I have been pondering the nuisance of my gas door for a while and need some suggestions.

When I unlock the vehicle the gas door is unlocked also as designed. I don't like it. Then it is too far open to stay fastened closed so when I drive down the road it flops. When I lock the vehicle the door is too far open for the lock to engage. In other words, for the gas door to stay shut one must hold the door closed and lock the car. Of course when I unlock the car the gas door opens up again which means I can't drive the car with a closed gas door.

I can't find any adjustment. Poor design. The gas door should stay locked until I want it unlocked. Not everytime I unlock the car.

Suggestions for a fix? I just want the door to stay shut while driving.

 

Sounds like you have something blocking the locking mechanism, or the hydraulic pressure isn't pushing the locking pin out far enough. I'm sure someone else here can elaborate.

 

The pin is fully extending. The problem is that unless I hold the door close it won't pass through the hole in the male part of the door to hold it. What holds the door shut when it is unlocked?

 

Your hinge must be broken, they snap shut. The cap is unlocked when you are driving as well I think and is only locked when everything else gets locked down with the key out of the ignition.

Just because something is broken and you do not like the system, does not necessarily make it a bad design.
Nobody is going to siphon your gas when you are moving.
This system allows the rare and soon to be extinct gas pump attendant to fill your gas tank without you opening your doors or pressing another button. That's fine with me.

 

Yup - Broken hinge-spring/latch thingy. Not sure how you get in there to replace the bad part.

 

What's this? pizzaguy doesn't know the fix?!

 

He said hinge-spring/latch thingy. Those are technical terms.

 

If I recall correctly the cover and the hinge are an assembly which is unscrewed to remove. You replace both.
I'll go and check though.
Edit
Sorry the hinge is part of the black housing I think, the flap alone bolts to that housing assembly.

 

By chance, is the black plastic strap (attached to the gas cap) preventing the door from shutting? It has a tendency to "kink" and might be holding the door open.

Seems I recall another member having that issue...

 

This is true, it helps to have a young mind to remember more posts than I can.

 

The gas cap tether was the first suspect. The dealer I bought the car said they ordered a part to fix the problem although I don't know what part that is. Someone had put velcro on the door to try to hold it shut.

 

If the door stays shut even when unlocked I could live with it.

An ill conceived function is still a bad design even if the engineering to achieve it is brilliant.