A couple of times now I've actuated the fuel flap release electric switch in the Lt door and walked around to open the fuel door and it won't budge. I've had to walk back and forth 3-4 times and hit the switch, try the flap. So far it has eventually opened.

Has anyone else seen this? Any potential solutions? It works intermittently. One thing I've thought of is past experience with window switches that stop working because the wire at the door to body interface breaks due to fatigue after so many open/close cycles. But this is a 2018 and I wouldn't think it has had that many cycles.

I'd like to get to the bottom of this quickly. I'd hate to get stuck in a gas station nearly out of gas 100 miles from home and not be able to get the fuel flap open. I'm going to look for an emergency release, believe there's one there, but I'd like to resolve this.

TIA

 

I usually pull that fuel door release switch for a good 3 seconds before I walk to the fuel flap. Works every single time. Hope that helps

 

Thanks, might be it. I just give it a quick pop. That has been working for me for a year. This hesitation just started. I have varied the 'hold' time, but haven't make a concerted 1-2-3 release.

On another note, I did find the emergency release. In the trunk/boot, Rt side next to the rear interior light there's a panel with an indentation on the side close to the rear. Push that indentation forwards to the front of the car and a couple of tabs clear the interior molding. Tilt it out and you can remove the panel. At the top left of the interior molding opening is a button with a gas pump molded in. This is hidden by the panel and can't be seen unless the panel is completely removed or fully folded back. Pull the button, about 6-8 inches of cord pull out. You'll get to the end of the slack and then keep pulling. The door will pop open. When you close the door, after about 3 seconds the button/string will pop back a bit and the door will be latched again. You can thread the string back into the hole to make the button flush with the molding again. It looks like just letting it hang wouldn't harm anything either. If this isn't clear LMK and I'll put up a couple of pictures.

 

Further issue...

We've had a few fuel siphonings in my area due to the high cost of fuel. For grins, I just doublechecked the locking fuell filler flap and, it is not locking.

I looked at the release in the rt side of the boot and tried to see if it was possibly stuck open from the events of 3/2020, and yes, the pull was hanging down about 6" as I described above. It seems that I never noticed that it didn't retract back, but stayed 'released'.

Does anyone know how t repair this so that the flap locks again? I looked in the service manual and the repair instructions talk about removing the tire, inner wheel well liner, under body liner, then removing the fuel fill hose at the fill inlet, then removing the entire fuel fill section. On the back is a solenoid to be replaced. But there isn't any description of how to 'reset' the full emergency release if it gets in this stuck situation. Maybe it isn't stuck, but just the result of having to use it - and it stays until taken to the dealer.

Suggestions? TIA

Edit: uploaded an image from the manual showing the filler flap locking servo...