Fuel Filler Flap problem

[tom1]

You need to shave or file a tiny amount away from the raised triangular ridge that I have highlighted in yellow. Don't cut the whole piece away, this image is my car AFTER the procedure.

This is very helpful, can you estimate roughly how much needs to be taken off? less than 1mm? or did you simply just do it based on trial and error, I.E shave off a small section, test, if it still didn't work shave off some more until it worked fine?

 

[Boost1]

I estimate about 0.5 mm to be removed along the full length of the ridge but as you say do it gradually and stop when the flap just starts to move freely. You may find it is worse after the first iteration since you probably have not taken off enough plastic to stop it rubbing, but you have roughened the surface creating more friction. Keep going and suddenly it is a night and day transformation - you will think you are refuelling a Rolls Royce next time you pop the flap!

 

[burso]

I'm going to book mine in tomorrow with the same issue. At the same time I'll ask them to fix the leaking rear window washer nozzle and anything else I can think of to make it worth being without my car for a day

 

[Hello_Mr_Mo]

This has began to happen on mine. Booked in to see a local VW dealer next week. They said it should be corrected under warranty. Will report back with hopefully a good result

 

[Johnhoward]

Had this very problem today. Fortunately VW Cheltenham is right next to Tesco's where I was filling up. They fixed it on the spot. Pretty good service, I would say.

 

[Hello_Mr_Mo]

Had this very problem today. Fortunately VW Cheltenham is right next to Tesco's where I was filling up. They fixed it on the spot. Pretty good service, I would say.

That's very interesting John. I purchased my Golf from that dealership and asked them if I could book it in on a Saturday morning to fix the issue and they refused me point blank. I explained that I lived in Birmingham and would like to pop by as I have close relatives in that area and they said that they would need my car for a whole day! As I work away during the week, taking a day off to get this done in Cheltenham would be a huge inconvenience. As a result I've phoned up a VW dealer nearby who have agreed to look at it next week.

 

[Johnhoward]

I haven't needed a Saturday but always found them to be helpful. I did not buy the car there as they wanted too much money for it !

 

[burso]

One of the reasons might be that the garage guys don't work weekends. This is the case with my local dealer so I can only book my car during working days. I;ll drop it off before work, get the courtesy car and after work collect my car hopefully fixed.

 

[Tyrant2]

Mine failed again yesterday, dealer replaced the internal part of the fuel filler cap with a new design.
will post pics in a while

 

[Alastair121]

To wet to stand and shave plastic from the catch so a quick spray with Holt's rubber lubricant, as suggested earlier, worked a treat.

 

[Hello_Mr_Mo]

Got my fuel cap lid sorted today. Looks like they shaved off a bit of plastic as per the photos above, and now opens and closes very cleanly.

 

[par7]

Fuel Filler Flap Problem

Thanks to "Boost" for the clear photo showing the problem area.
Just used my Wife,s cardboard nail file to shave off a small portion of plastic. This worked a treat. Thanks again.

 

[Jizmunquay]

Just hit 9000 miles, went to fill up on Thursday and found the same problem! Might try shaving off the plastic first before trying the dealership

 

[Stripey]

I had this problem about a year ago (which was sorted) but about 2 months ago my fuel filler flap would get stuck half way when opened. I now need a new flap! Covered on warranty luckily.

 

[Jeffas]

Replying to great post

Betty Swollocks is bang on about shaving the plastic. I had a good look around my dodgy cap spurred on by his information and found some tiny rub marks on a piece of the housing right above the actuator. This aligned with a little ridge that I could see on the flap's catch. I shaved off about 0.5mm with a stanley knife and the flap opens really smoothly now. It did get worse initially when I hadn't quite shaved enough off to stop it rubbing but I had roughened up the existing surface, then kept going until it was all good. Due to it being dark outside I have only got a low res picture, see below for the piece I trimmed marked red.

Sounds like I am not alone having the filler cap door sticking, thanks to your post I have cured the problem, I shaved some plastic off both ridges just to be sure, works a treat...