What are some of the reasons why the Nissan gas door won’t open?
By
Vroomouk
This article will explain the “Nissan gas door won’t open” problem. A faulty gas door can be extremely frustrating for a person in an emergency. That’s why in this article, we will explain the troubleshooting method for fixing the gas door.
The Nissan gas door uses the conventional latch mechanism. The car has a simple mechanism where the latch on the gas door is connected with the help of a wire. The wire is then connected to the lever inside the passenger compartment below the steering wheel. The Nissan gas door might not be opening due to several reasons.
What are some of the reasons why the Nissan gas door won’t open?
Some of the reasons behind the faulty gas door in the Nissan vehicles are as follows:-
- Rusting
- Broken latch
- Broken latch cable
- Broken Spring
Rusting
Since the gas door is open to the atmosphere, there are high chances that during the rainy season, water enters the mechanism. Once the water enters the mechanism, corrosion starts to occur, which affects the working of the gas door.
Broken latch
Like every component on a car, the latch can also suffer damage. These damages can be due to several reasons such as breakages, corrosion, etc. Thus in such a case, the gas door won’t open because the latch won’t pop out of the latch.
Broken latch cable
The mechanical latch is actuated with the help of a latch cable. Unfortunately, the latch cable is made of metal and can easily rust. Due to corrosion, the strength of the latch cable will reduce and hence pulling the lever won’t open the gas door.
Broken Spring
The gas door consists of a spring that pops out the gas door. When the lever to open the gas door is lifted, the latch releases the catch, which locks the gas door. Once the catch is released, the spring releases the energy stored to pop the door out. If that spring is broken, the gas door won’t pop out, and for opening the door, you would need to pry it open.
Troubleshooting method for fixing the gas door on Nissan
To fill gas in your vehicle, you need to open the fuel door cover. The fuel door cover is operated with the help of a hinge. Unfortunately, sometimes this hinge gets damaged, and the fuel door doesn’t open. In such a case, you have only one option: to change the hinge of the gas door.
- Try opening the door till the position it can get open. Now put a screwdriver through the metal loop in the centre of the fuel door. Pull the handle of the screwdriver and pry open the gas door. Pry opening will move the hinge tabs out of the holes on the side of the car.
- Now, lay the fuel door flat on the ground, with the outside face facing down. The screwdriver is still in the metal loop present at the centre of the fuel door. Use the screwdriver to pull the metal ring tabs out of the slot.
- Once the metal rings are removed, the head of the screwdriver on either side of the tab and push the tab to release it from the fuel door. Do a similar procedure on the second tab as well.
- Once the tab is removed, the hinge can be easily removed.
- After the faulty hinge is removed, get the new hinge and align it in the section where it needs to be placed.
- Now once the hinge is arranged properly, put the tabs in the holes present on the hinge. Once the tabs are inserted, the hinge will stay in its position.
- After the hinge is fixed in the fuel cap, put the metal rings back on the hinge and push them to fix them on the hinge.
- Now fix the fuel flap back on the vehicle.
Conclusion
This article has explained the “Nissan gas door won’t open” problem. To address the problem properly, we have explained the different reasons which can cause the faulty latch. Moreover, we have also explained a troubleshooting method for fixing the issue of the fuel flap.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Nissan gas door won’t open
What to do when the gas door isn’t opening?
If the gas door is not opening by pulling the release lever, you can try opening the fuel tank flap with the help of a screwdriver.
How much does it cost to fix the gas door?
The fuel door parts can cost you around $104. Meanwhile, a labour charge of $74 to $94 can be expected for getting the flap repaired.
How do you open the gas tank on a 2012 Nissan Altima?
- Locate the fuel release lever, which is present on the bottom side of the dashboard.
- Pull the gas release lever, and the gas flap will pop out.
- Now exit the vehicle and open the fuel door.
Why is my gas cap stuck?
The gas cap in the fuel tank can get stuck due to a mechanical defect. The mechanical defect in the gas cap can arise due to wrongly fitting the gas cap at the gas inlet.
