My alloy fuel door has been freezing shut in temps around 26°F. Has anyone else encountered this or come up with a solution?

 

I had this happen once so far... I couldn't for the life of me get it open. I had to have the lady at the gas station come out and pull the "release" for it while I pried it open with a pen. No damage, couldn't see exactly what part froze over to cause it either...

 

Get a windshield de-icer spray, put it on "stream" and give it a few squirts.

 

I had the alloy fuel door on my old GTS, the dealer replaced it 3 times cause I couldn't open it at all in the winter. Ending up figuring out it was the release mechanism freezing and they couldn't figure out a fix. I got it for free so whatever. I ended up going to the hardware store and buying a skinny, stiff putty knife to keep in my drivers door to pry it open when I gassed up. Funny cause everytime I started to pry the door open somebody would come up to ask about the car and see me prying on the fuel door and be like oh nevermind. Would never get that damn alloy fuel door ever again unless I lived in Florida I guess.

 

I am so glad my car doesn't have this thing!

 

yeah me neither...

 

This has happened to me a couple times already. I have a multi-tool/knife I keep in my glove box. I use my floor mat and my wallet to wedge under the gas latch/lever to keep it unlocked and use the knife to pry the alloy door open. It's pretty rediculous.

I've noticed that the spring stiffens up in the hinge so it doesn't allow the door to "pop" open when the latch is pulled. I'm also sure ice build-up contributes to the problem, as well.

 

I've had it happen to me once. I didn't have any tools on me to pry it open, but knocking on it a bit loosened things up (like knocking on a door).

 

talked to the dealer today. i have the best one in the world. the little thing that pushes the door open doesn't push hard enough in the cold weather and there's no permanent fix

 

Here's your solution:

 

Just noticed this issue with my car. After driving around in 24 degree weather, my alloy door freezes too.

At least it will open if I leave my car in my garage for a few minutes.

I'll have to get some de-ice spray.


BTW, has anyone noticed that the car rattles like crazy, at least until it warms up, if ice has built up in certain locations on our cars?

 

There has been a few threads about snow getting packed on the wheels and causing bad shaking at higher speeds. What other locations are you talking about?

-Taranis

 

If my RA has snow that has frozen on the hood and the section between the wipers and the windshield, it sounds like the dash or hood is rattling like crazy. I was leaving work yesterday and for 5-10 minutes I was hearing a rattle coming from the hood/dash area on the car that was driving me nuts. It stopped after the car warmed up though

Then last night, I was driving home and I heard rattling coming from the back of the car coming from the trunk or where the spoiler is.

The only thing that appears to have caused the rattling is all the ice and snow that accumulated back there. The snow and ice melted off my car while it was in my garage last night and when I went to work this morning the rattles were gone.

Weird.

 

Mine has been having this problem as well. Mine never freezes shut the spring to pop the door just doesn't "pop". If I have someone pull up on the lever and I push on the hinge it comes right open.

 

I had this happen as well, my fault had washed the car and frost built up on the back side of the door which then frosted itself to the inner side of where it seats to the car. 30 seconds with a hairdryer solved it LOL !