Idiots' guide to replacing the fuel flap hinge

[Jim314]

Originally Posted by CLF

It locks, but only a few minutes after locking the car. Should it lock when the car is moving?

At least on my 2004 V70 the fuel door only locks when the vehicle gets underway at over 5 or 10 mph, in Drive or other forward gear. Locking the doors does not lock the fuel door. For example, if one would unlock the fuel door (with the button on the dash) with the engine off, and lock the car doors with either the key in the lock or the electronic remote, then the fuel door would stay open indefinitely.

If your flap is swinging open under braking deceleration in the locked state, then I would say the hinge or the flap must be broken or the spring missing.

[JMCA-S60]

Jim314, the US spec cars have a different fuel flap locking funcrion to the UK cars. On our cars, the fuel flap is unlocked while driving. It locks about 3 minutes after locking the doors (to allow you to fill with fuel after the car has been locked). We do not have a fuel door switch on the dash!
I would certainly suspect CLF has either a broken hinge or a missing spring!

[CLF]

I only notice it when pulling into a car park or garage forecourt, so it might be ok under normal driving. I'll have a good look at it this weekend whilst I'm investigating the seemingly hundreds of creaks groans and rattles the car develops on a weekly basis.

[terrorcrane]

An easy job that was made even easier, thankyou

[Britishfellow]

As others have said, opened cap to fill up and saw something shoot off and that was that! I also feared being scammed for an assembly that included a new flap which would end spraying and end up costing a fortune and was very pleased indeed to find this thread. Cost me £8 for a genuine one including postage from a main dealer on eBay.

I have to say this hinge is a truly awful piece of design. Not only is it flimsy but it is so fiddly to fit. One tip for others though, I was struggling to get the plastic pins in, so carefully shaved a tiny amount round the edge of each with a stanley knife whilst gripping tightly with long nosed pliers. This made all the difference and made the job easy and no flying microscopic bits of plastic to find!

Thanks to the original poster who probably saved me a trip to a dealer and a huge pile of cash!

[volvo2]

Originally Posted by Britishfellow

As others have said, opened cap to fill up and saw something shoot off and that was that! I also feared being scammed for an assembly that included a new flap which would end spraying and end up costing a fortune and was very pleased indeed to find this thread. Cost me £8 for a genuine one including postage from a main dealer on eBay.

I have to say this hinge is a truly awful piece of design. Not only is it flimsy but it is so fiddly to fit. One tip for others though, I was struggling to get the plastic pins in, so carefully shaved a tiny amount round the edge of each with a stanley knife whilst gripping tightly with long nosed pliers. This made all the difference and made the job easy and no flying microscopic bits of plastic to find!

Thanks to the original poster who probably saved me a trip to a dealer and a huge pile of cash!

I recently complained to Volvo Customer Services about this hinge 'not being fit for purpose', asking for the cost of the item (£9 from Volvo) to be refunded and got nowhere. They really could not care.

[ptruman]

Just done this myself (with a hinge from eBay) - all went quite well really, although I didn't have an awl/punch, so just used a small allen key.

I must say the clip design is both clever and naff at the same time.

Clever, as it's obviously designed to allow the filler flap/door to separate from the car if it's clouted, *without* going back into the bodywork/ripping out a fixture (plastic clips). But naff at the same time, as the inherent weakness means it's far too easy to damage! (as we've seen!)

[terrorcrane]

Got to say I'd rather replace the little bit of plastic rather than rip a hole in the bodywork

[Shadows]

Great guide.
... to a problem that looks to be solved from whitin.

[Simeyb]

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant - thank you so much - had been looking like a pillock at the petrol station for months balancing a petrol cap cover in one hand and the fuel pump in the other - must have looked like quasimodo! Thought I would have to get the stealer dealer to fit a new one, but £7.something from Volvo later and 10 minutes - voila! Cheers!