Simple Fix For Stuck Fuel Door Xc70 '03 - Manual Release

[northeast]

I've learned so much from these forums over the past couple of years, I thought I'd post a simple fix for a stuck fuel door on my 2003 XC70. I found enough info on one Volvo site or another to figure it out, but this is one that really anyone can tackle so here's the step-by-step.

Symptom is that your wife calls you from the gas station and can't get the fuel filler door to release. Let's hope she has enough gas in the car to get it home.

There's an electrical switch which releases the door, it's a round metal rod which slides through the slot in the fuel door tab. It seems like it's supposed to lock automatically when the car is driven a little ways, and unlock when the dash button is pressed. It's almost silent and does not "pop" like on most other cars when released.

Also unlike most cars there is no manual release, and naturally is's all hidden behind trim panels.

To fix, I removed all the trim panels from the passenger side of the luggage compartment. There is a white-ish box mounted to the inside of the fender just aft of the fuel door. The metal locking rod comes out of the front (toward the front of the car) and slides back and forth. There's a plastic tab that you can move with your fingertip to open and close the lock.

To get to it, you have to remove some trim pieces:

1. The access panel (carpeted) just in front of the passenger side tail light.
   
2. The flocked access panel covering the tail light bulb area.
   
3. The small flocked access panel just forward of the last one and directly behind the carpeted panel you removed first. There is a rectangular gray plastic push clip securing this panel, just pry it out with a fingernail.
   

At this point you should be able to see and access the lock mechanism, and move it back and forth with your fingertip to release the fuel door. You can optionally remove the rest of the trim pieces for easier access. To remove the large trim piece which covers the whole side of the cargo area first remove the cargo cover (if you have one) and the bolt which sits in the cargo cover bracket area. Then carefully pull the trim piece out. It is secured with metal clips along the top and is pretty durable, don't worry too much about breaking anything.

Under the trim piece is another large flocked sound deadening piece secured with several more of the grey plastic clips. Pop these out and you've got full access.

There are several possible problems which could affect the operation of the lock, including fuse, relay, or failed lock actuator, even lubrication of the locking pin. There are articles around the web for addressing these if yours doesn't work normally, at least most of the time. Mine started acting up after I disconnected the rain sensor to regain control of my intermittent wipers, so it may have gone on strike in solidarity….

In my case the locking rod moved freely and a test revealed that it was working normally the next day, so all I wanted was the peace of mind that it could be released easily if it someday got stuck again. My solution was to wrap a little wire (I used a leftover vinyl-wrapped bit from a plastic toy package) around the locking pin forward of the plastic tab, so that if I pulled on it toward the rear of the car it would slide the lock pin back and release the door. Next I replaced the trim panels but when I got to #3 I drilled a hole for the wire and threaded it through. With all but the last panel back in place, I put a loop on the free end of the wire and now have a manual release for the fuel door, which can be accessed just by popping open the carpeted access door.

This would probably work the same for similar wagon models, and I'm planning on doing it proactively on my wife's 2002 V70.

[Yellow95]

You my friend are crafty. +1 for you.