Fuel door replacement problem

[ajf10]

Like many others have reported, my fuel door broke off recently. I bought the replacement mounting bracket from an online parts dealer, and received it yesterday. As others have suggested, I mounted the door onto the bracket prior to putting the bracket on the car.

The problem I have is that the four plastic pegs that lock the bracket onto the metal frame of the car don't seem to work. The back of the bracket facing the car has the four expandable plastic fasteners which go through the holes in the sheet metal. The side facing the fuel door has four corresponding plastic pegs protruding. I assumed that the pegs and fasteners were actually 1 piece and that I could use a punch to drive each through the hole in the sheet metal. On the part I received the peg/fastener is actually one molded piece of the whole part, not a separate piece, and each peg broke off when I tried to punch it through.

So, is it a defective part or a defective installer?

[mbsl98]

Sorry I can't answer your question, but I do have a question for you while you are waiting :-) Are there any protective steps that we should take to prevent loss of the cover in the first place? ie: tightening something, checking for cracks in bracket, etc? Careful opening and closing? Or is it just something that you have to wait for.

[ajf10]

you could try careful opening and closing, but the problem is that the plastic bracket that the fuel door attaches to is that its flimsy and poorly designed. I suspect that it has a service life measured in number of door opening and closings which adds up to 2-3 years of regular use. It may also be climate and driving condition dependent.

[billy780]

This fuel door hinge being of a poor design is nothing new for volvo. This hinge design was introduced in the 80's on the 740's. They tend to break quite a bit on the 740's and 940's as well. Hey if this is one of the only problems with the car then that is a good thing.

[Ragman]

To ask the same question AJF10! I did the same thing you did with the same results. Hopefully, someone will answer your original question before my new hinge arrives. You can't substitute rivets or machine bolts either. No clearance.

To to prevent this ? Don't go through a car wash with a blow dryer.

[ajf10]

I agree, but can anyone tell me if I have a defective replacement part or I am just not fitting it correctly?

[sarric]

My wife, like so many of your wives is also "guilty" of being present when fuel door broke off. She brought it home and I tried to figure out what was wrong with it, it looks like a bracket made of plastic that holds the spring on broke. What a bummer. Another crummy thing breaks on our car. Can I please trade it in on a Ford? I am very disappointed with this car. 2003 XC70. Thanks for all the great do it your self info on this subject.

[Ragman]

Sarric, but your Volvo IS a Ford!

[Willy]

Did you press the pegs deeper in than the outer surface of the bracket?
Willy

[ajf10]

Thats the problem. I tried to drive the pegs in with a nail punch but the snapped. Upon closer inspection, the pegs appear to be one continuous piece with the rest of the plastic piece. It looks to me like a defective part.

[Willy]

The pegs have to be pushed in until they are flush with the (outside) surface
of the bracket, I remember I gave them a light tick while still on the bench,
to get them "on the move" (the side of the car tends to move inward if much force is applied.
I can't remember if they appeared to be separate pieces at first.
Willy

[ajf10]

I figured it out, I am a moron, sort of.

I picked up the volvo part from the dealer for $14.00. It was the same design as the scan tech sweden part that I bought on the internet. The pegs are actually molded into the piece. I guess when you drive them in they break off and become separate pieces. The problem is that every peg broke off on the scan tech piece when I tried to drive them in with a nail punch and hammer. Using the wide side of the nail punch instead of the narrow side on the volvo part allowed it to work as designed. I still don't know if the breaking pegs were due to a cheaper design on the aftermarket piece or just the effect of the narrow tip of the nail punch. Oh well, live and learn, I'm still at least $25 under what it would have cost to have the dealer do it.

[Willy]

Glad to hear it is ok. And after all, Swedish design is something special :D
Willy

[sjaunarajs]

Well the wife took the Volvo (2001 XC70 with 65,000 mi) to the touchless car wash and the fuel door came off - and was promptly run over by another car. Actually we had noticed that the fuel door spring stopped working about 2 months ago. The plastic hinge had broken where it attaches to the metal spring. I was going to replace the hinge but I delayed. The moral of the story; if you notice any problems with the plastic fuel door hinge, replace it immediately. Don't allow a low cost repair to become a higher dollar repair. [thumbup]

[NikosXC70]

I remember when my wife came home the other night with the fuel door in her hand. She was embarrassed not knowing how she broke it :) !!! Anyhow went to the dealer to buy the part and they ended up installing it for free (labour not part!).

Later,

[s80guy]

Having read this thread, I ordered a replacement hinge for about $9. With shipping it cost me 20.

