Fuel Door Actuator Rubber Boot Kaput

gmgagne

gmgagne

Member
Location
Potomac Falls, VA
Car
09 FX50S 06 FX45
Name
Greg
Well, my 2006 FX45 just developed a flaw--the rubber boot covering the fuel door actuator just split, due to age, etc. Otherwise, fuel door works fine. So the dealer says it's $40 for the part (boot not available separately) and a good hour of labor to access through the trunk. That's like $160 or so for what should be a $5 rubber cover. So does anyone have experience pulling the interior trunk lining over the wheel well to access that mechanism and what is involving on replacing?
 
another thing you could do if your not worried about someone tampering with it, is to just unlock it, then unplug the actuator... don't have to worry about it any more really but of course it won't lock either... considering many cars the fuel door doesn't lock, it's prolly not that big of a deal really...

you can access it through the right side covered opening, don't need to remove the whole thing
 
I'm pretty sure there is enough access for you to do it. Just remove the side panel on the right (passenger side) rear cargo area. Through there, you will see a wire that you pull the manually release the fuel door in case the actuator start to fail (happened to me, but I just WD-40'd it and it's been fine since).

Follow that wire and it should you right to that area.

I haven't done a replacement, so don't know for sure, but that a start.

---------- Post added at 04:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:22 PM ----------

Whoa -- great idea. Didn't even think of that.

You can always buy a fuel door with a lock on it, probably not a bad idea now that gas is liquid gold these days...

Not sure what size to get, but here is an example:
http://www.amazon.com/Stant-10510-L...YQ2Y/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1319492217&sr=8-7

turbocad6 said:
another thing you could do if your not worried about someone tampering with it, is to just unlock it, then unplug the actuator... don't have to worry about it any more really but of course it won't lock either... considering many cars the fuel door doesn't lock, it's prolly not that big of a deal really...

you can access it through the right side covered opening, don't need to remove the whole thing
Click to expand...
 
another thing I'm pretty sure of going from memory is that when you retract the pin for this actuator you can then put a wire tie on the rear part of the shaft that extends out from the rear of thew actuator so the pin can't inadvertently move forward again from vibrations & stuff. the wire tie will make sure it doesn't lock again accidentally...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top