beetle wigged out on me yesterday...

[sedwar05]

OK, so I know this is not a MAJOR problem like I've been having, but yesterday at the gas station Flutterbug wigged out on me and would NOT open the fuel door when I flicked the door switch. I had to get a small flat head screwdriver and manually pop open the cover at the pump.

Has this happened to anyone else, and if so, what do I do to fix it?

Thanks,

- S

[Pseudotropheus]

Yes. Typically, inside the car panels, there is an actuator with a cable attached to it, that is ran to the gas tank lid.

The actuator may not fail, but the cable likes to seize up, and not work anymore. It may start to get intermittent, and then it will just not work anymore.

Not difficult to fix, it is time consuming because you have to remove a few body panels on the inside.

It is located in the rear passenger side of the vehicle, and is tucked away behind the panels.

If you can hear the actuator tugging and activating. Then it is the cable that is seized up. You also have to remove the rear tailight on the passenger side in order to properly run the cable. They just pop out. It cost me about 100 bux for both parts actuator and cable.

[sedwar05]

Thanks! Yeah, I don't think it's the switch, because I can still hear it trying to open, just won't "pop".

Yippie, more $$$ I can spend on the bug!
/sarcasm LOL

[Smileybug]

Mine has been doing that lately. I just keep hitting the button until it pops. I'll fix it eventually, but when its 100+ degrees out everyday, right now just isn't a good time to tinker with my car

[sedwar05]

Yeah, it just really freaked me out at the gas station yesterday. It just all of a sudden happened. Oh well, I'll just have to put up with it for now...

[Smileybug]

Yeah mine was sudden. Worked great. Then my husband took my car to put gas in it and said it wouldn't open on the first few tries. Then it worked fine for awhile and now it acts up almost everytime. Have you tried hitting the button a few times? That seems to free mine up. There is also a difference in the sound between when it works and doesn't...I'm able to hit the button and know if it opens or not.

[Volkswoman]

When i bought my '99 NB last September, that was one of the things that was not working. I also had to use a tool to get it open. Following the advice on this site, I took off the rear panel and located the cable. I just jiggled and played with it a bit, didn't want to take the whole thig apart and replace the cable. Now the fuel door will open if I push the button inside the car then stick my fingernail under the flap. That's fine with me for now. I need whatever $$ there is to repair more importnt things than that and If I can get it open, that's the importnt thing!

[sedwar05]

Originally Posted by Smileybug

Yeah mine was sudden. Worked great. Then my husband took my car to put gas in it and said it wouldn't open on the first few tries. Then it worked fine for awhile and now it acts up almost everytime. Have you tried hitting the button a few times? That seems to free mine up. There is also a difference in the sound between when it works and doesn't...I'm able to hit the button and know if it opens or not.

Yeah, I tried hitting the button repeatedly, gave it a few minutes rest, then tried again, but nothing. I found the emergency release in the trunk so I'll just use that for now until I get some extra cash to get it fixed right...

update:

Just went out to the driveway to do a test on the release and after the 3rd try it poped open, so I guess I'm in the "intermittent stage" LOL Thanks for the info and help!

- S

[sedwar05]

Originally Posted by Volkswoman

When i bought my '99 NB last September, that was one of the things that was not working. I also had to use a tool to get it open. Following the advice on this site, I took off the rear panel and located the cable. I just jiggled and played with it a bit, didn't want to take the whole thig apart and replace the cable. Now the fuel door will open if I push the button inside the car then stick my fingernail under the flap. That's fine with me for now. I need whatever $$ there is to repair more importnt things than that and If I can get it open, that's the importnt thing!

Yeah, I totally understand that! Money's pretty tight with me right now too, spending $100 on a cable for a latch just is not on my priority list at the moment...

[Pseudotropheus]

You can replace the cable without replacing the actuator if its a huge annoyance for you. I just replaced both parts to get it over and done with.

[peanutsmom]

Mine has never worked since i bought the car.. But I just open it with my finger nail.. Its not hard..