The fuel door on my 98 doesn't pop open when I pull the dash lever. I noticed that there is no spring attached to the hinge pivot on the inside of the fuel door to provide the outward force. Did the spring fall off...or is the cable-actuated plastic latch mechanism supposed to pop out the door on its own? Trying to figure out whether I have a missing spring or just a stretched cable?

My Gen I has a spring on the hinge pivot. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

My 95 SR does not have a spring and it didn't really pop out either. After examining it closely, I determined that the little latch had bent ever so subtly because the door would actually sit with the back edge a little recessed when closed. I straightened out the latch, and now it pops out about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch every time I pull the release. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

My 95 has two plastic arms on the very top and bottom of the release assembly that press against the fuel door when closed, popping it open when it's released.



I suspect that your Gen II.5 is probably the same design and the arms are broken off.

If yours looks intact like ryany's, then you likely have a stretched cable. Our 98 was like that. Got the tip and fix from Scottie. Get the cable out from its snatch point in the mechanism. Then tighten up a samller cable tie at the end, right before the bead/ball/thing. Then refit it into the mechanism. Best bet is to do this in your garage. That way if it works, you can open an beer and tell you significant other later on how you had to take everything apart, but that you got it working in the end. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the help, all - especially for the pic of how it should look. I'll try out the cable tie fix tonight, but somehow I doubt it'll impress my GF too much <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />