Fuel filler flap not opening

[stan_blade]

Hello all

I had to ring the VW breakdown people today, as when I got to a filling station after traveling from work at lunchtime, I could not open the fuel flap (part of the bodywork - not the internal black cap). I stood on the forcourt for a good couple of mins playing around with it, but it just would not open. It would spring in but not then pop out....I felt a right prat.

Luckly I had enough juice to get me home, so I rung VW. They quickly arranged a callout, as they could not suggest a fix over the phone. On the driveway I had another play but still the same, so I locked the car and went inside. About an hour later the RAC van turned up, so I put my shoes on and went out to to show him the flap. He gave the flap a try before I could unlock it, obviously still nothing. Then I unlocked the car, and the thing shot open. I then tried to reproduce the problem a few times and it worked correctly with the car unlocked.

The RAC man then looked the fault up on his computer, and VW had posted a note saying that they wanted to know how to fix the problem. So I guess I might the first person to come across this. I dont realy know why the flap opened suddenly after I left it locked, as I'm sure I tried locking and unlocking at the filling station.

Anyway in the future I wont be running my car quite so empty, just incase it happens again
cheers
stan...... refueled and relieved

[NickO]

Hi mate,

A similar thing happened to me (albeit maybe not the same), but I thought I would just share my embrassment just in case it helps others.

I pulled in at the petrol station some weeks ago in the Roc, got out went to open flap without success, tried always even got back in the car and read the handbook! As far as I could see I wasn't doing anything wrong.

Some old guy came up to me tapped me on the shoulder and said "Is the car unlocked mate?", I thought to myself yes I have just got out of the drivers door, but as I had nothing else to try, I flicked the internal central locking button to unlock the doors, tried the flap and it opened!

I thanked the old guy , felt a right plonker, filled up and drove away.

Afterwards I realised that I had switched on the convenience mode on the MFD which fires the central locking automatically when you drive off. Hence when I opened the drivers door everything else was still locked including the filler cap.

I suppose the same applies if you press the "unlock" button on the remote once which by default is only set to unlock the drivers door, i.e. the filler cap is still locked.

[stubby]

How do

Same thing just happened to me. Tried everything, auto locking on/off, manual central locking - nowt. VW Assist came, we messed about for a bit and finally sorted it by switching the ignition on and it popped open, and now seems fine - phew. Only trouble is now Ive got no excuse not to go to that piggin eurovision party, harrummmph

Cheers

[sir_rocco]

yep,

mine has done this twice, cured by locking and unlocking the car a few times. Suspected the mechanism on the filler cap was sticking, not had any issues since but will watch this space.

[chr15]

yep,

mine has done this twice, cured by locking and unlocking the car a few times. Suspected the mechanism on the filler cap was sticking, not had any issues since but will watch this space.

Same here, both times I have locked then unlocked and it has sprung open. Hoping it can be fixed at some point or not do it again.

[dabs]

Same here, both times I have locked then unlocked and it has sprung open. Hoping it can be fixed at some point or not do it again.

Thank god for that - I thought I was cracking up! I have done the exact same thing, first time I went to fill up I stood there poking at it to no avail, made to get back in for the handbook and it popped open, felt like a right heel..

[RobTriskele]

I've just had this happen to me but luckily there was a main dealer across the road from the petrol station I was in. 2 minutes in the service dept and the chap brought my car out with the flap open to allow me to fill up. He wouldn't say how they opened it but told me it was a relay issue.

I filled up, closed it up, drove home, checked the flap once again and it seems to be working fine.

[RobTriskele]

It's stuck again.

[Billc]

I've had this a couple of times and usually locking/unlocking would pop it open, sometimes not. One day I got it opened, properly cleaned around inside the cap then silicone sprayed around the hinge and lock, not a problem since and it pops open on first push every time now.

