Ugh .. Me again..
Brand new bravo (mk1 1.8i 16v) owner, loving it, but discovering more and more I need to fix/alter all the time!!

I can't make the petrol cap lock. It goes in, but I turn the key, pull it out, and then the cap just unscrews and comes out..
How do I lock it?!! I cant work it out, nothing seems broken and I'm sure it did lock .. Any suggestions?!
Thanks again
Laurie

my girlfriend also had a lot of trouble getting to grips with the fiat petrol cap.
i think people have trouble with the petrol cap because the lock acts as a clutch on the cap rather than a conventional lock which would stop the cap moving. when the cap is locked it will turn as much as you want but the clutch is disengaged so you cant remove it (or put it back on which is probably your problem)

if you want to get yours on and locked again you need to:
make sure the key is in the unlocked position
put the petrol cap on and turn it till its tight
turn the key while holding the cap so it is locked
remove the key

now the cap should turn in your hand but it will not come off. that means its locked.


to remove the cap you need to:
hold the cap still while you insert and turn the key
unscrew the cap and remove it

at this point do not remove or turn the key. just fill up with fuel.

now you can simply put the cap back on, turn it till its tight, then hold the cap still while you turn and remove the key. hey presto its locked.

think of it as the front door to your house. you get home, unlock the door, then turn the handle. the lock and handle are 2 seperate things. the handle wont work when the door is locked (or the cap will turn but wont open if the cap is locked). you cant lock your front door unless you close it first (or the cap wont close if you lock it before you put it back on the car). its a 2 stage process.

ok ive been trying what you suggested (thanks btw) but still cant get it to work .. sorry im dumb!!
When I turn the cap, it doesnt really get tight, it starts to click (when turning clockwise) is that as far as it should go?
Also where is the key "unlocked" When turned clockwise or anticockwise?
Ive tried all combinations I can think of but i cant get it to work..
Thanks again
laurie

I agree, it's not easy to get to grips with! Turn anti-clockwise (left) to unlock and clockwise (right) to lock. As Jug says you have to hold the cap steady in your hand with one hand and turn the key with the other to unlock/ lock. I have made a video, will upload it shortly

you turn the petrol cap until it clicks (clockwise) then turn the key clockwise, should turn either 90 or 180 degrees iirc

hth

Helz said:

I have made a video, will upload it shortly

Click to expand...

rite, lookin forward to that video!
I REALLY cant seem to get it to do anything.I'll keep trying but i dont like to keep drawing attention to the petrol cap!
Thanks

This isn't going too well, I'm struggling to convert the video from mp4 to 3gp to upload it onto here. But if you have something that will play mp4 (Quicktime maybe? Winamp with plugins?) I can zip it and stick it up as it is

I do helz
I can play anything you send it in
Thank you so much!!
Laurie

Right I'm off slightly late to watch the footie, but here you go, mp4 version of me unscrewing petrol cap and putting it back

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/helenagregory/?action=view&current=20062006010mp4.flv

ok thanks
Enjoy the footy . owen off ater 3 minutes due to injury :-( Good match tho, and i dont lke footy! I appreciate you making yourself late
Laurie

took me about half hour in the petrol station to open it when i had my bravo people must of thought i was nuts!

cazz said:

took me about half hour in the petrol station to open it when i had my bravo people must of thought i was nuts!

Click to expand...

phew . glad im not completely uselss then!
Laurie

haha helz you beat me to making a video, i was planning on making one last night but i couldnt find the ac adapter for my camcorder. i've joined quite a few forums over the years but fiatforum definately has some of the most helpful people i've even seen on a forum. well done helz, 10/10

llol_slim dont worry it took my girlfriend 2 months to get the hang of it, she even had to get her granddad to help her one day when i was at work at and she almost ran out petrol. its fiat's fault they make them so fiddly

well I deffinately agree about this being the most helpful forum ive ever been a member of.
two people offering to make a video to help me after I just joined
Valiant help .. thank you so much
I havnt tried again since watching the video, I'll try tonight!
thanks
laurie

still doesnt work

Key in the unlocked position (key turned anti clockise and wont come out of the petrol cap) , I put the petrol cap in, turn it clockwise until it clicks. Turn the key clockwise and remove the key.
But when I remove the key try turning the cap, it still comes out.
stumped :bang:
Sorryfor such a dumb request for help..

sounds like the lock is no longer disengaging the clutch.
i think you can remove the lock barrel from your petrol cap and put it into another petrol cap. or it might be worth while trying to fix yours, hopefully it will just be something simple and the lock will need reattaching to the clutch mechanism. alternatively you can buy new locking caps for most cars, but you will then have a new key just for the petrol cap whihc is a bit of a shame. you could just leave it as it is, i think the petrol tank has protection against syphoning, the only possible problem is kids putting mud in or something like that, which is highly unlikely (unless you have a lot of enemys?)

jug said:

sounds like the lock is no longer disengaging the clutch.
i think you can remove the lock barrel from your petrol cap and put it into another petrol cap. or it might be worth while trying to fix yours, hopefully it will just be something simple and the lock will need reattaching to the clutch mechanism. alternatively you can buy new locking caps for most cars, but you will then have a new key just for the petrol cap whihc is a bit of a shame. you could just leave it as it is, i think the petrol tank has protection against syphoning, the only possible problem is kids putting mud in or something like that, which is highly unlikely (unless you have a lot of enemys?)

Click to expand...

Ok cool. Any idea how I mite take the cap apart? I would just have a go, but I'm a bit worried i mite break it, making it worse.
I think youre rite tho, no longer disengaging.
Don fancy having a seperate petrol cap key, had one on a different car, and did my head in.
Thanks
Laurie

i'll have a look at my cap when i get home. i have the feeling there will be a circlip holding it together but im not sure.

jug said:

i'll have a look at my cap when i get home. i have the feeling there will be a circlip holding it together but im not sure.

Click to expand...

Jug, did yo manage to work anything out? Ive been looking again, but just cannot work it out :-(
Thanks again
Laurie

i tried to figure out how to open it up but i cant. maybe you should just live with it not locking. sorry