mleskovar

I've read where the tangs on the gas cap can get out of alignment so you can't put the cap back on properly until you align them.

CitronC230K_03

thats extactly what i had to do. but the cap doesnt seem to go on the same way it used to. im going to have the dealer look at it and try and get a new one.

prodigy1387

i had a weird problem like that once. i was filling up my tank at the gas station, and when i went to put my gas cap back on, it wouldn't fit on at all. i was dumbfounded - it just wouldn't screw on correctly. and i knew i wasn't just an idiot because i was with 3 friends, and none of us could screw the cap back on properly. i had to drive with the cap half on and the light telling me there was a problem. the next day though, when i went to look at the problem, the cap screwed on properly as if nothing happened, and i haven't had that happen since (knock on wood). very strange.

dmatre

It's a fairly common problem on MB's. It happened a couple of times on my old '87 300TD, and once on the '03 C230Sedan.

It becomes a bigger problem if you don't have a pocket knife or screwdriver to pry the littles tabs up, so that you can rotate the damn thing back into position.

tuscanraider

Exactly the same happened to me a week ago. I stood at the pump for 5 minutes after fill up and couldn't get it to line up....when I got home I had to do the prying of the tabs to re-align it.

CitronC230K_03

weird, ive never had this problem before on my 300CD, 30D, or moms MB's. i may bring it up next time i take my car in for service.

Gump

It's happened to mine once before, had to do the exact same thing you have.

Jon200

That's a first

lucky we have the computer to warn us

Tim-BlackE320

Hi Guys

Just read the thread by Citron about the gas cap problem because I thought I was going crazy. Many thanks to Citron, Saprissa, Mleskovar, Prodigy amd dMatre and tuscanraider

Yesterday, the blinking fuel light came on (later it was accompanied by the CEL) and I thought about the gas cap b/c I vaguely recalled hearing about a gas cap issue. Anyway, I pull over take it off and then I can't get the cap back on. So, I drove him with it halfway off. I got home and spent 45 minutes cursing myself for being so stupid that I could not get the cap back on. After a good while, I took a hard look at the cap and wondered if something had become stuck. So, this morning I decided to search this forum just, on the off chance, maybe I am not crazy and found your thread.

Anyway, here's my question, a couple of you guys referred to "pegs" or "tangs" that would need to be pryed. Are those the metal looking things that stick out - do they need to be pryed up and away or pryed so that they move horizontally - obviously, I don't want to destroy the cap trying to pry it in the wrong direction. Can anyone you give me a better idea (anyone have a pic of what is supposed to look like?) of exactly what I need to do.

I already feel a lot better knowing that I am not insane, but if you guys could help a little more, that would be great!

dmatre

Tim . . .

Yes, the metal 'tangs' are spring-loaded, and need to be pryed up, so that they can be rotated back into the proper position on the cap.

I used a pocketknife (and a lot of effort) to get the job done. It does take a good bit of force to move the tangs, but the cap seems to be up to it (didn't do any damage).

Just keep working with it, it'll fall into place.

Tim-BlackE320

Appreciate the quick reply - I will give it a try tonight.

CitronC230K_03

the metal prongs are a pain in the @$$ to move. my gas cap doesnt go on as smoothly as it did and im taking my car in for a SVC A the end of this month and im going to have them check it out.

i used to flat head screw drivers to pry the prongs up, and then twist it back into position. it worked but took awhile for me to figure out how to pry the prongs up and still move the plastic base.

i hope you get yours, its not hard once you figure it out.

Tim-BlackE320

thanks to you guys, last night got home (take the truck to work) and went to the garage, turned the light on, got my tools out, fiddled around with the cap trying to pry the tangs and viola, with some small gymnastics, I was able to get it realigned. Felt good. I immediately took her out for a test drive, but the CEL was still on. I decided to take it to work today because I read yesterday that it may take a few starts before the CEL goes out. Hopefully, that will be the case. Otherwise, I guess I will have to take it in.
thanks again

CitronC230K_03

my check engine light never came back on after the gas cap incident. glad you got it back on though. it sure is a pain in the @$$ to mess with.

Tim-BlackE320

just to bring this thread to a conclusion and for the benefit of any lurkers out there who may have experienced or who may experience this trouble, I am pleased to report that after driving around yesterday, the CEL eventually went off. I did some further research and read that it takes some time for the fuel pressure to be readjusted and that seems to be exactly what happened.

anyway, many thanks again to all of those who discussed this issue. Not only did I save significant time dealing with taking the vehicle to the dealer, I also saved $$$$$$$$$$ by not having them sell me an oxygen or mass sensor.

CitronC230K_03

hey does your cap screw on just as smoothly as before? mine doesnt and im taking my car in for a Service A the end of the month and im going to have them check it out.

Tim-BlackE320

to my surprise, the gas cap screwed back on nice and smooth. Obviously, I will have to endeavor to keep gas station attendants from damaging the cap again in the future by hastily trying to screw it back on.

Anyway, as part of my research the last couple of days, I did come across this site that sells replacement caps, which you might be interested in since it sounds like your cap may still be damaged.

http://www.autopartsauthority.com/re.../MB~parts.html

CitronC230K_03

im still well under warranty. ill have the dealer check it out and hopefully change it.

eddieo45

I had my gas cap get misaligned, as documented nicely in previous threads by TimBlackE320 ans CitronC230K_03 (it pays to STFF!). I fixed it on Sunday, and now, 7 or 10 starts later, CEL is still on. Granted, I can have the code read/cleared when my new tire comes in (that's in another post...it's been an eventful 3 weeks with the new car; I think Mercury's retrograde), but how long should it take to go out on it's own? Still under warranty, but am having tire mounted by an indy and dealer is a little out of the way.

MJ50

disconnect the battery for about 5 minutes and reconnect.
CEL should go away...

eddieo45

thanks, but I'd rather wait the few days till I can get to my indy and his OBDII, or take the trip to the dealer. If it doesn't go out by itself, I'd like to know what code it's throwing. Not to mention, disconnecting the battery would mean resetting the clock, radio, and a number of PITA problems listed HERE.

BlackLiquorish8

I went to the gas station the other day to fill up and i was in the full service side the guy finishes up fillin my car and puts on the cap but struggles. I went over and i couldnt put it on either..... i have a check engine light b/c the gas cap is not on. Has this ever happend to anyone??? i never knew gas caps could go bad... Does anyone know how much the item is. It looks as tho something is not alligned but i rather just buy a new one.

thanx

pookie

I had a problem like this. you need pliers to properly align the metal on the cap around the white plastic. I couldn't get it done so I ended up at the dealer with the service tech just coming out and fixing it. It was less than a minute job. You can probably do it yourself, I was just to careful to make things worse.

Search the forum as well, many had similiar probs.

Sponger

My wife filled the tank and now the cap won't go on. Has this happened to anyone else and what did you do?

14cue

do a search, this has happened to many people - minus me.