the fuel door lock doesn't work at all how much will this cost to fix and how do I do it?

First, I just did this last weekend. Very fresh in my memory...

If you hear the "click" at the fuel door, you have power to the unit and it is trying to work, most likely stuck. Pull the assembly (you will need torx bits to do this) and lube the plunger with the mechanism in the locked position. This extends the plunger so you can lube all of it.

If you don't get the "click" at the fuel door, take a test light and see if you are getting power and ground at the unit during lock/unlock. If you don't have one or the other, there is where your troubleshooting begins.

I've heard they commonly stick, most likely a simple lube and your troubles will be gone. 15 minute job.

Good luck,

Barry

I just fixed mine last weekend.

First - listen if you can hear a little whirring sound from the fuel door when you lock/unlock the car.

If you can - the rest is easy.

The cover inside the trunk towards the fueldoor cam be carefully removed starting from the rear lights - and proceed from there.

Disconnect the little lock assembly - 1 screw inside the trunk - and the 2 small ones inside the fuel door.

You will see the plastic assembly is not rigid enough to withstand the force from the motorized rod to lock the door - especially when it is not closed correctly due to the filler cap slot pointing downwards - thereby jamming the rod.

Reassemble the lock - and wrap tape around it, so it will not break open again - make sure nothing is jammed - and remount the lock.

In the future always make sure the fuel door is closed properly - as I learned the hard way :)

If you hear no whirr - the little motor inside the assembly may be bust - but try taking a look at it anyways - it will help you when you replace it.

Replacing it will take between 10 to 15 minutes max.

Have fun

Aj,

I assume you know about the emergency override procedure to open the fuel door. If not, it is in your owner's manual.

The power fuel door lock is a solenoid-like mechanism that pushes a plunger in or out through the tab on the inside of the fuel door. I had this problem with my '96 wagon, in that intermittently the plunger would stick in the locked position and finally it failed completely. The manual overide is a stiff wire that forces the plunger to the unlocked position when you pull the wire. I can't remember how much the power mechanism cost, but it did look like a slightly redesigned part, implying that the early versions weren't quite perfect!

It wasn't too difficult to replace. I'm going from memory here, but basically it involved removing the interior trim panel along the side where the fuel door is in order to get access to the mechanism. The mounting for the mechanism itself was pretty simple, I believe just two bolts/screws. Easy to take out and replace.

Garth