Fuel Filler Flap

[speedsport]

I had tried something similar without success unfortunately, as did both Skoda garages' technicians who used varying degrees of aggression whilst doing so!

I've decided to replace the unit even if I can get it working again as I daren't risk being stuck on one of my visits to some remote part of Scotland.

[Ryeman]

Sounds like corroded contacts in the solenoid gradually losing power to overcome the friction of the lock.

[gumdrop]

I think I will study this and start by adding a little lube to the release latch.

A little different I know bur one of the vans I used to drive had a problem with

the filler cover not releasing and I used to carry a plastic spatula that I used

to lever the cover forward so that it flexed and released.

[Urrell]

I think I will study this and start by adding a little lube to the release latch.

Use a dry lube as any sticky lube will attract dust and grit and work in the opposite way to what you intend.

[speedsport]

Once I get the new solenoid unit, I'll take the old one apart (for the good of the Yeti community ) to see how it works and how best to lubricate it.

I suspect the bit that's causing it to jam isn't the locking post that locates with the flap, but whatever solenoid is inside the unit that prevents the post moving in & out.

 

I'll report back in due course.

[jtdesign]

The lock unit on my Yeti started making  "graunchy" noises on unlocking and to (hopefully) prevent a fuel lock-out I took the unit out for a look-see. It is in fact not a solenoid but a small DC motor and worm gearbox which rotates a lock pin into the push/push mechanism. It will come apart with some effort and mine has responded well to some sympathetic application of moly grease on the moving parts. Still working well after 2 years.  Re-assembly is not too bad but some glue will be needed to make up for the broken plastic tabs that are an almost cetrain result of dissasembly.

 

Good luck,   John.

[speedsport]

The lock unit on my Yeti started making  "graunchy" noises on unlocking and to (hopefully) prevent a fuel lock-out I took the unit out for a look-see. It is in fact not a solenoid but a small DC motor and worm gearbox which rotates a lock pin into the push/push mechanism. It will come apart with some effort and mine has responded well to some sympathetic application of moly grease on the moving parts. Still working well after 2 years.  Re-assembly is not too bad but some glue will be needed to make up for the broken plastic tabs that are an almost cetrain result of dissasembly.

 

Good luck,   John.

You've just saved me a whole load of typing!

Unfortunately, I didn't read your post until after I'd disassembled the unit, but I agree with everything you say.

To remove & replace the servo unit ('cos that's what it is) takes no more than 5 minutes - as long as the flap is unlocked. it's dead easy when you know how!

 

Here's the servo unit:-

 

In opening it, the [  shaped mounts that the little table locate in will break, so when reassembling you'll need to glue the top back on.

 

Once you've prised the lid off, this is what you see:-

 

 

The "tin can" servo is the silver bit which drives the plastic yolk that sits on top of the servo (the bit with white grease in a chanel).

When the yolk moves toward the top of the picture, it inserts a peg in a hole in the hollow round post, which is the back of the sprung loaded catch that ultimately locks into the filler flap.

There's a strip of metal with what appears to be a switch contact on it which engages the servo only when the post is fully home as a result of the flap being closed.

I suspect it may be this "switch" that's causing the problem.

Everything is well coated in white grease, there's no sign of dirt, moisture or corrosion anywhere inside the unit which appears well sealed. Why it failed to operate I don't know, and I doubt that spraying the locking post with lubricant will do much good as it's a very close fit in it's housing, though if you're having intermittent problems, I guess it won't do any harm. A silicone lubricant would be the best bet as WD40 and similar will merely dissolve the white grease.

 

Here's another couple of photos of the unit.

 

 

 

The replacement unit I installed today is revision D, so they've obviously made 3 changes since 2009 when mine was originally made .

[g6zru]

Now that is what I call over complication, not you speedsport, the servo unit. What's wrong with a simple solenoid with a push/pull rod?

I think that must have been designed by someone who loves to use CAD software instead of what's been used for the best designs for years, the back of a fag packet!

 

Fred

[speedsport]

For the benefit of anyone trying to open a stuck flap, when all other gentle methods have failed and you are about to try forcing it open using the method in post# 38 here's what the components look like so you know what you're levering against......

 

Inside of fuel filler unit, with locking post on the left. The post rotates 90 degrees clockwise as it moves from locked to unlocked position:-

 

The small torx screw is all that holds the whole assembly in place and screws into the body of the plastic servo housing.

