Good Morning

As the title really, I need help!

When pressed the flap only opens 2mm then stays locked. It’s not open enough to get my fingers in to help it along. I haven’t tried WD yet as it was late last night when I discovered it.

The manual doesn’t say there’s an emergency release and from using the search function on here I can only see issues with the 322 not the 405.

Any helpful tips and advice will be greatly received as the V8 needs a sip soon!

I dont believe there is a manual release.

The fuel flap is electrically locked and unlocked with a fuel flap release motor and plastic pin. The fuel flap release
motor is located behind the fuel flap, and operates the plastic pin to engage or release the fuel flap.
The fuel flap release motor is hardwired to the Body Control Module/Gateway Module (BCM/GWM) assembly and is
operated by the vehicle Central Door Locking (CDL) system. The BCM/GWM assembly reverses the polarity of the
actuator power and ground connections. This allows the plastic pin to move in both directions for locking and
unlocking. When unlocked, the fuel flap can be opened manually to gain access to the fuel filler cap.

Check and erase all DTC first, maybe you will be lucky and thats all it is.
Try to push flap on left and operate door unlock/lock a few times, maybe its misaligned

Fuel flap will not lock or unlock Fuel flap release motor detached from mounting bracket.
Fuel flap release motor circuit short circuit to ground, short circuit to power, open circuit, high resistance
 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

Thanks.

Tried this and not working. Will try WD when it warms up a bit failing that it’s off to LR on Friday

Looking at the workshop manual, there appear to be a cable between the actuator motor and the pin that should pull back to release the flap - and in the picture (item 4) there is a small extension cable with a pull on it that should effect manual release - pull down the boot liner and have a look.....

 2017 - L405 SC - WOW! just WOW!
2014 - L405 4.4
2010 - L322 3.6 - Carried me 100,581 miles then broke big-time

There are 10 types of people in this world;
Those that understand binary,
and those that don't.

Awesome, thanks.
Will try that when it’s not -8!

So a wee update.
Managed to get a day off today so had a go with WD to no avail.
Called LR assist and it was the AA flavour that turned up.
There is no “emergency pull” on my car. He wanted me to sign a piece of paper absolving them of liability when he set about it with a screw driver!
EH NAW,
So off to LR I went who managed to get it open using black magic and will order the solenoid needed.
I had 30 mins with a Diet Coke, Tunnocks tea cake and some loooooovley cars!

Then treated the car to over £100 of go go juice to allow me to sleep at night!

Awesome cars but some days..........

Glad you got it identified and on the road to being fixed. Jolly annoying that small component failure can temporarily scupper the fun. First time FFRR owner

Totally agree. I’m trying to ignore the fact a £125k ish car has such a daft failure at nearly 5 years old. Crazy.

My wife did take great delight telling me her Hyundai of similar age doesn’t do these daft things

If it makes you feel better, we have a constant stream of < 3 year old vehicles with similar failures on the BEV charge port covers, the RAC 'helpfully' remove the painted covers so the vehicles can still be charged whilst they wait for the required parts which are on constant backorder, the cover has, of course, to be painted - despite there being a non-damaging way of releasing the cover...

That does. Thanks.

It’s the fact that was the default solution from the AA. Crazy.
It has the pearlescent metallic fancy pants paint so no way was that ever going to be matched should they have made a huge gouge.

Still has the V8 so it’s forgiven

The thing about 'expensive' cars is the majority of the engineering is spent on fit, finish & NVH - the sort of stuff you'd notice every day. Powertrain/Drivetrain is usually an evolution so not really a 'cost' as such, electrics & control systems are much the same - sometimes planned two or three MY's in advance.

Where the bell curve starts to kick in is when the accountants and risk assessors (of warranty costs, not inconvenience to actual owners) decide where they can shave a few pfennigs off component costs, as long as it'll last xx% of warranty, then it'll be fine - and also why manufacturer extended warranties cost so much.

Yep I remember the days of fuel locking caps maybe we need to take a step backwards and let common sense prevail.
Imagine stuck in an EU country like Latvia late at night on low fuel light knowing not even a dealer can help you yep the screwdriver would win 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

Thank god it’s not a Ford Focus!
I remember driving one of the first we ever had as a pool car and when I went to fill it up I called road fleet as for some reason they had forgot the petrol cap What a tool I felt when they explained they didn’t have them any more. Glad I’ve got one now though as I drive about all flappy in the wind!

Re a previous comment above, I do realise I’m driving a 2018 that was released in 2012 basically so must have started the design process in 2007 ish. And you can tell even coming from a D5. However the D5 didn’t have the V8

So basically I’m obsessed with this engine it seems. Hmmmmmm lol.