Fuel Tank Cover Plate Won't Release - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

bstarr · 01-10-2007, 09:54 AM

The inside release will not open the tank cover ON MY 98 Camry. I don't want to force it open and break something. Help!!!! I need gas soon!!!

Hajoca · 01-10-2007, 12:24 PM

Pry with a couple plastic credit cards and have someone pull the release lever.

ghettosled · 01-10-2007, 12:26 PM

maybe just the spring that pops the door open came off or broke. try having someone pull the lever while you try and open the door manually.

i dont know if this is possible on a camry, but on other cars ive owned if you take off the carpeting inside the truck by the fuel door there might be a manual release or you may need to unscrew the popper thingie from there to open the fuel door.

Mike Gerber · 01-10-2007, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bstarr

The inside release will not open the tank cover ON MY 98 Camry. I don't want to force it open and break something. Help!!!! I need gas soon!!!

This is pretty common for this generation Camry. Usually the V shaped spring inside the gas lid either breaks or falls out. This is about a $4 item at the Toyota dealer. In the mean time, wedge something under the release inside the car and go out and open it with a credit card. I remember one poster saying he jammed his wallet under the release inside the car and then opened it with a credit card since he didn't have another person around to hold it open. Another poster used the seat belt to wrap around it and pull upward.

Mike

PS: Here's a link to another thread posted by someone with the exact same problem. Pictures in the thread show the spring I am talking about:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t114133.html

Delay_FTB · 01-10-2007, 03:34 PM

I had the same problem. I'd prop my car key under the lever in the car. You shouldn't need a credit card to open it. The hinge is about a third of the way in on the gas-door, so you can just push on the gas-door edge (by the rear passenger door), and it should open.

And yeah, the part is cheap at the dealership, and easy to put back in.

bstarr · 01-10-2007, 04:17 PM

THANK YOU! I didn't have a helper but I was able to wedge the inside release lever, and pop the cover with the credit cards. This happened once before and I had the little V spring replaced. I gave the latch inside the cover a couple of un-mechanic like bangs so it doesn't stick out so far. Is it strange that there is no manual release mechanism?