 

Here's the filler flap showing the boss into which the locking post locks:-

 

In order to lessen the risk of damaging the flap, it's important to place your screwdriver (other flat bladed implements are available) to the left of the boss, and not into the slots shown. The "wings" of the locking post engage with the outer (LH) slot, not the inner ones.

 

It worked ok for me, but my local VW agent (who told me how they do this on Tiguans and Touaregs which use the same locking device), said they "get away with it" on two thirds of attempts, but in about one third of attempts, the boss on the filler flap breaks. They also said (and I can see why) that just trying to lever the flap open without first pushing a softwood wedge in at the bottom of the flap doesn't work as you need to bend the flap as far open as you dare in order to get the screwdriver behind the boss.

 

What a stupid overly complicated piece of design!

Edited 19 March, 2016 by speedsport

[gumdrop]

My black nylon spatula worked well for wedging and a light levering,

also as a spurtle.

I was wondering if perhaps fuel spillage or splashing was washing out lubricant.

Congratulations on the co-operative detective work it puts some other forums to shame

Edited 19 March, 2016 by gumdrop

[175GDY]

As a precaution, we should all drill a hole in the filler flap to have access to the torx bolt

[gumdrop]

As a precaution, we should all drill a hole in the filler flap to have access to the torx bolt

Finished with a neat rubber plug .....

[DonjSZ5]

Having just checked my 2014 filler, it is slightly different. The end of the locking post appears to be smaller and rotates 90 anticlockwise when pressed in, rotating clockwise when locking. It also engages in the middle square hole.

 

I also suspect they, Skoda designers, have provisioned for the lever method of opening if it fails. Look at the inside of the cap you will see two strengthening ribs just above the lock. Now look at the corresponding area on the black mating part and you will see two gullies that accept the ribs. There is about 10mm between allowing for a lever. I suspect somewhere in the bilges of Skoda is a document that says lever between these two ribs. Not only does it provide a strengthened area but it also levers the cap downwards and out while the lock plunger moves out while rotating anticlockwise. This obviously is not visible to joe bloggs who is in trouble.

 

And I thought the Dyson vacuum cleaner is a crap design.

Edited 20 March, 2016 by DonjSZ5

[speedsport]

Having just checked my 2014 filler, it is slightly different. The end of the locking post appears to be smaller and rotates 90 anticlockwise when pressed in, rotating clockwise when locking. It also engages in the middle square hole.

 

If it rotates anti-clockwise as you press it in, then that's moving it into the locked position. So when unlocking (ie moving outwards), it must move clockwise....  which I think you'll find is what I said!

The photos of the filler flap and filler area in post #59 are actually of a 2014 car, not my 2010 car, but they are identical.

I've fitted the latest updated servo unit and the locking post is exactly the same diameter - it needs to be otherwise it'll not create a seal with the housing gasket.

The ribs on the flap may indeed be intended as a guide when forcing the flap open, but the ribs on the housing are actually two rubber strips to stop the flap rattling when closed.

 

Anyway, it's all working well now, with a much stronger "clunk" when locking/unlocking the car. I suspect the servo motor was the problem, becoming weak with age (is 6 years actually old?)

Edited 20 March, 2016 by speedsport

[gumdrop]

Having just checked my 2014 filler, it is slightly different. The end of the locking post appears to be smaller and rotates 90 anticlockwise when pressed in, rotating clockwise when locking. It also engages in the middle square hole.

 

I also suspect they, Skoda designers, have provisioned for the lever method of opening if it fails. Look at the inside of the cap you will see two strengthening ribs just above the lock. Now look at the corresponding area on the black mating part and you will see two gullies that accept the ribs. There is about 10mm between allowing for a lever. I suspect somewhere in the bilges of Skoda is a document that says lever between these two ribs. Not only does it provide a strengthened area but it also levers the cap downwards and out while the lock plunger moves out while rotating anticlockwise. This obviously is not visible to joe bloggs who is in trouble.

 

And I thought the Dyson vacuum cleaner is a crap design.

 

First one to find the part number of the Skoda (VAG) Filler Flap Tool (with an image)

[DonjSZ5]

VAG_012457355288_9875645388_09867546453442_97463542310

 

Edited 20 March, 2016 by DonjSZ5

[Zarniwoop]

VAG_012457355288_9875645388_09867546453442_97463542310

 

DSCN0239.JPG

 

Nah! That only fits the frogeye.  We need the number for the facelift one

[DonjSZ5]

Nah! That only fits the frogeye.  We need the number for the facelift one

ahhh right,

 

VAG_012457355288_9875645388_09867646453442_97463542310

[weasley]

Dredging this topic up as my filler has started messing around. I can just about get it to unlock if I thump it hard and cycle the locking a few times, so whilst I am still able to get at the innards I thought I'd order a new one. It's about £26 from my local dealer.