I carefully tried to get the 4 pegs referenced in the previous postst started on a bench before attempting to install on the car. Even being pretty carefull and knowing their tough to get started I bent 3 out of 4. (And I admit my conceit - I thought surely, it must be that everyone else is just not being carefull enough! ) If the pegs don't start out straight, that's OK. Just pull them off and give the end a VERY slight chamfer or something with a file or sandpaper. This makes them easier to start. I actually held them up with a small pair of pliers as I tapped them with a small hammer. Just get them into the hole a mm or two to get them ready to push in once the part is on the car. I can't imagine installing them all on the car without doing this or without the aid of a special tool to keep them straight!

Once you have them all started it's a 2 minute job to replace the hinge. Remove the old one, (I drilled out the old pins with a cordless drill and a small bit to avoid having to pry at the hinge at all.) assemble the door and spring - but don't put the spring under the 2 clips just yet - place the hinge and tap in the pegs with a flat ended punch until they are level with the surface of the hinge. Pop the spring into place and you're done. Takes longer to type it than to do it practicaly! Once those pins are in the holes and ready to push in, you're over the hard part!

Good luck and thanks to the previous posters for saving me the time and $ to go to my dealer!

[RobC]

AJF10, sorry to hear about your troubles installing the hinge.:( I replaced mine with the Scan Tech product and it worked fine. I must admit that when I noticed my fuel door was hanging by a thread, I called my dealership and asked the parts counter guy what the replacement cost was and coyly inquired about how it is replaced. He basically told me how to do it, otherwise, upon receipt of the part, there were no instructions. I still had trouble with one of the studs; I bent it and practically snapped it off!


Rob C
2001 XC70

[MoeB]

I had to replace the hinge recently. The way the new hinge comes with the plastic pegs attached and the lack of instructions can be a little confusing, so here's some pictures.

First I snapped the four plastic pegs off of the new hinge.
http://home.comcast.net/~moebdick/hinge1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~moebdick/hinge2.jpg

Then I used a finishing nail to drive out the old hinge pegs. A #6 nail fits just right (don't miss!).
http://home.comcast.net/~moebdick/hinge3.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~moebdick/hinge4.jpg

Then I snapped the new hinge onto the door and started the pegs in the holes. My fat fingers weren't nimble enough to get the pegs started so I had my daughter do it for me. It's easier to start the end opposite the one that was attached to the hinge. I also reamed the holes out a bit so the pegs would be easier to insert.
http://home.comcast.net/~moebdick/hinge5.jpg

Ready to go.
http://home.comcast.net/~moebdick/hinge6.jpg

Hold the hinge in place and tap the pegs in flush (don't miss!).
http://home.comcast.net/~moebdick/hinge7.jpg

Back in business.
http://home.comcast.net/~moebdick/hinge8.jpg

[skibo]

Very nice instruction - that one belongs in the 'resources' section.

[mingustrane]

Glad to see that I'm (I mean my wife) wasn't the only one to loose a fuel door in a car wash. My question is how do you get the remains of the old hinge out without doing further damage? Also, any advice on where to purchase the parts including the door, hinge, and spring? I guess the part comes in black and will need to be painted at a bodyshop? Thanks for any help!

2002 XC70 That I wish was a P1800 or 122

[gary]

Just picked up my 2003 from the port in Baltimore last week (after making the trip across the Atlantic from the UK) and two days later the fuel door came off in my hand. :( I guess I can't really complain as I seem to be in about the same ball park as other folks are, in terms of the longetivity of the hinge. Anyway, local dealership fixed it today - part was $21.11 USD and labor was $55. OUCH! I probably could have done it myself but I just don't have the time right now....we just moved back to the States and things are a bit hectic at the moment. Anyway...glad to have it fixed...I was really bumming driving around without a gas door, it felt as if my car was "incomplete" :o

[waldi]

I got a call from dealer that they need to do some re-call work on fuel door. Wonder if this is the same issue.:confused:

[MoeB]

I got a call from dealer that they need to do some re-call work on fuel door. Wonder if this is the same issue.:confused:

No, the recall is on the lock mechanism, which can malfunction and leave you unable to put fuel in your car unless you rip the fuel door off. The cheap flimsy hinge that's guaranteed to break apparently isn't recall-worthy, I gues because you can still put fuel in your car after the door falls off. :rolleyes:

[bob]

The dealer supplied parts are the same. Not defective, you just have to smack it hard enough with the punch to break the pin loose and drive it through the hole. Since your pins are allready broken free, push them through the holes from the back side with a small punch or scerwdriiver, then simply hold the hinge against the body and push the pins home

[pico de luuks]

After 5 years and about 300 fill ups mine broke too. Waiting for the part from the dealer, with the great instructions previously posted I will do it myself unless the dealer offers the service for free. The service manager claimed it to be " an easy ten minute job ".
I also need to have the steering input pinion lubricated near the dust cover and seal. It sometimes makes a squeeking sound that's starting to drive me nuts...[nonono]

Update 6/15/07: Fuel door fixed at the dealer, 22,30 euro incl. labor. :)

[klcardwell]

Thanks for the great instructions! I completed it in thirty minutes, very easily. Including factory spray paint, door, hinge & spring, about US$100 (my wife ran over the old door)

[Chilled Man]

LOL

takes 5 min to replace and at a cost of $14

this thread is intresting thou :D

Anyone else notice its always someones "wife" that breaks it off ? :p

[MoeB]

LOL

takes 5 min to replace and at a cost of $14


Where can you get a painted door for $14?

