Stuck Gas Cap!

I wonder how many of us are driving around with little white gas caps...LOL

I can tell you what is causing them to do this... If you are one of us who ripped the black part of the cap off, I am sure you looked inside it... There are some white plastic parts inside the cap that act like little rachets... They are the "clicky" things you hear when you tighten the cap... They are designed to keep you from overtightening the cap... The problem is that if you get the cap even the slightest bit cross threaded you wont know it until you try to remove it... The threads do not want to back out so what do you do? You twist a little harder... The plastic peices inside give up the ghost pretty easily and now the cap simply spins... There is no "re-setting" it after this happens; its friggin broken...
 
Chaz243 said:
I wonder how many of us are driving around with little white gas caps...LOL
Click to expand...

Count me in the club. I was seriously in the middle of nowhere when I couldn't get the gas cap off. I was like 'get er done' and twisted the s*** out of it til the black part snapped off. Then I could see how cock-eyed the thing was and put a little pressure to straighten it up and it spinned right off. When I got back to town I let the responsible gas station know they effed up my cap (in oregon you're not allowed to pump your own gas). Tomorrow I think I'll tell them this is a fairly common problem so they don't chew up the poor attendant too bad (even though he did cross-thread it). What a POS design this cap is.
 
Chaz243 said:
I wonder how many of us are driving around with little white gas caps...LOL

I can tell you what is causing them to do this... If you are one of us who ripped the black part of the cap off, I am sure you looked inside it... There are some white plastic parts inside the cap that act like little rachets... They are the "clicky" things you hear when you tighten the cap... They are designed to keep you from overtightening the cap... The problem is that if you get the cap even the slightest bit cross threaded you wont know it until you try to remove it... The threads do not want to back out so what do you do? You twist a little harder... The plastic peices inside give up the ghost pretty easily and now the cap simply spins... There is no "re-setting" it after this happens; its friggin broken...
Click to expand...

Do you think tightening the cap until you just hear one click or two would maybe lessen the chance of the cap getting stripped? I haven't had issues with my cap (yet), but will keep my fingers crossed every time I go fill up now. I know certain cars specify that after hearing one click suffices - or to not overtighten. I just want to be sure I tighten it enough where the gas cap CEL doesn't come on, but not overdoing it where my caps becomes all jacked up.
 
The gas cap on my 2 month old Mazda 3 has got stuck twice, both times it took 10 minutes to undo. Not good. Does anyone know if Mazda are looking to redesign the cap. I'll go get a new one from the dealer, but I don't have any confidence that the same thing won't happen again.
 
The gas cap isn't even threaded really. there are 2 indentions on each side and they slide about a 1/4 turn to lock in. The clicker designed caps is a patented design by some small company (i remeber reading an article on it somewhere). GM and the other big 1 and a half have used them for a while. As long as your gentle with it (see - not taking it on and off as fast as you can, and only turning ti'll it clicks once) then it will last alot longer. It's cheap plastic... be gentle and you won't be stuck @ the gas station trying to look like he-man on a piece of plastic.
 
us4562 said:
The gas cap on my 2 month old Mazda 3 has got stuck twice, both times it took 10 minutes to undo. Not good. Does anyone know if Mazda are looking to redesign the cap. I'll go get a new one from the dealer, but I don't have any confidence that the same thing won't happen again.
Click to expand...

Mazda acted quick on this one. They recalled all of the old caps and shipped out newly designed ones. Mine broke recently, and they replaced with with one of the resdesigned caps. The dealer told me that I shouldn't be surprised if there is a vehicle recall coming for the cap since it is apparently a very widespread issue.
 
Can you tell what is different about the new design caps? I got a replacement on Sept. 29 and it looks exactly the same as the old one.
 
Just got back from service..>bad black part on my gas cap broke off the top white piece of my gas cap to. Dealer gave me a new one. It looks like this one is soon to fail as well...
 
good look guys. I'm on my 3rd cap and going in for a 4th tomorrow. They don't stick every time, but high altitude or very hot weather seems to make it happen???? I use the hammer gentle tap method (like a stuck on jar lid) but doesn't always work.
 
hiker11823 said:
good look guys. I'm on my 3rd cap and going in for a 4th tomorrow. They don't stick every time, but high altitude or very hot weather seems to make it happen???? I use the hammer gentle tap method (like a stuck on jar lid) but doesn't always work.
Click to expand...

your kidding me? i am on my second cap. jeez...we must look brilliant tapping our caps off. if it breaks again, i am going with a condom wrapped over the end :D
 
According to the Mazda guy at my local dealer, the new design gas cap will be out in a couple of months. Until then we're 'stuck' with the old design.
 
Add me to the club. Its some embarrassing sh t looking like a p ssy who can't get his gas cap off. The dealer better replace it under warranty.
 
My gas cap didn't open for me easily the last time I filled up my tank. So when I was in the dealership the other day for its first oil change, I asked them to slam a new one on (which they did).
 
Just happened to my 09 MS3 this weekend. It eventually came off, but it was a real ordeal. I honestly thought I was going to break it.
 
they replaced mine a while ago. Now I cant remember If i had it prior and never noticed but now i have this pump thingy. If its tuff to open i screw it back tight and pump it then open... and it works! lol... but i dont know, it can be in my head that it really works
 
dealer replaced mine without any issues, he knew it was a common issue. they say i got the new design, we'll see how it goes.
 
I almost had this issue. I had a couple friends in the car filling up, and I thought I looked like an idiot fiddling with it for nearly a minute. I'll probably give the dealership a call about it tomorrow, see if they'll replace it.
 
stupid gas cap!!!

my second gas cap just bit the dust. left me at the station this morning. had to go home to get the subaru. POS!

i guess the warranty piece isnt much better.
 
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