So I was driving around last night and realized the MID said I had 3 miles until Empty, so I pulled into the first Chevron I saw and pulled on the fuel door opening switch thingy (my ingenious way of naming something I have no clue what to call)... When I got out of my car, low and behold the fuel door had not opened, so I pulled on the switch thingy 3 more times to no avail. I could only get the darn thing to open after I went inside and grabbed a plastic spoon. I had my cousin pull and hold up the swith, while I slid the straight end of the plastic spoon into the side of the door, prying it open. After I filled up, I tried opening the door once more by just pulling the switch, and it was STILL stuck!!!

 

Obviously using a hammer is the only logical solution. Or vice-grips to pull the whole thing off entirely.

This actually happened on another car in my family, and it was a result of a poorly fit hinge. They just replaced on the spot in service (under warranty), and with an oil change we were out in 45 minutes. Good luck.

 

Bring it in. Warranty should cover that.

 

Isnt there an alternate pull cord in the trunk in case this happens? I know our Lexus has one...I thought the Acura did too?

 

I had the same problem with my 1993 Toyota Camry.

Turned out a spider built a nest for its offspring between the door and the filler. The web held the door closed, and I was only able to get the filler door opened by wedging "The Club" under the interior pull and prying the door open.

A very angry spider popped out when I opened the door.

 

Most of my friends think it is hillarious that I one of my car's necessities includes a plastic spoon... so sad. Hopefully it won't take the dealer a very long time to fix this problem.

 

Come on Leeherman.......... did the spider look like this?


Seriously though... that's one hell of a spider. You should have made him your pet.

 

That is to release the trunk from inside...I think they started giving that after wise guys were carrying people around in trunks to remote locations and beating the crap out of them...this way victims can escape @ a traffic signal or something hahaha sorry had to do it...

anyways my IS had a trunk release button from inside...I havent seen one for the fuel tank cover alternate release.

 

My wife's Honda Oddy does this from time to time. Usually it the "tab" on the part of the gas access door furthest from he hinge. The part that actually has the hole where the release/lock pin pops through when you close it. If it is bent outward at all then the gas door can get caught. Simply bending it inward a few degrees increases the clearance between the tab and the pin that moves when you pull the release. 15 seconds to fix- tops (as long as the cable is working properly.

 

I am having the problem where I have to pull the release lever all the way up with some force and hold it there until the door will pop open. I am guessing the cable has stretched and did not know if there was a simple adjustment I could perform in lieu of going in for warranty work.

Sometimes 30 minutes in the garage is more conveniant than a drive to the dealer. thanks

 

Please read my post above yours and check the latch on the door over the fuel cap. In all cases where my wife's Honda has done this it is a simple "bending" adjustment that needs to be done to the latch on the door covering the cap. I looked at the TLs fuel door and it will suffer from the same problem if it gets bent out just a slight bit to much. All it takes is bending the latch in about 1/4 inch so it fully clears the retracting pin mechanism's mounting next to the filler tube. Don't bend much it just has to clear the pin when it is fully retracted.