Problem Opening Fuel Filler Flap

Jules640 · December 4, 2018

I don’t know if anyone else has had this issue but I have been having problems opening the fuel filler cap.

The last couple of times I have filled up the switch to open the flap has failed to work.

I finally got it to open by banging it a few times and almost prising it open.

This is the latest in a growing list of problems that I am having with the car. I have not had a Lexus before and I am very disappointed with the build quality and the technology on the car that doesn’t work properly.

Zotto · December 5, 2018

Do you make the right procedure to open it?

wendle · December 5, 2018

yes this has happened a couple of time to me, i fact it happened today, not sure about you but if i fill my car up with fuel, because of the low millage i have been doing lately it can take me 4/5 weeks before i need to fe fuel again, in my case i think it just gets stuck due to lack of use, the same happens to my run around car for the same reason.

it was a bit embarrassing today asking another person at the pumps if they wouldn't mind opening my petrol flap while i pushed the button.

i did move the flap backwards and forwards a few time and it seems to be ok now, may give it a square of WD40 at the weekend.

Jules640 · December 5, 2018

At least I know its not just me!

This isn't really acceptable on an £80,000 car.

My car also seems gutless since having the ECU recall done.

This along with all the other faults that I put in my earlier thread means that I am seriously looking at a change.

I think the LC500 is very much a case of style over substance. Stunning to look at but under the skin it is just a Toyota and not a very good one!

malcolmw · December 5, 2018

I haven't had this issue - yet.

You may be interested to know that this same issue was a huge bugbear on the Aston DB9 and V8 Vantage. There were miles of posts about it on the owners' club website with people using credit cards to prise the lid open. It's not just Lexus who have issues with lower volume cars.

If I remember your previous posts, a lot of the things you queried were to do with the design of the touchpad system and I heartily agree this is useless and I hardly ever use it. I still get the SatNav problem where it loses its position from time to time and you have to do a reset. I haven't had the latest update, however.

I also haven't had the ECU problem as I don't have the hybrid but you will have seen my current issue in another thread with what I think is the exhaust valves stuck open. I have been to the dealer for a quick look and they have the car booked in next week for a few days to have a closer look. It does make a good noise though...

wendle · December 5, 2018

it started with a flap you opened manually and a cap you twisted of ( nothing could go wrong )

then came the flap you opened manually and a key needed to open the cap ( again not much to go wrong, perhaps a frozen lock or broken key )

Then my run around car has a leaver you pull by the drivers seat, this pulls a pin which releases the sprung loaded flap, if the cable stretches or brakes iam not sure how your supposed to open it.

the Lexus has a button you push, which i presume electrically with the use of a solenoid pulls the pin which again releases the flap, even more to go wrong, and i think this is the problem to much gadgetry.

PS Ok before anyone says yes ok it did start with a horse and cart..lol

Jules640 · December 5, 2018

A bit off topic but I went to a BMW launch event last week for the new 8 series which is a direct competitor to the LC500.

As well as looking great, it drives well too and the technology is in another league compared to the LC.

I am sure this will take sales away from Lexus making the LC500 an even rarer car.

rayaans · December 7, 2018

On 12/5/2018 at 8:53 PM, Jules640 said:

A bit off topic but I went to a BMW launch event last week for the new 8 series which is a direct competitor to the LC500.

As well as looking great, it drives well too and the technology is in another league compared to the LC.

I am sure this will take sales away from Lexus making the LC500 an even rarer car.

Buying any car in the first year of production will lead to some issues and I dont doubt theyve already sorted these issues on upcoming 2018MY cars. They did this with the RX too. The 2016MY had some kind of dodgy microphone for Bluetooth which was miraculously changed in 2017MY without anyone knowing about it.

Wait, isn't that just a bigger 6 series? The petrol one costs £100k!

malcolmw · December 8, 2018

Still looks like most other BMWs to me. Nice colour though.

Moiz · December 10, 2018

I had this problem on my LC500h this afternoon. Pulled into a busy petrol station , pressed the release button in the car, heard what sounded like the solenoid operating properly, and it was but the flap didn't open. Tried loads of times, eventually having to give up and drive away without filling up, much to everyone's annoyance.. . Pulled in along the road from the garage and luckily enough my hubby was in the car who could press and hold the release button while I prised the flap open from the top right hand corner with my fingers. I then had to drive back to garage to fill up with the fuel flap open. Needless to say I was well embarrassed. Hubby say's it looks like the flap isn't springy enough to pop open when the solenoid releases and wonders whether the spring hinge mechanism is adjustable to give it more springiness - he has just checked and it is not adjustable. He attached a piece of polyurethane foam with double sided 3M tape to the inside of the rectangular recess next to the solenoid. This helps to push the flap open when the solenoid release the catch. When closed the flap is flush again with the car. It works a treat. A 10 pence fix for an 80k car.

Jules640 · December 10, 2018

It’s strange that several of us are having this issue. I wonder if it is connected to the colder weather, although I don’t recall having this problem last winter.

