Fuel Cap Not Opening

[P.H.]

Think BCM is an acronym of body control module? Had my first experience of not being able to open the fuel flap at the petrol station this week. Phoned the Lexus garage who told me how to release it through the boot flap which is not ideal. Have sprayed the mechanism with silicon spray and utilised the piece of foam trick gained from this forum and all OK now.

[The_Doctor]

1 hour ago, P.H. said:

Think BCM is an acronym of body control module?

Yes BCM = body control module. I wondered what the specific details of the recall were. I read on an Australian site “Under certain conditions, if the headlamps are activated using the Lexus Connected app, the BCM software simultaneously illuminates the headlamps and the daytime running lamps (DRLs) and the headlamps remain illuminated without the taillamps illuminating depending on the position of the light control switch." Of course that may be a different version of the App and different logic for what lights switch on and when ...

[Winston]

Hi

I not sure if it’s the same set up, but I have an LC500

My fuel cap wouldn’t open without a lot of messing around 

I took it into Lexus and they made an adjustment when I got home it wouldn’t open again. they then ordered a new part and fitted it yesterday.

when got home it still worked so fingers crossed.

[Spacewagon52]

On 12/16/2022 at 10:14 PM, Ken R said:

Do what my dealer did to effect a temporary repair - place a foam sponge between the tank cap and the flap. It's enough to allow the flap to be pushed open when you hit the button. No longer a two person job!

First world problem - third world solution! Love it!

[Ken R]

My 450h was due to have the new fuel flap release mechanism fitted today but Dealer has said the revised part isn't  available as yet. Any "cures" to date involve the fitting of the existing part. Anybody heard anything different?

 

 

 

 

[SA1]

13 minutes ago, Ken R said:

My 450h was due to have the new fuel flap release mechanism fitted today but Dealer has said the revised part isn't  available as yet. Any "cures" to date involve the fitting of the existing part. Anybody heard anything different?

 

 

 

 

I’m still waiting for news from my dealer on parts but it sounds like they don’t want to replace like for like. 
Stick with the sponge as it works until news of a proper fix and at least we don’t get the inconvenience of a day in the garage just to have the same issue arise again

[leicesterjohn]

Had my nx450h for a couple of weeks and had a situation at the garage and could not open flap. Fortunately had read something about the manual opening lever and managed to fill up. Tried the magic sponge trick and it works. What a farse

[The_Doctor]

4 hours ago, Ken R said:

My 450h was due to have the new fuel flap release mechanism fitted today but Dealer has said the revised part isn't  available as yet. Any "cures" to date involve the fitting of the existing part. Anybody heard anything different?

 

 

 

 

Nope, I was told they had replaced like for like but expected it might fail again; they hinted there might be a revised part in the future.

[P.H.]

I really don't think the problem is with the actuator itself but think the eventual solution will be mechanical and an eventual simple fix as the flap needs to be spring loaded to release it in the short time the actuator operates. I will wait till there is a definitive fix and not my waste time going to the dealer until then. 

[royoftherovers]

On 12/9/2022 at 10:22 AM, Harrier Man said:

You're welcome John. For interest, I haven't had the update yet because it is a 330 mile round trip to my dealer! Luckily, touch wood, fingers and toes crossed, I haven't had a problem with my filler cap not opening yet.

I`ve just been told by Lexus Liverpool that this problem only occurs with the latest version of the NX  Malcolm. My 19 Reg is supposedly unaffected.

[Harrier Man]

With the reported problems, I have been testing my filler cap every week. Touch wood, so far with no problems. Filled up today and thought I would put in Esso Supreme as I do believe it is beneficial, especially over the winter and with my 450h+ where I am not getting through a tank-full every week (I last filled up in November!). The garage was advertising unleaded for 141.9p/l so I thought Supreme would be sensibly priced. Not so, it was 169.9p/l. I put in £30 worth and then went to Asda and topped up with E10 unleaded at 137.7p/l - a massive 32p/l difference. I still prefer Esso Supreme but I cannot see that there is that much benefit in it so I will be checking and thinking very carefully before my next fill.

