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Gas tank door not opening!

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by bheller, Jun 26, 2017.

  1. bheller

    bheller Junior Member

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    Hi folks,
    I have a great 2002 Gen 1 (128k). It will be retired soon, but in the meantime...

    The lever no longer opens the gas tank door. The problem appears to be in the door latch releasing, although that's sort of a guess. The lever feels as it always has, and no amount of fiddling makes it work.

    If there is a not a fairly easy/cheap solution, is there something temporary and reliable? I suppose I could tape the latch back and tape the door? But I am planning to sell it for whatever I can get, so it will likely need to be a better fix than that.

    Thanks a lot,
    Brian
     
    #1 bheller, Jun 26, 2017
  2. EddieAtl

    EddieAtl HYBRIDATL

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    Have you tried...having someone pulling the lever and at the same time someone else prying the gas tank door open? I had the same issue with my 2003 prius and it worked.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #2 EddieAtl, Jun 26, 2017
  3. vaughnstark777

    vaughnstark777 Member

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    You can also wedge something in between the door and the body then pull the lever. It should open. Once opened check the spring near the hinge on the door to see if it is broken.
     
    #3 vaughnstark777, Jun 26, 2017
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    For an embarrassingly long time, I was sticking to this silly procedure: stop car, walk around, bend library card and place behind corner of fuel door, walk back to driver's side, pull lever, hear 'pop', walk back around, pick up library card off pavement, fill tank.

    Eventually I ordered and replaced the spring, which didn't help.

    Then I found an old grungy can of "Tef-lube" that's been in my basement for ages, with a skinny little straw in the nozzle, and I squirted some of that into both fuel door hinges. Instant fix. Then I felt extra silly for having done the library card dance for so long.

    Probably any similar light lube would do the trick ... I doubt there's anything magic about Tef-lube, it's just what I had.

    -Chap
     
    #4 ChapmanF, Jun 26, 2017
    Brian in Tucson likes this.
  5. bheller

    bheller Junior Member

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    Thanks for the ideas. I tried WD40 on the door hinge & latch, but no difference. I did find I can do the library card thing, so at least I can open it myself for now. I can't exactly see the problem– Seems like the lever isn't releasing the latch (as opposed to the door itself sticking). Any further suggestions that are reasonably easy are welcome, to avoid the rather expensive (but good) shop, as I'm about to sell it.
     
    #5 bheller, Jun 28, 2017
  6. EddieAtl

    EddieAtl HYBRIDATL

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    See clip
    Bend clip to create some tension without breaking it and when you pull the lever inside the car, door should pop opened. See if that helps. 1498676827869.jpg

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #6 EddieAtl, Jun 28, 2017
  7. bheller

    bheller Junior Member

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    Sounds like a good idea. But would you mind spelling-out for me whether you mean the large clip or the smaller 'tab' inside it? And which way to bend it. I think I'll need a pliers, there's not a lot of give to it.

    Thanks,
    Brian
     
    #7 bheller, Jul 2, 2017
  8. EddieAtl

    EddieAtl HYBRIDATL

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    See photo with my index finger pointing at the clip in my previous message. Bend it outward, enough to creat some tension when you close the door. I had the same issue with my 2003 Prius and it worked. Now the door pops out everytime I pull the lever from inside the car, when I stop to get gas.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #8 EddieAtl, Jul 2, 2017
  9. greasemonkey007

    greasemonkey007 Active Member

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    This is what I had to do to mine. It worked fine.
     
    #9 greasemonkey007, Jul 4, 2017
  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    If the library card works, the lever is releasing the latch. It's just that the door spring isn't providing enough force to open the newly-released door given the resistance of its hinges.

    Either a stronger spring or better-lubed hinges (or both) will fix it; it's not the kind of problem with a lot of other subtle possibilities.

    Some other posters report the spring did it for them. In my case (even replacing the spring with a brand new one from the dealer) that didn't do it, but lubing the hinges did.

    I don't know how hard you worked at making sure the lube really got inside the hinges. They are made in a bad way to get lube inside, only the slightest gap between segments or at the ends of the pin. Only a very light lube has any chance of getting in, and only if you're determined, and then wag the door back and forth for a while to distribute it.

    -Chap
     
    #10 ChapmanF, Jul 4, 2017
  11. bheller

    bheller Junior Member

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    Well, nothing is working (aside from the library card). I oiled the hinges and latch as best I could, with WD40, then Liquid Wrench, then a very light machine oil. I exercised the hinges, and the door moves quite freely. I used plenty of oil, but an even finer tip than straw, or some other technique? Maybe bending the clip the opposite direction (away from me) would ease the tension? If the design is bad it could be a lost cause, I just want to avoid paying $90/hr. for this if possible. Thanks a lot!
     
    #11 bheller, Jul 13, 2017
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