Has anyone else had this ?

I noticed today that the door that covers the fuel filler is missing. The hinge assembly is still there, but the door flap (which seems to just clip onto it) has disappeared !

My first thought was that it`d fallen off, but that seems rather unlikely (it only seems to be held on by a clip, however the clip is still there). The other possibility is it`s been nicked, I`d have thought anyone who knows how easily the flap seems to come off the hinge could swipe it in about 10 seconds.

The fact the door is body coloured means at the very least I`m going to have to buy a replacement then mess about spraying it, and if I want it to look exactly the same I`ll have to use lacquer as well (I do so wish I hadn`t bought a car with metallic paint ! !). To say I`m annoyed about it is putting it mildly !

Last question, if these filler door covers do get nicked is it a good idea to make it harder to purloin ? Even a little self tapper in the right place would make it much more difficult to remove. But would the scumbag then just wreck the hinge assembly so as to get the cover ? Thus leaving me with an even bigger and more expensive job.....

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I ended up buying a replacement flap (in undercoat) for £15.75 including carriage.

Try ebay, theres a few on there. What year and colour is yours?

Doubt it would simply fall off, probably some !Removed! vandalized it.

Try ebay, theres a few on there. What year and colour is yours?

2006, I think it`s Ink Blue. I wonder if I found one off E Bay if it`d be mine ! ? !

The faff with ford blue is getting a colour match theres lots of variations on that one colour ebay would be the best bet

Doubt it would simply fall off, probably some !Removed! vandalized it.

I reckon that`s the most likely explanation. Thinking about it could only have been one of three places :

1 at the garage I filled up at (Tescos at Gorton Manchester)

2 parked on my drive under my car port

3 parked in Ponds Forge Sports Centre car park.

I have to say I reckon if it was stolen it`d be odds on to be number 1..... It did occur to me to ask them if they had my pump on CCTV which would prove it one way or the other, but it`d be a load of hassle and I doubt very much the police would do anything even if it showed a driver (or passenger) get out of an adjacent car, steal the filler door, and get back in again.

He`s still a SCUMBAG though.....

It`s worth considering making it harder to remove your fuel filler door though !

I reckon that`s the most likely explanation. Thinking about it could only have been one of three places :

1 at the garage I filled up at (Tescos at Gorton Manchester)

2 parked on my drive under my car port

3 parked in Ponds Forge Sports Centre car park.

I have to say I reckon if it was stolen it`d be odds on to be number 1..... It did occur to me to ask them if they had my pump on CCTV which would prove it one way or the other, but it`d be a load of hassle and I doubt very much the police would do anything even if it showed a driver (or passenger) get out of an adjacent car, steal the filler door, and get back in again.

He`s still a SCUMBAG though.....

It`s worth considering making it harder to remove your fuel filler door though !

Somehow I don't see any big reward in nicking that part.

Not a common occurence I'd say - more probably a case of mischievous young'uns looking for trouble, so unlikely to happen again.

Last week I was filling up with diesel and my fuel cap fell of and went under the car a wes just wondering if that has happened to you

Somehow I don't see any big reward in nicking that part.

Not a common occurence I'd say - more probably a case of mischievous young'uns looking for trouble, so unlikely to happen again.

Unless they wanted one because their`s was scratched / damaged, or had fallen off, or some other scumbag had pinched their`s !

If it was stolen at the Tescos garage I think it`d have been from the young men in the car on the other side of the pump I was at, they weren`t kids.

Of more significance what does all this say about whether I should make the replacement harder to get off ? Harder to nick (or fall off) nut more chance the git might do more damage to whilst removing it, or just out of spite.....

As an aside, how come (particularly on a Ghia version ? ) neither the door flap nor the filler cap is lockable ? Is that how it`s supposed to be ? I`ve never had a car with no lock on either !

Last week I was filling up with diesel and my fuel cap fell of and went under the car a wes just wondering if that has happened to you

No it wasn`t the fuel filler cap that`s gone missing, it`s the door flap. Incidentally the fuel filler cap on my car is tethered to the housing assembly by an extendable plastic cord.

the door is locked with the central locking, when the car is locked so is the door. the filler cap is always unlocked

the door is locked with the central locking, when the car is locked so is the door. the filler cap is always unlocked

Thanks for that. Are you saying the locking mechanism is on the hinge, i.e. hidden behind the bodywork ?

I assume you need to open the flap to get at the catch to remove the door flap, therefore, if the flap was nicked, it must have been at the petrol station, because all the other times the car was locked.

I`ve found and ordered a replacement flap, in undercoat for £15.75 including carriage, which I don`t think is too bad at all. I`ve already got some Ink Blue spray paint, I don`t think I`ll bother with the lacquer, so it won`t be a big job. The only decision is if I try to make it harder to remove. On balance I think I am going to, because if (as the above post indicates) the flap is normally locked, what I`m more bothered about is it ever falls off !

I know on mine (with the easy fuel cap), the actual fuel flap doesn't lock at all.

the door is locked with the central locking, when the car is locked so is the door. the filler cap is always unlocked

I can confirm this is also the case with my car, I`ve just checked it. Thus the locking mechanism must be behind the body panel and act on the hinge mechanism.

makes you wonder how many new cars have locking caps fitted to stop fuel theft

Theredfox - my car has easyfuel, but I'd also imagine an anti siphon feature (not to mention I think the filler necks are prone to break anyway if they tried too hard!)

I can confirm this is also the case with my car, I`ve just checked it. Thus the locking mechanism must be behind the body panel and act on the hinge mechanism.

Yep, had a look this morning when i filled up to confirm.

I`ve found and ordered a replacement flap, in undercoat for £15.75 including carriage, which I don`t think is too bad at all. I`ve already got some Ink Blue spray paint, I don`t think I`ll bother with the lacquer, so it won`t be a big job. The only decision is if I try to make it harder to remove. On balance I think I am going to, because if (as the above post indicates) the flap is normally locked, what I`m more bothered about is it ever falls off !

I can confirm that this flap does fit my Mk2 Focus.

Whilst trial fitting the flap I also found out how the locking system works. There`s a white plastic post which is just below the hinge and that is pushed up by the central locking, thus preventing the fuel filler flap from being opened.

my car has easy fuel but the door does not lock never had any problems with it

It's an age thing... From Mk2.5 the flap no longer locks with easyfuel. It doesn't need to as you can't syphon the fuel from there anyway.

It's a lot of effort though, if you want to nick some fuel could just pierce the tank...

glad mine off the road at nights dont fancy paying for a new tank

Tbh, I can't imagine people bother nicking fuel from 'normal' cars anyway. It'd be a lottery as to whether the car had any fuel in it. A lot of people only stick a tenner in at a time and that isn't worth the risk lol!

i normally keep it full but i think thats a great idea sticking a tenner in at a time

so much safer

Shhh, don't tell them and they won't know. ;)

I brim mine, but let it get down to the fuel light before brimming again...so they could end up trying it when it's on the fuel light lol...