Charging Door Won't Open

eegolf · **Joined:** Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:33 am **Posts:** 6

2016 eGolf, went to charge this morning and I could not get the charging door (i.e. the "fuel door") to open. So I won't make it back home after work if I don't get it to open. I tried unlocking several times with no luck. I drove around and no luck. It seems like the lock won't disengage. I'll call roadside assistance and will have it towed as a last resort.

Any suggestions?

JoulesThief · **Joined:** Mon Oct 05, 2015 2:01 pm **Posts:** 2148

You used to be able to go in right side panel over the fender, pop off the panel, and manually release the door latch. I'd check to see and open and close all your doors and hatchback first, then relock with key fob, then grab the passengers side door handle to see if that undoes the door lock. Its up to you to notice these latches and locks and keep them clean and dirt and dust free so that they function properly and don't jam up or end up sticking. If you notice they get the slightest bit sticky, address the problem immediately, don't let it go on.

eegolf · **Joined:** Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:33 am **Posts:** 6

I tried to pry the interior panel, but you have to take apart all of the trim surrounding the panel, and I don't have any tools. Any other tips?

Kosta · **Joined:** Fri May 26, 2017 1:50 pm **Posts:** 76

I had mine freeze - rain to below zero - took the hair dryer to defrost the push latch on the fuel door

BarryMW · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:18 pm

You’re not gonna like this.

Lock car
Pound fist on left side of fuel door
Unlock car, and fuel door pops open.

Had to do this with mine for almost two weeks. I’m in CA so it was not frozen.
After two weeks it went back to normal operation.

Found it annoying, replaced whole car

End of my lease

Barry

eegolf · **Joined:** Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:33 am **Posts:** 6

Haha Barry. I had enough juice to make it to the stealership. They knew right away what the issue was - the actuator went bad. It's a "common" problem among MK7 Golfs.

JoulesThief · **Joined:** Mon Oct 05, 2015 2:01 pm **Posts:** 2148

eegolf wrote:

Haha Barry. I had enough juice to make it to the stealership. They knew right away what the issue was - the actuator went bad. It's a "common" problem among MK7 Golfs.

Which dealership did you go to, and name of service writer? Part number they replaced on your invoice?

eegolf · **Joined:** Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:33 am **Posts:** 6

JoulesThief wrote:

eegolf wrote:

Haha Barry. I had enough juice to make it to the stealership. They knew right away what the issue was - the actuator went bad. It's a "common" problem among MK7 Golfs.

Which dealership did you go to, and name of service writer? Part number they replaced on your invoice?

Volkswagen Pasadena (California). Service writer was C.S. (I won't call out the person's name). Here are the parts replaced:

1 5GE-809-857 Retainer
1 5C6-810-773-H Actuator
They also replaced the fuel filler door because they had to break it off to replace the parts. No P/N listed.

It took 2 days to get the parts. It works fine, but it looks like they forgot to reconnect the charge indicator button, so I have to go back

Umbalakada · **Joined:** Thu Dec 06, 2018 4:11 am **Posts:** 1

well my 2015 e-golf is having the same problem too, thank god for coming here I now know what the problem is, but in the mean time what you can do is to pry the fuel cap with your key ever so slightly and you'll hear a clicking sound then just unlock the car with your remote and then you can push to open like you'd normally do.

eeeeek · **Joined:** Tue Mar 01, 2016 3:09 pm **Posts:** 17

I had the same issue about 2 years into ownership. The dealer ended up having to replace the door as they broke it trying to open it.

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Charging Door Won't Open