Anyone else having this problem?

Everytime I go through a carwash (softcloth type) I find the fuel door ajar upon exiting. This is because the fuel door uses a "push-in to close and push-in to release" mechanism and the slapping of the wet cloths against the body are able to release the fuel door and its always open after I exit.

Today, the fuel door was not only open but bent! It no longer lined up with the body when closed and wouldn't click closed. I got it home and with bit of ingenuity (Macgiver), managed to get it realigned and working smoothly again.

Frankly, I'm disappointed that my 08' HHR is having such a problem with the same carwashes that my 72 AMC Gremlin had no problem with! In fact, my 74 Vega, 79 CorvetteL82, 2000 Cadillac Eldorado and 2004 Monte Carlo SS also had no issues with carwashes.

I've solved the problem myself by keeping a box of band-aids in the glove-box. I stick one over the fuel door before washing and peel it off after I exit.....crude, but it works.

Has GM got a better solution other than to use touchless washes which do little more than to remove the mud and still leave my black car looking grey?

Emailed this to GM and I'm awaiting a response.....

Krusty.

 

Hey Krusty, after getting the HHR washed does the place hand dry the out side ??
If they do just ask them to push it closed as thy wipe it dry ??

 

Nope....no people at all. Ya enter a code, drive onto the track and hold on....grin. Does an excellent job otherwise.

 

Boy that sounds to good to be true, no people to yell at.........

I go to the local reservation for my gas and get there hand wash top to bottom and front to back. After washing they hand dry my black HHR. All this for five bucks. The taller one even sprays the T top and cleans away all the water spots.

 

Wow...I've doing it all wrong! Gimme an address...I'm there!

 

GM doesn't recommend using ANY kind of automatic car wash--especially touchless ones.

Solution: roll of blue painter's tape. Put a small piece on the filler door and quarter panel and you shouldn't have any problems. Peels off easier than a bandage too.

I'm assuming you're also removing the antenna before you go through the wash too?

 

Yeh...I was kidding about the band-aid. I use the exact tape that you described and YES I always unscrew the antenna.

 

Krusty....

To my knowledge, you are the ONLY owner, of some 6000-7000, that has experienced this. I doubt if there is a "better solution" from GM (just being practical, not criticizing). Maybe it's unusually high pressure of the whips or the angle of the whip roller. I suggest a different car wash.

I've used automatic car washes (felt whip/cloth type) twice........on a vacation trip, to remove bugs and road grime. Both times I sustained damage to my polished rims. The guide rails were the culprit. But nothing to the antenna, which I left on, nor the fuel door.

I'd be interested in GM's answer to you, if any.

 

It will go something like this.

Qustion One: Was it a dealers car wash?

Question Two: No, then where?

Question Three: Has a dealer inspected it?

Sooner or later the GM rep will tell Krusty to take it to a dealer for an inspection and then he/she will call the dealer to see their decision. What happens from there is anyone guess.

Now if the vehicle was brought to me, I would first assume, as already have, that either A) the door was not shut all the way before entering the car wash or B) the car wash is at fault, since I have never seen this complaint before and this same fuel door system is on 100's of thousands of GM cars.

I would ask if this car wash was done after getting gas.
Then I would look at your vehicle history and look to see if you purchased at our dealership.
I would then make a decision on whether or not I would assist in the repairs.

If there was something that totally convinced me, in my mind, that this was neither yours or the car washes fault I would cover it no problem.

Just my

 

I noticed the fuel door is sensitive to the touch. I don't use automatic carwashes because they leave marks. What I can't understand is why the LS doesn't have a locking cap.