Fuel Flap Repair Guaranteed

[picto27]

1 year on and the fuel flap still works like new. No hesitation or failure to close.

i. remove the n/s and rear anchor points, then the boot carpet.

ii. carefully remove the boot trim on the rear and n/s

iii. using a 10mm spanner/socket, undo the mechanism retaining nut and extract the mechanism. Unclip the wiring plug.

Then using a 12volt supply and some wires to check that it still actually worked.

To refit simply reversal of the removal.

Unfortunately 2 weeks later the same thing happened, I hooked it up to 12 volt supply, no joy, it was still seized solid. So I undid the 2 screws and prised open the mechanism. (well if I needed a new 1 it wouldn't do any harm)

As soon as I began to prise the casing I felt something shift back into place and the push rod popped out and could be moved. So I continued to move it in and out. After a time it jammed again. I gave it a squeeze, felt the inside shift again and the mechanism popped out. Played about with it again and yet again after a time jammed.

So, with a stanley blade I finished prising the casing open.

I put some grease on/into the moving parts. After the grease was worked in I could feel that things sort of tightened.

Then put the casing back together and replaced the screws tightly. Kept on 'priming' the mechanism and it did not jam. I appreciate that the weather hasn't been as severely cold but the mechanism still works with a very smooth in and out action.

So if its a quick fix you need why not give the mechanism a tight squeeze while its all still in situ (no need to dismantle the whole boot interior).

I hope this works for you.

It is now 4 months after the first fuel flap seizure, it still has a smooth open/release action