Hi. I can open the fuel filler flap OK, but before I can insert the nozzle to fill the tank there is a white plastic disc that presumably should slide out of the way to the right, but doesn't. I've had to slide it over with a thin screwdriver and hold it there while I insert the nozzle. Any idea what I can do to fix this problem please? Maybe the white disk should move out of the way when the fuel flap opens, or perhaps a fuse has blown?

Can you post a picture of it?

EasyFuel is a mechanical system.  It is designed to move apart when you push the correct sized nozzle into it.  It will only accept the diesel sized nozzle, not a petrol nozzle or many fuel can nozzles.

To check it works you can insert the emergency funnel which should be stored somewhere in the boot unless the previous owner lost it.

Genuine Ford Kuga Transit Focus EcoSport Diesel Refuelling Funnel 2018- 2050651 | eBay

Sometimes EasyFuel can be awkward at specific filling stations.  You may need to adjust the angle on the pump or just use a different station.

Hi TomFocus, thank you for the response.

Do you have any idea what triggers the disk movement? To be clear there are actually two 'barriers'. The first is the white plastic(?) disk which I have to manually slide sideways with a thin piece of metal. This enables the nozzle to progress to what what looks like a metal flap that moves backwards into the filler tube when I push the nozzle through.

I'll gather some photos when (if!) it stops raining.

Photos attached (ignore the crud). I've never come across this before, the white plastic disk snaps shut when released, making it impossible to insert the fuel nozzle into the filler tube!

Any ideas?

Oh, that's very different to the Focus version.  Not sure if it's broken & missing a part or if there's more than one type.  I'll have to do a bit of research unless anyone else can confirm.

18 hours ago, Mr Jolly1 said:

Do you have any idea what triggers the disk movement?

I believe that on the 2008-2010 Mondeo they had a dirt/dust protective disk (possibly your white plastic disk) that retracted when the fuel filler door was fully opened, it may even have clicked in to an open position which retracted the protective cover??

Are you perhaps not fully opening the fuel filler door ?

Don't go crazy forcing it back, but does it seem to click in to an open position ?

The fuel filler door opens fully, but there is a definite click when over halfway open. Maybe that's when the disc should retract.

Good one - I hadn't thought of that. Maybe I could take the assembly apart and see if there's any connection between the two. There are several small circular depressions around the filler outer circle which may reveal themselves to be clips. Do you have any experience of disassembling the filler head?

Failing that maybe it's an unnecessary impediment to refuelling heaven, so maybe I could remove it, or even jam it out of the way?

 

4 hours ago, Mr Jolly1 said:

Do you have any experience of disassembling the filler head?

Sorry no.

It's not something I've seen in real life, only something I remember reading about quite a few years back.

OK, no worries. Thank you for suggesting another direction I hadn't considered.

All sorted...the castellations round the outside of the filler hole rely on the particular size of the filler nozzle (apparently that's why there's a funnel under the floor, in case you fill from a container) The diesel nozzle is a specific size and depresses the castellations which in turn move the white disk out of the way allowing access to the tank.

Thank you all again for your help.