The average price for the fuel door release actuator replacement cost is between $167 and $186, with the labor costs between $69 and $86. As you can see, the total labor time for billed hours is generally less than 60 minutes, with labor prices typically ranging between $7 and $100 per hour. Lastly, the cost of hte parts is around $99 for the fuel door release actuator.
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What is the car’s Fuel System?
The function of the vehicle fuel system in your car is to store the fuel safely and supply the proper amount of fuel to the engine when needed. The engine intake system is where the fuel is mixed with the right amount of air, atomized, and then vaporized, in that order specifically.
- The first step in the fuel system is compressing the air within the engine cylinder and then igniting to produce ample energy or power to let the vehicle run. Although fuel systems will change depending on what car you have, all systems are the same in one aspect – they supply fuel to the combustion chamber and control the fuel supplied in relation to the ratio of air. Without the proper ratio of air to fuel mixture, the fuel system will not work properly.
- Then, the fuel is stored in the fuel tank to be used consistently throughout the driving of your vehicle, when the fuel pump draws fuel from the tank.
- The fuel then travels through the fuel lines, which must be clear during the fuel system cleaning, and then delivered through a fuel filter to the fuel injectors. The fuel filter is a key process in the fuel system cleaning process, since it has to filter out the correct amount of fuel and any debris or particles within the liquid.
- When the fuel is delivered, the laser conditions required for providing complete combustion within the fuel system is atomization and the spray pattern of the fuel.
- Atomization can only be accomplished correctly by an injection of pressure, which occurs with the diameter of the holes in the injector.
What is the fuel door release actuator?
Now that you know what the fuel system is and the functions in your car, it is important to know what the fuel door release actuator does in your vehicle. This part is a mechanism that holds the fuel door shut on your car, SUV, or another vehicle. The actuator can either be controlled manually by a cable or lever, or it can be electronically controlled by a remote or switches.
How does the fuel door release actuator work?
Locked Automatically
In some cars, the fuel door shuts and latches automatically when the fuel door is closed after filling your gas tank. Once the fuel door is secured shut, the door can be opened either by a cable release, or electronically by an electric solenoid and switch. The total fuel door release actuator replacement cost will depend on whether the mechanism is manual or electric.
Locked While in Park
Some fuel doors on other vehicles unlock when the vehicle is placed in the ‘park’ position, but lock themselves automatically when the vehicle is then in drive or neutral. The vehicle can sense when the car is moving, signaling the fuel door release actuator to keep the mechanism shut to add safety and prevent fuel from spilling.
If you find the fuel door is opening while you are driving, or when your car is placed in ‘drive,’ you will have a higher fuel door release actuator replacement cost.
Locked Only During Crashes
In addition, some vehicles on the road have fuel doors that are generally not locked at all but lock themselves if they feel exterior trauma in the event of a collision or crash. Vehicles that have a fuel door that is typically locked will also feature a release lever, button, or switch that drivers can use manually to unlock the door.
Once drivers discover the lever or switch is not working on releasing the fuel door, they will also have to ask for a quote on the fuel door release actuator replacement cost.
Vehicles that have a fuel door typically locked will involve a release lever or button inside of the passenger compartment so you can press it when you need to fill your tank with gas. If you find the manual release lever near the steering column or steering wheel, a cable will extend from the lever and connect to the fuel door release actuator behind the fuel door.
The electric release in this mechanism involves the switch in the passenger area controlling the solenoid and the signals it receives from the electrical system. This actuator is generally controlled by the body control module. Since the body control module is an expensive and important part, any damage to his mechanism will lead to a higher fuel door release actuator replacement cost.
Symptoms of a Faulty Door Release Actuator
To get an understanding of the overall fuel door release actuator replacement cost, you need to know the symptoms of a malfunctioning fuel door and fuel system.
Fuel Door Won't Open
One of the main signs that something is wrong in your fuel system or fuel door is that the fuel door is not able to open at all, whether manually or electronically.
Slow to Respond
A fuel door that only works sometimes, whether it be when you use the electrical switch or use the cable-operated lever, also is a sign that something is wrong in your fuel system. Furthermore, if your fuel door is slow to respond after pushing the button or pressing on the door itself, this is a sign of a higher fuel door release actuator replacement cost.
Fuel Door Stuck
Another common symptom of something wrong with the fuel system is the fuel door getting stuck in the open position. This can occur from the release lever becoming hard to pull or the actuator pin getting stuck in the open position while trying to release the fuel door.
Fuel Doors Does Not Lock
If you find the fuel door doesn't lock when driving, you need to look into the fuel door release actuator replacement cost in your electrical system. The root cause of this issue could be due to the electric actuator clicking and causing the door to be stuck in a certain position.
Can you drive with a faulty fuel door release actuator?
Although the fuel door and fuel sensor is not the end of the world if they are not operating correctly, we still recommend going to a mechanic to get the quote for the fuel door release actuator before the problem gets any worse.
If you let this issue go on for too long without fixing the problem, it can lead to a higher repair or replacement cost in the long run.
Furthermore, if you do not fix the root cause of the issue with the fuel door release actuator, it can eventually become impossible to open the fuel door and add fuel to your vehicle. If this is the case, you can run out of gas while driving on the road, leading to a potentially unsafe driving condition.
If you run out of gas, you could also be stuck in an unsafe location where you do not know where you are and where you could be far away from the next gas station. To prevent this from happening, obtain the fuel door release actuator replacement cost and fix the actuator and fuel door before this happens.
How often do I need to replace the fuel door release actuator?
A fuel door release actuator typically lasts the entire lifetime of the vehicle. However, if there is excessive force, trauma, or constant collisions in the same area of your car, it can lead to a higher fuel door release actuator replacement cost due to excessive wear and tear.
In addition, the fuel door could crack due to too much force on the mechanism, along with the manual actuator causing the cable to stretch beyond repair. Furthermore, a dirty actuator pin on the electronic fuel door can corrode and breakdown over time if it is not cleaned and maintained.
How do you replace the fuel door release actuator?
To get an idea of the fuel door release actuator replacement cost, you need to know the steps involved with the replacement. The general procedure typically involves the same steps for both manual and electronic doors, with the most important step is gaining access to the actuator.
In some cars, the boot around the fuel filler is removed completely, and the actuator is installed. This increases the labor cost, since the mechanic will have to gain full access to fix the actuator.
However, in other cars, you may have to remove the entire trim components inside the trunk or in the wheelhouse to gain access. This will increase the billed hours, along with the need to remove electrical plugs for hte fuel door release actuators.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, determining the overall fuel door release actuator replacement cost depends on the type of actuator you have, the root cause of any problems, and how long you have waited before fixing the fuel issue.