Eleventh

Awesome, thank you very much, for the tests and the pictures.

You even anticipated my third question, which was how much resistance did you feel pushing in the solenoid. Mine is definitely messed up, it required a lot of pressure to push it in, enough that it's painful to try and keep it held in.

Thanks for the help!

I did not try to pull the fuse. I will test tomorrow, but I really doubt it will do anything because I'm sure the lock solenoid is designed to be extended when power is off (extended by a spring) and then it contracts when energized (unlocking). So without power, it will just stay failed in the extended position (locked).

I won't post the video because my daughter managed to insert herself mid-stream and the audio is horrible (gas station in the middle of downtown philly). But maybe I'll do another video tomorrow. I'm going to give it some WD-40 tomorrow to see if it will free up.

thedofuss

ok, weve now documented that problem. lets see if, one by one, we can compile a real owners manual--be what, 5,000 pages? we ll call it "when science fails". btw, OP, great job with sharing your experience. well documented, well thought through. about 10 minutes into it, id take the small sledge hammer i carry in the trunk and bash the sh*t out of the cap. then id go to my local dealer and ask what hed give me for it--you know, before the carfax got entered, and it became unsaleable at any price (or so we re told).

Eleventh

Update: Finally was able to take the car to a dealer. Dealer verified that all the system electronics are working and that the solenoid actuator for the electronic lock is broken, as I had diagnosed.

Now another ~two week wait for the replacement part...

Here is a picture of the actuator that failed (it's the white box). This view is from the driver's side rear wheel, with the fender liner pulled back, looking forwards towards the fuel fill line.

Quick99

What a great service you have provided to us all by posting your issue and solution.

I hope to pick up my C 7 in two weeks and my question may be covered in the owners manual that I do not have so, be kind in your replies..

Question, can you configure the car so that the electronic gas door lock never activates? Obviously this means that you have to rely on the manual latch to keep the door closed... Just like my Cadillac!!!

eboggs_jkvl

So......

Removing the metal rod locking device will free the door to open by pushing on the rear of the door whether or not the doors are locked or unlocked. Seems to me that would be how we have on the C6 and older. Open unlocked door, fill tank?

I think what I'm saying is if this problem strikes, removing that locking device will fix the problem never to repeat again?

Elmer

Eleventh

Good question, don't have a definitive answer, but:

There is no identified option to do this electronically.
The lock is controllable from the technician's workbench computer that plugs into the car for diagnostics, so of course in theory there could be a way to do it.
But I suspect the actuator is 'energize' to unlock and locks when deenergized. So you'd have a constant drain on the battery if you wanted to keep it open. Not great.

There are mechanical ways to achieve the same outcome

You could of course just take a hacksaw and cut the bolt of the electronic lock out, hat'd be pretty easy, but not reversible. [Please be careful not to create a spark!]

A less 'permanent' solution would be to plug the bolt hole that the electronic lock bolt slides into. Lots of clever ways to do that while still being reversible.

As you suggest, the hatch would still work fine. A few folks have reported problems with the fuel door popping open, but this is generally attributable to the situation where:

1) They close the door where the electronic bolt has already extended (I think it times out after 1-2 minutes after the unlock)
2) The door gets pushed in far enough to hang up on the electric bolt, but not catch on the manual door spring latch.
3) So when they unlock the car again, the door opens as the electric lock release.

This is correct. I'm going to have it repaired since it is under warranty, but if this were to happen out of warranty, I'd remove the lock.

Especially because that white lock mechanism isn't parted separately, they have to order a whole new hatch.

eboggs_jkvl

Oh crap on that. Me and something in my tool box will see to the disappearance of that rod and white plastic piece!

Thanks,

Elmer

Eleventh

Amen, brother.

c5eddiem

Thanks for the info and detailed pictures. This is good info to know if it strikes (always at an inopportune time!)

Sorry you had to learn how it works and how to get the cover open by being locked out of the gas filler!

Ed

robertf97

Thanks for posting this. My fuel door wouldn't open this morning in 36 degree weather. Drove it home and got out of the car and then it was open.

PSstayhealthy

My 2014 C7 was low on fuel. At the gas station I could hear the gas cap mechanism click, but it would not open. All permutations of key/door/voodoo failed to open the thirsty tank. To make a long frustrating story short, I was 3 miles from the Chevy dealer, who can have a part in 3 days. I tried all of the forum suggestions, and even tried to pry off the cap. I couldn't make myself pull hard enough for fear of cracking my baby. Future fears of being stuck miles from home at night make me desire a fix of this issue, or at least a way of over-riding the cap so I/we can get safely home. Does anyone know of an over-ride, factory or aftermarket?

TEXHAWK0

^^^ Have not seen any manual override kits, but I recently had to remove the left rear wheel well to replace the fuel filler inlet pipe, and I almost went ahead and removed the lock mechanism while I had it apart...
After seeing this post again, I may go back and remove it... These days I actually would be more worried about someone pouring something INTO the fuel tank, and not about having gas stolen...

If desperate, and you do not want to rip off the door, you could carry the torx head socket (torx #15) to fit the wheel well screws, so that you could remove them and get your hand into the fender to manually pull the lock bolt back..The liner is stiff, but I would rather even cut a hole in the fiber liner than risk breaking the gas door.

With a little thought, someone (maybe me) could also figure out a way to hook a manual release cable to the mechanism for an emergency.. even a secret strand of fishing line run from the lock to the edge of the wheel well could save you a lot of grief.

wgood

I would start the car for a few seconds !!! Make sure the transmitter is in your pocket Shut off the car& Open the door Then walk up to the gas door to see if it open !!! When I gas up the car the transmitter is always in my pocket and not in the car !!! Wayne

eboggs_jkvl

Details on the manual gas door release. I'd run the cable/wire/cord into the trunk area like we had on the C6 to open the gas door. I might even consider tying it down to the door release handle so I could pull that and open the door/gas door with the same t-handle.

Elmer

TEXHAWK0

^^^ If you tie them to the same handle, then the distance you have to pull the handle to release both latches would have to be the same...otherwise one would release and the other may still be latched. You could always tie both to the handle but leave slack in the fuel door release and pull it separately.

alienranch

Good write up. Hopefully we'll never need to do this, but it's good to know how to get the door off without damaging something.

TEXHAWK0

^^^ He was just lucky... The door is really not designed to slide off unless it is open...

Greg00Coupe

The ? really is why did they design a "locking gas door" at all??? Not much of a detriment to anyone want to dump something in your tank. And you cannot syphin gas out of modern fuel tanks anyway. I have a capless fill on my ford and it does not need to lock so that is not the reason.

GM remove the lock. This is a problem waiting to happen...........now for some long term for the rest.

Curahee

That's a good thought. Does anyone out there know if there is way to defeat the locking mechanism without screwing up something else?

TEXHAWK0

You could just remove the lock mechanism from the door latch, and leave the solenoid connected.. or it might not even set any code if you just disconnected the solenoid and removed it... someone could test it...

Not that hard to get to, but does require removing the wheel well liner...