[Sabs]

Had this happen to me yesterday (again) in the petrol station with only 10 miles left of petrol! Literally tried for half an hour and then decided to get to a petrol station closer home (should I have to abandon my car for the night) and once I parked it up and tried again, it popped open?! This happened to me about 6 months after purchasing the car and had to have the RAC come to help as it refused to open (even after driving it, locking and unlocking the car). They added some lubricant to the mechanism but I'm at a loss as to how I can fix it permanently so it doesn't happen again. Does anyone know what to do? I have tried (repeatedly) locking and unlocking the car but this didn't do anything. Manual no bloody use!

[Kev]

You probably need a new actuator. Plus fitting will be £50-60.

[DannyRocco]

Hi mate,

A similar thing happened to me (albeit maybe not the same), but I thought I would just share my embrassment just in case it helps others.

I pulled in at the petrol station some weeks ago in the Roc, got out went to open flap without success, tried always even got back in the car and read the handbook! As far as I could see I wasn't doing anything wrong.

Some old guy came up to me tapped me on the shoulder and said "Is the car unlocked mate?", I thought to myself yes I have just got out of the drivers door, but as I had nothing else to try, I flicked the internal central locking button to unlock the doors, tried the flap and it opened!

I thanked the old guy , felt a right plonker, filled up and drove away.

Afterwards I realised that I had switched on the convenience mode on the MFD which fires the central locking automatically when you drive off. Hence when I opened the drivers door everything else was still locked including the filler cap.

I suppose the same applies if you press the "unlock" button on the remote once which by default is only set to unlock the drivers door, i.e. the filler cap is still locked.

Glad i'm not the only one... haha

I was about to get out the tyre iron to pry the flap open as I was 600 miles from home and on fumes. Thank goodness for kind strangers who drive VWs

[SciroccoEire]

This happened to me , i feel your pain.

It started as an intermittent problem , and it would pop open after locking/unlocking a few times. It will eventually stop working altogether and the flap will be stuck closed.
Locking mechanism/motor in the fuel flap had to be replaced.

[greg7728]

My flap doesn't seem to ever lock, so I think I have the reverse issue. Is this an easy fix?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dan999]

This happened to me , i feel your pain.

It started as an intermittent problem , and it would pop open after locking/unlocking a few times. It will eventually stop working altogether and the flap will be stuck closed.
Locking mechanism/motor in the fuel flap had to be replaced.

Same here. I released the fuel flap using the manual release under the wheel arch liner, and now it's working perfectly again...

[matthew.f.young]

I had this on mine just after picking the car up from the dealer.

At first they just sprayed some lube onto it and it worked fine for a week, then it happened again.

I got a new servo (or actuator) fitted and have not had an issue since.

They are only about £50 I think and are dead simple to fit.

[rococco]

Hi fellow Scirocco drivers,

I recently encountered the problem of the fuel filler flap not opening and managed to solve it. I thought I'd share the solution here in case anyone else faces a similar issue in the future.

Like some others in this thread, I found that the problem was not with the fuel flap actuator, but with the car's locking system. Despite unlocking the car with the key fob or turning on the ignition, the fuel flap remained locked. However, I discovered a workaround that did the trick.

Here's what I did:

1. Open the driver's side door.
2. Toggle the lock/unlock button on the inside of the door repeatedly.
3. While doing so, press the fuel filler cap from the outside.

By doing this, the lock released and the fuel filler cap popped open!

I plan to have the car's electronic system professionally diagnosed following this. I recently jump-started another car, and I suspect that a voltage spike during that process may have affected the Scirocco's locking system.

I hope this information helps someone out there. And thanks once again to this forum for providing solutions to yet another oddly-specific Scirocco problem!

Safe driving,
Ross

[Dan17]

I had that feeling like a prat moment when I first bought my scirocco too. When I got home I remember watching a youtube video where a guy explained what to do if the flap wouldn't open and basically he said press unlock on your key at the same time you push the flap to pop it open. It worked and it's what I've done ever since