Fuel door sticky can't open

Can't get the fuel door to open! Wife has had trouble getting it shut so I shut it for her now it is stuck inward and will not pop open. I didn't like the idea of the way it worked when we first bought it and thought it was going to be trouble.

I've read on some older models that the locking mechanism gets out of whack - unlatched when doors locked and latched when doors unlocked. Stand outside, lock car and try to open. Worth a shot if you haven't tried yet.

Had the same issue on my 2013, open the fuel door and look at the piece that sticks out, there is a small lip on the top and bottom that I trimmed slightly with a razor blade and it works perfect now.

Pinto said:

Had the same issue on my 2013, open the fuel door and look at the piece that sticks out, there is a small lip on the top and bottom that I trimmed slightly with a razor blade and it works perfect now.

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Now if he could just get it "open".

Pinto said:

Had the same issue on my 2013, open the fuel door and look at the piece that sticks out, there is a small lip on the top and bottom that I trimmed slightly with a razor blade and it works perfect now.

Click to expand...

This might be a good proactive step...I've had it be sticky a few times but not locked up.

Mbmaring said:

Can't get the fuel door to open! Wife has had trouble getting it shut so I shut it for her now it is stuck inward and will not pop open.

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Find a small allen wrench and slide it between the body & filler door, then pull.

I thought I remembered a post that said some cable is accessible from the trunk behind the interior panels.

sprayed mine with silicone worked it a little seems good now.

Had this problem with my 2013, took it to the dealer and they acknowledged they've seen it a few times. They said they have to bend the plate the latch is mounted too out towards the fuel door. Apparently if it's too far inward the fuel door can't push it in far enough to release.

I had this problem and did the cycle the lock open and closed and managed to get it open after 5minutes. I sprayed the gas cover latching mechanisms with lube and thought I would be OK. The next time I needed to fuel up I could not open the cover. I tried for 20minutes at the gas station to no avail. I made it home on fumes (both gas and temper) and tried again for a while and no avail. I then sprayed lube heavily under the gas door and tried again. no luck. I then finally used the allen wrench trick using a small (3mm I think) allen wrench slipped behind the door and pried. After I got a gap I inserted a larger allen wrench and pried harder. POP! Open.
Now for the most important step. I pulled out the plastic/rubber condom around the gas tank fill tube. This gives access to the gas cover locking mechanism. Unscrew the mechanism and simply snip the wires to the little locking motor. This way you will never have to mess with the locked gas cover door again! The door still latches fine after. Unless you are worried about someone siphoning your gas or putting sugar in the tank...your all set. Good luck!

snip wires?? - kinda of a crude 'fix'. Letting them lie loose is just asking for trouble down the road. Wouldn't it be more sane to get to the mechanism in the trunk and simply unplug it from the solenoid?

When I first got mine I was agitated the fuel door just opened up and it didn't have a locking gas cap ... then I figured out it locked when the car was locked.

Kinda unrelated to point of thread but still related.

I use the water hose and rinse out my door latch every few months. I have found that a lot of dirt from the roads is what is getting up in there making it hard to open.

I've had this problem on my '13 for over a year. Dealer installed a new latch and now everything is better.

VW Norm thanks for the input. Should have mentioned I have a Jetta Sportwagon. My research said there is no way to get to the gas tank assembly from the inside of the car as the trunk area is finished (or at least not easily). Can't believe everything you read but that was my understanding. Fix has been done for about a year and no problems.

Mine is sticky too. I guess I will take a closer look at it. Thanks for the tips guys...

I always figured a locking gas cap or door is a good way to get a hole punched in your gas tank...

either reaplace the part if you need to have the it lock or be like majority of other cars out there and unplug the electrical connector and leave it unlock all the time.

Also disable "auto lock" on all your doors too. no need wearing out actuators having them (and your fuel door) lock every time you start your car.

Tyrus, thanks for your history on this dilemma. My 2011 Sport Wagon door got stuck tonight and I pretty much followed your saga. I was lucky that after 20 min of pushing and locking/unlocking, the door just opened like it should. Got the tank filled up with 5 mi of range left on the heads up display. Will disable the motor tomorrow. Thanks.

My JSW latch started getting balky 60k miles ago. I periodically shoot it with silicone, work it open/closed/open several times. Still working just fine.

If you are struggling to open your fuel door, the easy trick is to to press down on the rear half of the door where the latch is while simultaneously pressing the "unlock" button on your remote. Works like a charm for me.

I guess I forgot to fix this (see my post above) and finally I got around to it.

Call the piston thing that goes in and out and rotates into the latch on the door, the "piston". And the "latch" is on the door. And there is the indentation in the plastic, in which the piston sits, and into which the protruding latch slides when closing the door. Now on mine, there was just above the piston (when out) and just below, on the surface of that indentation, some rub marks. These were caused by the latch being too large for the indentation. Anyway I shaved them a bit with a sharp knife, giving more clearance, and now the stickyness has disappeared. I suppose the protruding latch top and bottom could be shaved instead. Just make more clearance there. This way the latch is not being jammed with a friction fit into the indentation.

This is not a huge deal but I finally got tired of prying the door open with a knife.