Drivers side fuel flap not opening

[benjamincalleja]

Hey guys, strange one, because my passenger side fuel slap works every single, even when open you can keep pushing the putton and the solenoid activates every time.  but the drivers side one just stopped working.....surely both motors must be on some sort of relay fuse, so the fuse cant be blown because the passenger side is working.  i took the attached to the button out and put them back in again and all of a sudden it worked once, but then never again, even if i refit the wires to the button again....no solenoid sound at all when i try to open it.  ideas????

[benjamincalleja]

Wow, re reading that it made no sense.  So:

My drivers side fuel flap doesnt work

The other side does.

They must both be on the same fuse, so it cant be a fuse issue

Why doesnt my fuel flap work

**nb, i took the wires out of the back of the fuel flap button and put them back in, then the drivers side worked once.  but then stopped again.  repeating didnt make it work again.

[fjmuurling]

Probably a loose connection on the solenoid (thay are mounted on the wheel arcs / wells on each side). Had it also once and one of the nuts was loose, tightened it and all was working again.

Be prepared for some distored limbs and working on the feel.

[mr.oogieboogie]

Could also be the spring maybe the end has snapped

[fflyingdog]

Yep or a bit of lube on hinges.

[benjamincalleja]

hey guys!  so i spent a few hours on this today, i removed the screws, sanded the metal down in case it was a bad earth and reattached but it still only works 1:30 click of the fuel flap switch.  does that mean the solenoid is bad and i need a new one?  I tested the other side by taking off the earth (it stopped working) and putting it back on (it started working again!)  so whilst part of me thinks its an earth issue, after sanding the metal down and the attchement of the earth cable and it still only working 1:30 clicks, surely that must mean the motor itself is bad right?

[Trevsked]

Have you tried power directly to the solenoid to test it?

Trevor.

[benjamincalleja]

no, i dont know what battery size to do that?  surely i cant just connect a 12v?  the solenoid only has one wire going in too...confusing RE testing.  and to remove it id have to undue the cable to the flap as well, if im going to do that, remove the whole lot i may as well replace it?  Though if it still doesnt work god only knows why...