Pulled into a fuel station to fill up this afternoon, hit the filler flap release button, heard the unlocking mechanism working but the flap stayed shut. Pressed several times, still nothing, only the noise. Tried locking and unlocking the car, starting and stopping the engine again, still no joy. Drove to another station, still nothing. Any other suggestions welcome.

 

Try opening it with your fingers, or maybe gently with a lever, while someone else presses the button.

 

If you have some panel tools, try using those. The plastic should not mar the paint, but you may want to shove a rag between tool and paint to be sure.

 

Previously asked and answered. See:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ld-day-174717/

Hope this helps. Let us know.

Good luck!

 

This is a problem of Electromechanics, not Geography.

The release cannot be accessed through the Luggage Compartment, the wheelarch liner has to be removed. This is the solenoid release connector:





The flap is locked by the pin (arrowed in red) engaging with the hole in the hinged bracked (arrowed in blue). The solenoid lift the pin is moved vertically to release the flap:




The pin can be released manually to the left of the solenoid.

The filler flap cannot be removed in the closed position as it slides off the hinged bracket.

Graham

 

But very simply for the immediate problem...release the flap by the interior button, use a credit card to gently lever the flap open. You might need to do the WHILE pressing the button so another pair of hands would be useful. I had to use this technique on my X-Type once...and just once.
if you hear the solenoid working, then the issue may be mechanical (stuck, misformed) latch, so once the flap is open you can examine the latching mechanism carefully and lubricate/adjust as necessary.

 

That would be difficult as the locating tab and housing arrowed in red have nothing to do with the locking mechanism on the XK:




It opens as the locating pin is pulled out of the hole in the black arm (see green line)





It's also impossible to remove the filler lid in the closed position without risking paint damage as it slides off the black arm.

Graham

 

Valuable info here on how the filler cover works. Thank you all!
I will lube the release pin tomorrow in hopes of avoiding the door not releasing when most needed.
Same thing just happened on my Subaru (before our recent snow storm of course) and was able to pop it open with a plastic panel tool. PITA!
Updated Amazon multi-purpose onboard tool needed... air compressor, OBD scanner, jump start battery, electric scissor Jack, and now hair dryer😽

 

Graham - you never cease to amaze me with your knowledge of even the most obscure parts of our cars. May I ask how you know all this stuff? Are you a former JLR tech? Just being nosey - feel free to ignore if you prefer not to say. (And, BTW, thank you for helping me out more than once in the past).

 

do you just push upwards on it? i'm thinking, say you don't remove the wheelarch liner, is it physically possible to actuate it with a long, thin dowel? if you were able to hit the mark presumably without seeing.

 

I've owned and driven Jaguars for more than fifty years and used to repair them for a living before I realised IT was a cleaner and warmer option.

Graham

 

I was replacing the filler bowl when I took the photos so THEORY ONLY - if you can slide a thin rod up from the bottom of the opening in the direction of the red line, it may be possible to push the locking pin upwards to release it from the hole in the black hinge.



I've used a photo with the door open just to illustrate the line that would be required.

Graham

 

I lubicated the locking pin and the matching hole in the filler door yesterday with dry lube. In testing the locking pin, I found it requires a good bit of finger force to lift it.
So a slender rod would probably work if you can place it on the end of the pin (a shot in the dark) and give it a good push.

 

Well yes, but I'd been stuck on the forecourt messing about trying to open the thing for long enough to feel conspicuous

Thanks *very* much for all that, very useful. So from behind/above that arch liner I should be able to feel the locking pin that the solenoid normally operates and what, pull it upwards to release? Do I need to think about replacing this solenoid (bearing in mind I can hear it trying to do something when pressing the button) and if so, any idea if that comes separately or only as part of the filler bowl?

 

Looks to me in that picture that the hinge would cover the access to the pin and prevent anything from reaching the bottom of the hole.

I'd remove the metal filler neck from the cap assembly as the two bolts are easy to access. See what that can let you reach from the inside of the neck hole.

 

I think you could be right about access to the pin being blocked by the hinge. However, it will be difficult to remove the neck from the filler bowl as the filler tube doesn't move much when unbolted. Mine just stayed in place when I removed the filler bowl.





There is a drain tube at the base of the filler bowl which could be removed giving a way in that's clear of the hinge:





This is how a new filler bowl arrives. The drain tube has to be pulled through when fitting so it would be easily removed.

Graham

 

So in the image in the linked thread above there appears to be a hole almost directly below the locking pin that passes through the hinged section:



Wonder if I can get a thin screwdriver or similar through there to push that pin up.

Failing that, GGG - besides unbolting the top end of the metal fill pipe from the bowl and disconnecting the electrical cable for the solenoid, what else did you have to do to remove the bowl from the car?

 

When this is done, please make this a sticky Graham.

 

And there I think we have the answer.

Graham

 

DONE - see https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...enance-227403/

2. BODY
Fuel Filler Door - won't open

Graham