C70: Fuel Flap Does Not Open on electric switch

[DSK]

Last night, I had to stop for a splash/dash on the M1.

When pulling the fuel flap release on the driver's door panel, I could hear the electrics working as normal. I get out, fuel flap is closed. Tried again a couple of times but the fuel flap was not opening

So I released it via the emergency release string located in the boot by the rear light cluster.

For 180,000 miles its always worked perfectly, the flap sits perfect, always feels like the electrics and mechanisms are 100%. Nothing to state that this will just stop working out of the blue.

Has anyone ever experienced this and any ideas on the the issue/fix is?

[pff]

Happened to me only once, turned out the rubber string bit that holds the fuel cap to the car was sitting funny and got stuck between the cap and flap putting pressure on the flap outwards, which was too much for the release mechanism to overcome.
I had no idea about any emergency release, luckily I had a friend with me to fiddle the flap while I pushed the release button which got it. I have been much more careful since about turning the cap so the rubber bit is sitting neatly, but i had fueled the car for four or five years up until then with no issue, taking no notice of where the rubber bit went.