[Andy B]

I have been monitoring the fuel flap issue since it first came to light on here a while back and have noticed that the force with which it pops open has been reducing over time. Finally, when I came to fill up a couple of days ago it failed to open. I managed to get it open via the lever in the boot so not a total disaster.

The car is going in for it's first service in a few days so I will mention it to the dealer then and see what transpires.

[Ken R]

2 hours ago, Andy B said:

I have been monitoring the fuel flap issue since it first came to light on here a while back and have noticed that the force with which it pops open has been reducing over time. Finally, when I came to fill up a couple of days ago it failed to open. I managed to get it open via the lever in the boot so not a total disaster.

The car is going in for it's first service in a few days so I will mention it to the dealer then and see what transpires.

Even the sponge behind the flap cure didn't work today so had to resort to the internal release. 

[royoftherovers]

7 minutes ago, Ken R said:

Even the sponge behind the flap cure didn't work today so had to resort to the internal release. 

Do we know if this has been happening with the current generartion of NX vehicles sold

in the U.S. ?

[Andy B]

1 hour ago, royoftherovers said:

Do we know if this has been happening with the current generartion of NX vehicles sold

in the U.S. ?

Yes, there have been reports of this on the US Lexus owners forum too.

Reports on there also of the door locks freezing. 

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, Andy B said:

Yes, there have been reports of this on the US Lexus owners forum too.

Reports on there also of the door locks freezing. 

So, they probably had advance notification given that it was LIKELY marketed first in the U.S.

That`s a big black mark against Lexus and will probably be reflected in Consumer Surveys.

[Harrier Man]

42 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

So, they probably had advance notification given that it was LIKELY marketed first in the U.S.

That`s a big black mark against Lexus and will probably be reflected in Consumer Surveys.

According to Car & Driver (a US magazine), it came out in June 2021, not much ahead of the European market. That didn't give much time for general consumer  winter experience before the UK launch. However, I don't think this lets Lexus off the hook. Pre-launch testing, both in environmental test facilities and real world testing would, I believe, have revealed some of the issues being experienced.

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, Harrier Man said:

According to Car & Driver (a US magazine), it came out in June 2021, not much ahead of the European market. That didn't give much time for general consumer  winter experience before the UK launch. However, I don't think this lets Lexus off the hook. Pre-launch testing, both in environmental test facilities and real world testing would, I believe, have revealed some of the issues being experienced.

Thanks Malcolm. It seems to me and possiblyy others too,that Lexus is in danger of slowly losing the plot !

Why on Earth, try to improve/ change  something that worked first time, every time ?

[Marlinleg]

Well my fuel cap didn't open yesterday BUT its age related pressed the fuel cap realise button nothing pressed again  nothing 3rd time I realised it's the boot door button at 74& 10 months everyday is fun 

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, Marlinleg said:

Well my fuel cap didn't open yesterday BUT its age related pressed the fuel cap realise button nothing pressed again  nothing 3rd time I realised it's the boot door button at 74& 10 months everyday is fun 

A Dacia is more reliable ?

[imgo]

Just popped into my Lexus dealership who are fully aware of the fuel flap not opening issue. In fact, the NX on display in the showroom has even got the cover removed in the boot to show existing customers how to open the fuel flap. They said that a fix is being looked at.

They are also aware of the door handle issue.

[SA1]

53 minutes ago, imgo said:

Just popped into my Lexus dealership who are fully aware of the fuel flap not opening issue. In fact, the NX on display in the showroom has even got the cover removed in the boot to show existing customers how to open the fuel flap. They said that a fix is being looked at.

They are also aware of the door handle issue.

That is reassuring, let’s hope that all dealers are being made aware of it and we don’t get piecemeal solutions 🤞

[Simon F]

On 1/14/2023 at 7:58 PM, royoftherovers said:

A Dacia is more reliable ?

How many Dacias have you owned?

[royoftherovers]

3 hours ago, Simon F said:

How many Dacias have you owned?

None.

I asked the question, did you think that I answered it Simon ?

[78csj]

Had the fuel flap fixed again today, Glasgow Lexus say it’s the wrong tension on the springs of the fuel flap and that there should be 4 instead of the 2, seems to be working fine since the fix.