Gas access door opens randomly

Katin · 05-18-2016, 09:29 AM

First time the gas access door was open I thought it was a fluke. However at least 5 times in the last month I walk up to the car in the garage or parking lot and the gas access door is popped open and requires pushing in to latch.

I am not going crazy but I might if I cant figure this one out...

COKen · 05-18-2016, 03:12 PM

One possibility is that someone is slightly bumping it while walking past it (ask me how I know).

Billfitz · 05-18-2016, 04:05 PM

Poltergeists.

cb804 · 05-18-2016, 05:56 PM

Could be caused by high level of EMF's

CalCarNut · 05-18-2016, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by COKen

One possibility is that someone is slightly bumping it while walking past it (ask me how I know).

That won't open if the car is locked though.........

lemonchicken · 05-18-2016, 06:10 PM

i've had that same problem twice now.

COKen · 05-18-2016, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalDave

That won't open if the car is locked though.........

Most likely, it was bumped prior to being locked. It was then driven some place, the car was locked, you walked away and when you returned you saw it was open. I was having the same issue until I realized how easy it is to open it by accident without know you did it. Since then I have not had any occurrences of coming back to the car with the gas door open.

Billfitz · 05-19-2016, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cb804

Could be caused by high level of EMF's

You would know if it was EMF because your ears would be bleeding.

Mis-alignment of the latch could be the problem. It's easy enough to test, try to get the door to open by bumping it when the car is locked.

tex2670 · 05-19-2016, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalDave

That won't open if the car is locked though.........

No--but it will unlatch the door from the clasp, so that when the doors are unlocked, it will pop open.

F31_330i · 05-20-2016, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tex2670

No--but it will unlatch the door from the clasp, so that when the doors are unlocked, it will pop open.

exactly this ^ i work at a dealership, this happens to cars on the lot all of the time...

delorean175 · 12-15-2022, 10:16 PM

After experiencing this a few times I decided to test this out today. I learned if you lightly bump the gas flap while locked nothing happens. If you bump it slightly harder it will pop open when the car is unlocked.

eluded · 12-16-2022, 02:17 AM

Sometimes when I gas passenger doors open. Especially if the vehicle is stopped.

Billfitz · 12-16-2022, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delorean175

if you lightly bump the gas flap while locked nothing happens. If you bump it slightly harder it will pop open when the car is unlocked.

That's what it's supposed to do. The issue is the door opening without being pushed. I've had it happen a few times, but not so often that I'm concerned.

05-18-2016, 09:29 AM	#1
Katin Second Lieutenant 134 Rep 291 Posts Drives: 2015 328i XDrive Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Nowhere good iTrader: (0)	Gas access door opens randomly First time the gas access door was open I thought it was a fluke. However at least 5 times in the last month I walk up to the car in the garage or parking lot and the gas access door is popped open and requires pushing in to latch. I am not going crazy but I might if I cant figure this one out...
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05-18-2016, 03:12 PM	#2
COKen Lieutenant Colonel 981 Rep 1,560 Posts Drives: M Rster / Z4 M40i / X5 M50i Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Colorado iTrader: (0)	One possibility is that someone is slightly bumping it while walking past it (ask me how I know). __________________ 2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, HT, TC Kline DA Shocks & Camber Plates, w/H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C. Looking for new home. 2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Driver Asst Pkg, Prem Pkg 2023 X5 M50i, Phytonic Blue, Black Extended Merion Leather, Driving Asst Pro Pkg, Park Asst Pkg, Exec Pkg, Climate Comfort Pkg.
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05-18-2016, 04:05 PM	#3
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8243 Rep 16,082 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	Poltergeists.
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05-18-2016, 05:56 PM	#4
cb804 Captain 2351 Rep 936 Posts Drives: 340 xDrive, M2C Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	Could be caused by high level of EMF's
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05-18-2016, 06:10 PM	#6
lemonchicken Lieutenant 251 Rep 439 Posts Drives: 2013 328i blue Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: los angeles iTrader: (0)	i've had that same problem twice now.
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12-15-2022, 10:16 PM	#11
delorean175 Private 19 Rep 51 Posts Drives: F30 335i Msport, 1982 E28 528e Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Tacoma WA iTrader: (0)	After experiencing this a few times I decided to test this out today. I learned if you lightly bump the gas flap while locked nothing happens. If you bump it slightly harder it will pop open when the car is unlocked.
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12-16-2022, 02:17 AM	#12
eluded 2JZ-GTE 3042 Rep 3,996 Posts Drives: 340 6MT, 50e, others Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Sofia iTrader: (0)	Sometimes when I gas passenger doors open. Especially if the vehicle is stopped. __________________ A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.
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