Suddenly the gas filler door in my 2011 E550 won't latch closed --- sticks out about 1/2". Can't see what's going on. The cap "cord" is not interfering. Won't latch with doors locked or unlocked.

?????????????? Any clues?

 

With the door open look at about 7 or 8 o'clock. There is a spring loaded piston covered with a rubber boot. It's about 5/8" in diameter with the boot. Push it in and release it until it sticks out. Push the gas filler door in the same area and see if it latches. It happened to me a couple of times when the car was a few months old and hasn't happened in the last year or more.

 

With the door open look at about 7 or 8 o'clock. There is a spring loaded piston covered with a rubber boot. It's about 5/8" in diameter with the boot. Push it in and release it until it sticks out. Push the gas filler door in the same area and see if it latches. It happened to me a couple of times when the car was a few months old and hasn't happened in the last year or more.

You may have to repeat the pushing of the piston a few times before it works freely.

 

At 9 o'clock, there is a 3/8"-5/8" boot with a small piston that toggles in and out when pushed. It works freely, alternating in and out when pushed. If it is out, and the door pushed closed, the piston latches in, but the door then springs out again, about 1/4"-1/2" out from flush with the body.

At about 8 o'clock there is a 1/2-3/4" round boot that seems to have nothing behind it when pushed in. It stays in, but pops back out when the car is driven. Seems to have nothing to do with the door.

 

May not be the answer you are looking for but I find that I have to have the cap cord hanging down (starting at around the 7 o'clock position). Otherwise it interferes.

 

Just pull cap and drop it to straiten out and put it back in. Simple as that. No big deal at all.

 

If you mean 7 o'clock on the filler cap, mine won't even go there. It hangs at about 3 o'clock, maybe 5 o'clock at the best.

HOWEVER, fooling with the cord, where it attaches to the door it can be rotated. If I move the attachment there to 7 o'clock looking at the attachment, the door stays closed. ?????????????????

Thanks for your input, it put me on track.

 

Play with the string on the gas cap. I had the same issue. That's the problem. Regards. Ned.

 

Just don't let the cord tangled inside. Then you'll be OK.

 

Thanks, folks!

 

Being the gentleman that I am, I always fuel the vehicle. Wife had the car the other day but was low on fuel so she fueled it first time and what do you know, she broke the car lol.
Same issue with stupid gas cap dummy cord got in the way of locking gas door. I was at work at the time so she drove to Merc service, took them 20min to figure it out.

 

When my wife fueled for the first time she nroke the door too!

 

Another thread about a complaint that was actually pilot error. Wooooooohooooooo. Damn those germans.

 

The service guy had 4 other broken ones behind counter.

 

A potential hazard exists in that if you lock the car while you are refueling, (fuel door open) you cannot close it as it is locked with the door open. You cannot fully close or lock the fuel door in this condition. Forcing it to close will probably break something. I discovered this when I locked my car while refueling in a busy gas station. It's not uncommon for a thief to distract you while his confederate removes items from your car. A greater problem for those carrying purses.

 

Does anyone know if there is a recall or something that service can do about this. it seems like every fill up I run into this issue where I need to straighten out the cord in order for the door to close. I am in a 2011. I wonder if the 2012 has the same issue???

 

Had the exact same problem when I first got my 550 as well. Hopefully MB addresses that faulty gas cap cable.

 

2012's have the same issue

 

im this close to cutting the cable and making something myself... Anyone try this yet? suggestions?

 

In my experience (I'm the original poster for this thread) I found that if I stretch out the cable and take out any twists and curls in it, and then point the cable straight down from its attachment to the door hinge, it will behave properly. I suspect that in my case the cable had developed a twist.

E550 2011

 

If the cable snags in its groove in the gas cap and starts twisting just hold it with a finger and let it slide in the gas cap groove as the cap rotates.

 

My dealer told and warned me about this when he gave me my car.

Usually, if the door doesn't close fully, it is because of the cable that is attached to the fuel cap. So in a situation where it is not closing, just move the cable around or stretch it a little. That will solve all the problems. At least it worked every time when I tried to fix it.

 

I did read all these posts. This may not be a factor at all, but there is an emergency release lever or something inside the trunk approximately behind the location of the fill tube. It is there to open the fill door if pushing on it does not work.

 

This forum is amazing..have found answers to everything...I have 2 month old 2013 E350...love it...had the issue with fuel door not locking...went to dealer and the adviser looked at it....couldn't figure it out but said he couldn't get me in until next week........Looked on this forum and found the answer here...the fuel cap cord was twisted and in the way.......Crazy design because its allowed much movement...Thanks guys for all your help.

 

Just pull cap and drop it to straiten out and put it back in.