Since I got my 89 running again, I’ve been dealing with unending brake issues which have kept me from driving the car as I intended. Over the past three years, I probably haven’t put 150 miles on it. The brake issues are a topic for another day, but its also distracted me from finding an answer to a much more simple issue.
Its been so long since I filled the car with fuel regularly that I honestly don’t remember how I did it. How does the fuel door open? Each time I’ve added a little gas since getting this thing back on the road, I’ve had to pop the trunk and hit the release lever. Is there a button that I’m not remembering in the passenger compartment? Do I have another issue preventing it from opening when I press down on the door with my hand? Like I said, this is a dumb question!
A stupid question ? … obviously you haven’t read many of my posts
The catch that holds the fuel door shut is electrically locked and unlocked via the central door locking system. Of course once it is unlocked it is opened by a quick push and release on the fuel door and an internal spring pops it open. The emergency release overrides this function. No secret buttons that I know of.
I usually have to push the door 2 or 3 times to make it pop open. I think I’d squirt in some spray lubricant to see if that frees things up a bit.
Thank you Groove! So if I’m understanding correctly, I need to hit the unlock button in the car to electronically release the fuel door lock, and then press the fuel door with my hand to get it to pop open?
I’ve had so many cars since I drove this car on a daily basis that some details just escape me. And of course, this car has nothing in common with my XFR.
So the earlier models have this spring mechanism to pop open the fuel door? My '94 doesn’t have that. After unlocking I have to use my finger to open it.
Thats correct on the early ones, my very pregnant daughter borrowed my ‘89 and was trying to get fuel, luckily there happened to be another gent on the forecourt who new the intricacies of the fuel flap and opened it for her
If your car doors are unlocked then so should your fuel door. No need to do anything else. Again all 4 doors, the trunk (boot), and the fuel door are all locked and unlocked via the central locking system. So
no need to press the central locking button unless you want to stay in the car with the doors locked and have someone else fuel your car (which isn’t a bad idea with the cost of gas)
Mike, if I’m understanding everyone’s comments correctly, I’m not dealing with an electrical issue (my doors and boot haven’t been locked on this car in well over a decade. I think the ebook is probably describing the fix for the later cars since the process it describes is entirely electrical related.
Well it beats me. I do not believe it is relevant to the '93 / '94 models as it refers to a pressure-activated switch, which is nowhere to be found in the fuel filler flap mechanism on my '94 model.
I’m right there with you Mike! I guess I won’t know for sure until I look at it again which will probably be this weekend. Right now, all I know is that I don’t want to have to remove the fuel filler assembly again because its a pain.
I’m hoping I can make it into the garage this weekend to replace the ABS pump and may be able to look at the fuel filler assembly / wiring once that’s completed. Time seems to be in short supply lately because I’m in the middle of planning a move to Miami at the end of the month, and therefore the XJ40 isn’t a priority.
