996 fuel flap release cord

[Jer_1974]

Stupidly pulled the fuel flap release cord as my battery was flat thinking it would pop the bonnet. I now have a cord hanging down from inside the door. Should it have sprung back or do these get replaced after you have used them?

[Demort]

It should loop around the locking solinoid , try lifting the fuel flap lid , lock the drivers door latch useing a small screwdriver ,lock the car .. the fuel lock will have moved out then just pull on the cable and see if it pulls the lock back.

If it doesnt then its broken .. hard pulling on it will break it as its only thin plastic ... its not a huge job to replace it to be honest though.

[bgunn]

Demort said:

its not a huge job to replace it to be honest though.

Fairly fiddly from the wheel arch with the plastic liner out, I've just done the same on my 986 Boxster. The solenoid had locked solid, and someone had slid the retaining clip off the flap so it wasn't locking.

£38 for a new one, as said, the release chord has a loop that sits over the end of the plunger.

[Jer_1974]

Thanks I will have a look in the morning.

[Johnd52]

It is a bit awkward to get the solenoid out, but if you can loosen the screws it sleds up off the mountings. I replaced my broken loop with some fine gauge electrical wire which I secured to the solenoid arm where the original had broken off.