Moiz · December 11, 2018

My hubby is an electronics engineer and he say's it just down to bad design and was bound to fail at some point. That was only my third refuelling since purchasing in September. I had a similar issue on the second refuel but didn't mention it to my hubby as i thought it was operator error... 😋I thought i hadn't pressed the refuelling button properly. When I pressed it again, it worked thankfully on that occassion. We will be contacting Lexus Glasgow to let them know and see what they suggest.

malcolmw · December 11, 2018

Some while back in the summer, I thought my fuel cover flap was loose and "clonking" as the car went over bumps. I fitted two small foam rubber pads on the open end of the flap opposite the two small rubber posts on the body. I have just checked and they are still there and the flap pops open as you might expect. ☺️

Jules640 · December 12, 2018

Is it really acceptable to have to stick pieces of rubber onto an £80,000 car so that the fuel flap will open?

I have come to the conclusion that the whole car is seriously under developed in a number of areas and so I have taken the decision to sell mine.

I feel that the Lexus marketing about the car being built by Japanese master craftsmen is a bit of a joke.

Moiz · December 12, 2018

No it's not acceptable but as rayaans posted earlier "buying any car in the first year of production will lead to some issues and I don't doubt they've already sorted these issues on upcoming 2018MY cars". The Lexus LC500 is the best looking car on the road by far at the moment and until I can get my hand on a Tesla Roadster I will be sticking with it warts and all.

Jules640 · December 12, 2018

I agree totally about the looks. That was what attracted me to the car in the first place. Unfortunately the interior, performance and technology don't live up to the exterior.

At the end of the day, you cant see the car when you are driving it and for me the whole driving experience is just not up there with the likes of the German manufacturers.

Moiz · December 12, 2018

Been down the BMW route with an i8, M3, i3, X6 and 330e over the past couple of years. Good engines in the BMW's but the interiors are poor and all the same no matter what model you buy. Also had a Mercedes a wee while back and found the build quality and interiors much better than the BMW's.

Jules640 · December 12, 2018

That's a lot of cars in the last couple of years! I had a BMW 640 prior to the LC500 which was a really good car.The interior in the new 8 series is nice.

I would agree that the build quality and the interiors of Mercedes are better.

I think part of the problem with the LC is that they have put things on it that are new to Lexus (but not other premium brands) and they just don't work properly. An example is the high beam assist. BMW have had this for years and it has always worked really well. In the Lexus it just doesn't work as it should. It puts high beam on when there is oncoming traffic and doesn't always dip the lights when it should. In wet weather it struggles to work at all!

I realise that I am very critical of the car now but another example is the reversing camera that is just stuck on the bootlid and again is useless in the wet or when there is condensation on the car.BMW and Mercedes have a hidden camera that opens out when you use it and so it always works. I really think that Lexus have gone for styling over everything else, which for me just isn't enough any more.

I know what people are saying about first year production issues but for a car this expensive these things should have been sorted before it even went on sale. With the fuel flap issue, this is ridiculous. I wouldn't expect to have this problem on a Ford Fiesta let alone a 'flagship' model Lexus.

If you look at the US forums there are a lot of unhappy customers there too.

Maybe Lexus are punching above their weight by trying to build a car that is in a premium sector that they haven't been in before.

It is interesting that Infiniti, which is Nissan's premium brand introduced another coupe, the Q60 to the UK market last year and it has now been withdrawn due to poor sales.

I can see the LC500 going the same way...

Moiz · December 12, 2018

Yeah I agree, it is a lot of cars in a couple of years. We are a 3/4 car family at any one time. We had the i8, i3 X6 and a renault twizy all at one point. This is also my 2nd lexus. I had the Lexus RC300h F Sport prior to the LC500h. My hubby has a Lexus also at the moment- IS300h F Sport which he loves, and the BMW 330e prior to that . In addition to that we also have a Smart Fortwo EQ and a Smart Fortwo Brabus Roadster. As you can see, we love our cars and change them often - too often probably - as we take a financial hit every time we do so...

In all the cars we have had over the years, we have never had one where the high beam assist actually works flawlessly, so it's a feature that we just don't use, and the reversing cameras all being a bit hit and miss too . Of the BMW's we've had the i8 & i3 were the only cars with a reversing camera fitted as standard.

Do you have a replacement car in mind??

malcolmw · December 12, 2018

@Moiz

I have looked at an i8 myself. What did you think of it?

Jules640 · December 12, 2018

You are right that it is expensive to change cars. Especially if you do it often. 360 or surround cameras are brilliant and make parking much easier. This is another strange omission on the LC.

I am considering a Mercedes E53 AMG Coupe. The new BMW 8 series is nice but it is way overpriced at the moment as there are no discounts available. It will probably be heavily discounted in a years time like the old 6 series was.

Moiz · December 12, 2018

In my opinion the i8 now compared to the LC500 is a step backwards in styling and driving experience. The major problem I found was getting in and out of it when you had cars parked either side of you. The gull wing doors were very restrictive, and it didn't matter how far away from everyone else you would park, someone would end up parking right up beside you, sparking a whole host of gymnastic moves to get in... Parking issues aside, although I didn't have a problem, if you are less than supple, getting in and out over the thick door sills could be an issue for some.

The interior was typical BMW and nothing special. It drove really well and was a complete rocket ship and with the addition of AWD stuck to the road like glue. The 360 degree camera was a great feature and I sorely miss this in the LC. No BSM or adaptive cruise in the i8, both features I like in the LC. Despite being really well priced now to buy 2nd hand there are still very few i8's on the road, I think the realisation of the impracticalities of the daily use of this car is beginning to become common knowledge.