[Chilled Man]

Where can you get a painted door for $14?

No the plastic Pieces is $14 but you could just get a can of paint matched from your local paint store and do it also [thumbup]

I wouldnt thou since my painting skills are how do you say crappy

[NgunnawalJack]

Just wanted to say that my wife came home last night from the gas station with the fuel door in her hand - something about hitting it with her handbag. :)

Going to give Moe's instructions a go - seems simple enough.

Thanks Moe

[Aviator]

Just wanted to say that my wife came home last night from the gas station with the fuel door in her hand - something about hitting it with her handbag.

A likely, and all too familiar, excuse......did she have beer in the other hand??? Welcome aboard!!

Dave.

[Joe Mc]

Just did the door spring retainer on ours. Thank God I found this thread!!! I'd never been able to figure out how to get the old one off the body without this info, let alone install the new one. There should definitely be something in the "resources" on this "simple" job.

I ended up snapping three of the four pins off and then pushing/tapping them in from the back side of the hinge. From there it was a snap.

You think the after-market places would give you some kind of instructions . . .

[Jerrymcc]

IPD sells the replacement hinge complete with installation instructions for $9 and change...If one visits their web site and locates the hinge, the instructions can be downloaded...

[Dennaz]

Just like everyone else, my wife came home with it in hand....

Thanks for all the input, I got the hinge from a local Volvo dealer that keeps them in stock for 25.00. They were very helpfull in giving me step by step tips on how to do it. I used a small brass drift to knock out the old pins, put the door on the hinge, then used a larger brass drift to hit each pin in. I gave each one a good wack with the hammer and to my delight every one went in, none broke off. It was a 5 minute job start to finish. Also, I put the spring on after the hinge was mounted, that made life eaiser too. The dealer said he keeps the fuel doors in stock too in every color because people usualy loose them, so I guess I am lucky.

[billy780]

You do not need to drive out the pins before you install them, they are designed to be installed just as they sit out of the package, you need to use a larger faced drift to push the pins in.

[jimbocx70]

just did mine on my 2002 XC70. 2 of the pins went in fine, the other 2 broke off. i shaved down the ends of the broken ones and pushed/hammered them in.

hardest part for me was getting the broken hinge off the fuel door. once off, i snapped the new hinge on using some channel lock pliers

the prior info posted helped out big time

J

[Jorge-789995]

This hinge has got to be one of the worst designed parts of the car. I broke off 2 of the pins on my replacement. I ended up putting aluminum 1/8" rivets in their place. Works fine.

Oh, and the IPD directions are not the best. You need to read them first before doing anything otherwise you ruin the hinge if you follow them step by step during the install.

[bob]

That's the way they are made. There are 2 ways to install. First is hold the hinge in place, and with a suitable punch, give it a sharp rap with enough force to break the pin free from the bracket and drive it in. Or you can break them off, insert them in to the holes and push them in.

[Qbee]

I replaced my first fuel door hinge today, much easier after reading the posting on the subject of this forum. I purchased my replacement hinge from my dealer, original Volvo part # 3125160, less than $10. To punch out the pins I used a punch half their size. To remove the old hinge from the door I broke it in the middle, replacement hinge snapped on easily. First pin seated without a problem. Then I managed to break off the other three. I would have freaked out had I not read about using self-tapping screws as a fix suggested in an earlier post, thanks. I would have tried to hammer in the broken pieces, couldn’t find them when they flew off into the grass. I guess I’ll let things ride until I get tired of looking at the screw heads every time I refuel.

[Thames]

Hi to all,

I read thru all the posts. I read that the fuel door should pop-out itself ?? (spring)
Mine doesnt pop out, it unlocks, but no spring action. Is it a sign of failure to come ?

[Qbee]

No, just the opposite, it pops in (springs) closed, not open. At least that's the way my 2006 XC90 does it. You'll know that the spring has failed when after you've fueled up and attempt to close the door it will not spring closed. As a result when you make the first turn to the left you will notice via your passenge review mirror that the fuel door flys open, of course that is if your fuel door is located on the right side. (;

[FirstVolvo]

The door spring action fails when the slotted tabs holding the spring in place break, which tends to happen all too often. I got so tired of replacing this part I modified my last replacement part to fix this problem for good (I hope).

http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showthread.php?20345-Plastic-Fuel-Door-Hinge