the link earlier is dead.

Thanks a lot for the help