Fuel Filler Door

[AGB]

Resolution is to replace the internal assembly. The hinge mechanism appears to have given up and there are no visible signs of stress to have caused a failure. It's a fairly flimsy cover as you can see from the video but a 10-15 min job to do.

VW tech suggested it could be tweaked but recommended putting a warranty claim in and getting a brand new part. I agree.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN3H43QGZ2k

Cool on the update. Guess if you have warranty then definitely worth just getting them to do it. Cheers for the link too as that quite useful.

The assembly is £72 and they waived labour as it's not a difficult switch as you can see from the video. I pointed out that based on mileage and assuming a tank fill up every 250 miles, the part had not even survived 40 uses which as durability goes, is not fit for purpose. When you get a new VW part, there is a 2 year warranty so if the same happens on the replacement...

[hog_hedge]

Mine has been into VW twice with this very issue. Unfortunately I don’t know what they actually did to ‘rectify’ the fault but around a year or so after the first visit it dropped down again. I expect that it will drop down again eventually after the second time but so far so good.

[Talk-torque]

It may not always involve a new part! There is still use of brute force, hopefully with good judgement, not ignorance, with problems of this kind.

[AGB]

Mine has been into VW twice with this very issue. Unfortunately I don’t know what they actually did to ‘rectify’ the fault but around a year or so after the first visit it dropped down again. I expect that it will drop down again eventually after the second time but so far so good.

The guy who looked at my car suggested an 'experience led approach' would be cheaper but I said I wanted the problem fixed properly, not hacked. I also asked for confirmation that a fix (replacing the assembly) would guarantee it wouldn't happen again. Hence knowing about the 2 year warranty. I'm not quite sure what has caused the issue because from a durability perspective, I'd have thought they would be designed to last considerably longer.

[SRGTD]

Mine has been into VW twice with this very issue. Unfortunately I don’t know what they actually did to ‘rectify’ the fault but around a year or so after the first visit it dropped down again. I expect that it will drop down again eventually after the second time but so far so good.

The guy who looked at my car suggested an 'experience led approach' would be cheaper but I said I wanted the problem fixed properly, not hacked. I also asked for confirmation that a fix (replacing the assembly) would guarantee it wouldn't happen again. Hence knowing about the 2 year warranty. I'm not quite sure what has caused the issue because from a durability perspective, I'd have thought they would be designed to last considerably longer.

@AGB; How old is your car? The reason for asking is that if it’s still covered by the original three year factory warranty, depending on its age, you may not get a two year warranty on new parts fitted during the warranty period. Copy of the relevant section of the new car factory warranty terms and conditions;

Replacement parts warranty
All Volkswagen Original replacement parts carry a parts warranty for a period of 2 years/unlimited mileage, from the date of purchase. Items with warranties in excess of 2 years will be advised to you at the time of purchase. The 2 year parts warranty does not apply to parts fitted under the terms of the vehicle warranty, which are warranted for the remaining period of the vehicle warranty.

So if you’ve only six months of the new car factory warranty remaining, any new parts fitted would only be warranted for six months. 

Link to the new car factory warranty full terms and conditions below;
https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/warranty/new-car-terms

[Goat_on_a_bike]

The fuel cap on my last car (built December 2017) fell off the first time I filled up

[Catnapper]

Mine has been into VW twice with this very issue. Unfortunately I don’t know what they actually did to ‘rectify’ the fault but around a year or so after the first visit it dropped down again. I expect that it will drop down again eventually after the second time but so far so good.

The guy who looked at my car suggested an 'experience led approach' would be cheaper but I said I wanted the problem fixed properly, not hacked. I also asked for confirmation that a fix (replacing the assembly) would guarantee it wouldn't happen again. Hence knowing about the 2 year warranty. I'm not quite sure what has caused the issue because from a durability perspective, I'd have thought they would be designed to last considerably longer.

@AGB; How old is your car? The reason for asking is that if it’s still covered by the original three year factory warranty, depending on its age, you may not get a two year warranty on new parts fitted during the warranty period. Copy of the relevant section of the new car factory warranty terms and conditions;

Replacement parts warranty
All Volkswagen Original replacement parts carry a parts warranty for a period of 2 years/unlimited mileage, from the date of purchase. Items with warranties in excess of 2 years will be advised to you at the time of purchase. The 2 year parts warranty does not apply to parts fitted under the terms of the vehicle warranty, which are warranted for the remaining period of the vehicle warranty.

So if you’ve only six months of the new car factory warranty remaining, any new parts fitted would only be warranted for six months. 

Link to the new car factory warranty full terms and conditions below;
https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/warranty/new-car-terms

MMMMM!!!!!!
That's interesting reading since I've just had my Infortainment screen replaced due to bad pixels.
I've got 6 months warranty left, God help VW if the screen goes again.
Anyway, my filler flap sticks occasionally. Bit of a tap & it releases itself.
I've looked for a photo of where it's needs trimming but it appears to have been removed. Anyone got a clear photo or explaination.

[rajb]

MMMMM!!!!!!
That's interesting reading since I've just had my Infortainment screen replaced due to bad pixels.
I've got 6 months warranty left, God help VW if the screen goes again.
Anyway, my filler flap sticks occasionally. Bit of a tap & it releases itself.
I've looked for a photo of where it's needs trimming but it appears to have been removed. Anyone got a clear photo or explaination.

BMW are the same, so the item is only covered by the warranty that runs on the car and doesn't come with it's own fixed term as when buying over the counter.

[AGB]

Mine has been into VW twice with this very issue. Unfortunately I don’t know what they actually did to ‘rectify’ the fault but around a year or so after the first visit it dropped down again. I expect that it will drop down again eventually after the second time but so far so good.

@AGB; How old is your car? The reason for asking is that if it’s still covered by the original three year factory warranty, depending on its age, you may not get a two year warranty on new parts fitted during the warranty period. Copy of the relevant section of the new car factory warranty terms and conditions;

Replacement parts warranty
All Volkswagen Original replacement parts carry a parts warranty for a period of 2 years/unlimited mileage, from the date of purchase. Items with warranties in excess of 2 years will be advised to you at the time of purchase. The 2 year parts warranty does not apply to parts fitted under the terms of the vehicle warranty, which are warranted for the remaining period of the vehicle warranty.

So if you’ve only six months of the new car factory warranty remaining, any new parts fitted would only be warranted for six months. 

Link to the new car factory warranty full terms and conditions below;
https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/warranty/new-car-terms

My car is December 2016 and has only recently expired. The part (and labour) have been replaced FOC as a goodwill gesture and they confirmed that the part is warrantied for 2 years.

I can see why they'd warrant for the balance of the warranty period though.

[AGB]

The fuel cap on my last car (built December 2017) fell off the first time I filled up

So much for PDI!  It's an easy fix but having investigated the whole assembly, I'm struck by how flimsy the whole thing is.