This probably belongs in First Gear or outer space. I consulted my Owner's Manual and have found Refueling. This section has a bunch of understandable precautions. It also has simple step by step instructions on how to refuel the car. First instruction is, "1. Open the fuel filler door." But it does not elaborate on how that may be accomplished. On the next page is a section titled "Manual release with the MINI" and explains, "In the event of an electrical malfunction, the fuel filler door can be unlocked manually." This implies to me that the fuel filler door is normally unlocked using an electronic switch. But why is the location of that switch not revealed prior to "1. Open the fuel filler door." I have not found it elsewhere. The index does not show any other entries about refueling. Perhaps this omission in the 2005 manual is a test of loyalty? I admit to having failed if it is an IQ test. Fortunately, I have not had to refill the gas tank since getting the car, but am concerned that the fuel indicator needle has sunk below the remaining quarter tank mark (it took forever to drop to half, but after that it plummeted). I fear that soon the car will need fuel and I will not know how to accommodate it. Gas station attendents no longer assist in such procedures and, from what I have experienced so far, the MINI seems a mystery to service technicians and motor vehicles inspectors alike (the DMV inspector asked what kind of fuel it used--this was after asking for the make of the car). Some hints would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance for a helpful response.

 

It's simple (but the manual makes it sound complex).

The cover to the filler cap simply lifts up from the right side (hinged to the left). This cover is always unlocked - IF the car is unlocked. When you lock the car... the gas cap cover is locked and thus, it won't pivot from right to left (reveiling the gas cap).

The gas cap unscrews like most cars... you just have to be certain to replace it... hearing multiple clicks. A few clicks and you know it's in place. Otherwise an indicator in the car will go off making you wonder what that's for... etc.

So it's really that simple. I hope this helps.

 

The fuel door locks when you lock your (driver and passenger) doors using the interior panel lock switch or your key's lock button or the default lock all doors at 10 mph behavior.

You can unlock the fuel door by using the interior panel lock switch to unlock the doors (which also unlocks the fuel door) or by depressing the key's unlock switch once.

Hope this helps

 

No really, is this some kind of psychology experiment?

 

It's going to be a lot of trouble to trade your MINI for a new one every time it needs gas.

 

Maybe mine is different, but it can only click once and hits a hard stop. It's not like my others where it will spin around and around, clicking to let you know it's shut. This will only turn about 20 deg. then make a ratchet click once and stop.

 

mine does not click and I've not had any probs. with it.

 

Yep, the Refueling section of the Owner's Manual is not a masterpiece of technical writing!!!

I quote directly from page 101 of my '05 Manual...

"Do not drive until the fuel tank is totally empty."

Yeh, we know what it really means, but sounds like our MINIs shouldn't actually be driven with gas in the tank!!

 

This is funny - I had to go out to my car and check this out - I never knew the outer cap had a lock on it! The weird thing is, it must unlock when the car turns off, even if you don't have the auto door unlock feature enabled. I just had the auto door unlock enabled, and every other time I've filled up I NEVER used the unlock button. In fact I've only touched that button 2 or 3 times since I owned the car. When I get gas I just pullup, shut the car off, open my door and fill. I have never had to unlock anything to open the fuel door. But it sure does lock when the doors actually go to lock!


So to clarify - the cover is unlocked not only when you unlock the car, but it auto unlocks when you turn the car off!

 

Y'know, being male I run the risk of losing my "Man-License" just for opening the manual..... so here is my dumb question.... in the case of loss of power, how do you open the gas door?

 

Yes and no. I think if the driver's door is unlocked the fuel filler door unlocks as well. I don't know if this is the same for '03 or earlier cars (I'm an '04). So pulling the handle to get out of the car should unlock the fuel filler door as well.

So...The manual should say: "The fuel filler door is unlocked anytime the driver's door is unlocked."

Now I have to go out to the car and lock the car and have my wife open the door while I listen for the latch release

 

That's right. One time my husband & I went to the gas station at the same time, but in different cars. He was nice enough to pump my gas for me, and since I didn't unlock my door, he couldn't open the fuel door until my door was unlocked

 

I wonder if it unlocks when the passenger door is opened. I've frequently offered to pump gas in my wife's car (not a MINI), and I know that's not an abnormal occurence.

As for the manual release, I haven't found that. I know there's a manual boot release under the back seat. Does this open all of the locks?

 

It's inside the left side access panel in the boot.

 

on mine, the manual release is a pull ring found in that lil trap door in the left side of the boot...you have to reach way in to feel for it.... '04

 

Look at the rightmost column (the warning point)

 

Yep, me too.

 

So if your car has no electrical power, why would you be concerned about opening the gas cap anyway? Just wondering...

 

Thanks everybody. I really appreciate the help. Whew (especially on Memorial Day weekend).

I tried the gas cap when the doors were locked and panicked. I should have tried it when the doors were unlocked. Problem in my neighborhood is that if a person leaves the car unlocked when paying for the gas something might go missing. Yeah, it's one of those neighborhoods where even the Mario Andretti gas station makes you go inside the store to pay for gas--ugly hand written signs taped onto the gas pump that often blow into litter and have to be replaced--and there is always someone panhandling or wanting to help spill gas on your fenders or just behaving in some typically drug-induced belligerence. But my MINI is brave.

PS: Squirlz: Perhaps the car can be driven without electrical power? But considering that I didn't know how to refuel it I don't really have a clue.

 

Well I just looked at my 04 Manual and it's the same. I wonder what happened to Quality Control?



Art

 

The 'bypass' is there not so much to allow you to open the gas door with no electrical power (this generally indicates that you have problems other than an empty tank! ), instead it's there if something were to go wrong with the electric locks or the fuel door lock itself. It's the same as the driver's door having an actual lock cylinder in addition to the keyless entry or the boot release cable under the back seat. It's a backup means to opening the door in case something goes wrong.

 

My old Jetta used to lose electrics. No, you cannot drive a car without electrics. The engine would return to idle, the brakes *barely* functioned, and the power steering died.

One time, I drifted straight into oncoming traffic, and had to put my whole body-weight on the steering wheel to get to a ditch (primarily to stop the car). Mysteriously, once the car came to a complete stop -- in the ditch -- I was able to restart it and everything worked just fine.

Needless to say, that was the day I started looking into new cars.

 

Is this a joke? 570 posts and you don't know how to open your gas cap I'm sorry, but some of this stuff is ridiculous

 

Hey, its not as cut and dry as it used to be. I had a 94 mustang that you could open the fuel door no matter what the conditions. Only recently and mostly only on european cars (at least in my experience) does the fuel door actually lock itself closed. When I bought my audi a while back ('03 A4) it took me a good ten minutes to figure out why my fuel door wouldnt close all the way. It wasnt until I realized that my auto door locks had activated that I figured out the big metal rod that was getting in the way was actually suppose to keep the door closed not prevent it from closing. That may sound like a lot of vehicular ignorance to some people but bear in mind that this is coming from someone who was rebuilt three engines, pulled two trannies, done more brake jobs and oil changes than I can count, etc. etc. so Im definetly not a newbie here. Just some food for thought

 

I was thinking that too, but who knows....