This thread was invaluable though and gave all the information I needed, with pictures. I don't have the part yet and I am praying that when it comes the latch will still be openable.

Funnily enough the other day I was wondering if there were any preemptive measures I could take on common issues and the filler came to mind but I didn't pursue it. D'OH!!

[weasley]

Just to update this, I ordered the part from Skoda, received a couple of days later and fitted it tonight.  Luckily I could still open the fuel flap by thumping the body just behind the flap and pressing 'open' on the fob (even though the car was already unlocked, I pressed 'open' again and it popped open).

 

Then I removed the small screw beneath the actuator (the only screw you can see).

I then removed the fuel filler cap and, to make more room, detached the retaining cord from the car end (it's a malleable rubber that simply pops off of the retainer lug).

Next to remove the flap and housing assembly.  It took a bit of tugging and pulling but I worked out that you pull it out from the left hand side first, then work the 'shroud' around the filler neck, then the whole thing will simply pull out.  There is a drain tube on the bottom that prevents total removal from the car, but you can pull it away enough to hang down out of the way.  WARNING: whilst doing all this, if the filler door is fully open the leading edge of it will catch on the bodywork, possibly marking the paint, as you try and pull the housing out.  I closed the flap a bit, enough to give some clearance but not so much as to prevent access to the innards.

 

 

 

Once this is off the actuator is revealed - it simply slides off of the body by pulling it towards the front of the car.

 

 

Detach the power cable and you have your old actuator off the car.  Refitting is the reverse of removal.  It is worth testing it with the fuel filler flap open!

 

The part number of the new part is slightly different from the old one - 7P0 810 773 D whereas the old one was the same number but with a B rather than D.

 

 

Of course I also disassembled the old one to take a look - there's not a lot to see really but this is the second failure I have had on the car which is related to a screw-linear actuator (the first was the book lock mechanism).  It seems to be an unnecessarily complicated and fragile design where a simple solenoid would work.

 

If I were a cautious fellow, I would think about pre-emptively changing this part if my car was getting on a bit.  It's a 10 minute job for less than £30; luckily I caught mine before the nightmare of having to break into the flap if it fails completely.

[ernieb]

Thanks for the description and photos.

[Brijo]

Thanks for sharing; others will no doubt be grateful as time passes.

 

With regard to which - this should go in the Yeti Tech section now, shouldn't it?  Mods? 

[Valleyboy44]

Hi all, 

 

Thank god for this thread. 

 

My filler cap just got stuck. 

 

After stressing and loosing about 3 years off my life. 

 

I used a plastic dashboard lever tool I had hanging around. 

 

I just rammed it in near the locking mech and it popped open. 

 

Sadly you can't leave the filler cap slightly 'ajar' as when you lock the car the alarm goes off. (circuit not completed?) 

 

I ordered the part new solenoid from local dealer at £31.33

 

Collecting tomorrow. 

 

Moral of the story don't be afraid to crack open the cap, I've done it about 5 times and it's opened fine. 

 

Damn electrics eh! 

 

(thanks again for posting pics and description above) 

[Paul52]

Graunchy noise from the fuel flap area and decided to take pre-emptive action. Ordered the part from Hortons Skoda on Sunday night (just over £40 including delivery), it arrived Thursday morning and it genuinely was a 20 minute job - a screwdriver with a tork bit for the single screw and a microfibre cloth to protect the paintwork was all that was needed. It would have been a 15 minute job but I spent 5 minutes scratching my head as to why the flap wouldn't stay shut when I'd finished until I realised I hadn't driven the screw fully home!! (I'm putting it down to my age).

[webweasel]

Many thanks to Weasley. Had been having similar issues with my Octy and was glad to have this guide. Took about 10 minutes. We now seem to be on revision F for the actuator!

 

 

 

On 13/06/2016 at 18:55, weasley said:

Just to update this, I ordered the part from Skoda, received a couple of days later and fitted it tonight.  Luckily I could still open the fuel flap by thumping the body just behind the flap and pressing 'open' on the fob (even though the car was already unlocked, I pressed 'open' again and it popped open).

 

...

 

If I were a cautious fellow, I would think about pre-emptively changing this part if my car was getting on a bit.  It's a 10 minute job for less than £30; luckily I caught mine before the nightmare of having to break into the flap if it fails completely.