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-   -   Couldn't Find Charger Fuel Door Release (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/avis-preferred-budget-fastbreak/1271794-couldnt-find-charger-fuel-door-release.html)

BearX220 Oct 22, 2011 10:26 am

Couldn't Find Charger Fuel Door Release
 
I had a weird experience on my way back to LAX last night in a new (500-mile) Dodge Charger from Avis.

I drove the car less than 100 miles around LA and pulled into the Arco station on Century Blvd, running a little late, to top up the tank before returning it. After turning the car off I realized I could not for the life of me locate a button or latch inside the car to pop the fuel filler door. I looked all over the dashboard, center console, glove box, button console on the door's armrest -- nothing. I got out and tried pressing the door itself at different edges -- nothing. Finally I gave up and drove to the Avis return lot. Explained to the roving return guy that I had tried to buy gas without success, and HE couldn't find a way to pop the fuel door either. "Sometiimes it's in the trunk," he said (?), so we looked in there too. No dice.

The agent added $21 in fuel charges to my rental tab but suggested I go inside and ask to have it lifted, which I did -- and when I told my story to the counter guy, he took the fuel charge off without arguing. Then when I stepped outside heading for the shuttle bus, the roving agent yelled over at me: "Hey, I found it! I found it!" I trotted over to see. Triumphantly the agent flung open the driver's door on the Charger. Toward the rear of the door's floor-level storage bay was a tiny, unlit black button. With the door closed it would be about abeam with your left hip, impossible to locate except by feel.

Ridiculous design and I wonder how many Charger renters get socked for fuel fees because they can't figure out how to put gas in the car and don't want to appear dumb when they return it (not one of my worries)?

Other than that the Charger was a surprisingly nice ride. Great big purring high-powered road-sled for crawling along Santa Monica Boulevard at 4 mph.

Mabuk dan gila Oct 30, 2011 6:49 pm

Don't feel bad. That's happened to me a couple of times, although I did eventually triumph and figure it out after screwing around looking like an idiot for 10 minutes at the gas pump. :D Once I had to resort to retrieving the owners manual from the glove compartment and reading it, and even then the answer was buried in like the middle of page 143 or something not obvious. Pretty damned tricky, some of those newfangled fuel doors. Now I actually make a point of trying the fuel door sometime during the rental rather than waiting until I'm running late for my flight and trying for the first time at the last minute.:D:D

dbuckho Oct 30, 2011 7:50 pm

Filling up near PHX last night with a Charger from National. Took me almost 10 minutes to find the fuel door release. And I have a 2011 Dodge Durango at home. Thought there would br some commonality in design (and probably why I kept looking - knew it had to be there).

Also enjoyed the Charger as a rental.

tilhas Nov 9, 2011 9:18 am

Stupid Charger locked itself with the keys inside. The remote eatery key.


You know, you keep the key in your pocket. walk close to the car it unlocks. push the button car starts.
Well ONLY DODGE and yes ONLY DODGE has the stupid feature where the car would LOCK if the key is left inside the car.
Try it on a BMW/AUDI/Mercedes/Acura/etc and it won't i know i've tried at every charge.
Avis charged me a 55$ lock out fee...

Stephen loves Starwood Nov 11, 2011 10:20 pm

That's the stupidest thing I've heard. I'd be ticked off also. Usually, you can't even lock the darn doors if the keys are in the car.

On another note, the other day I had to run into Staples to pick up some supplies and left a passenger friend of mine in the car. I left the car running as it was cold out as she also had her baby with her. Problem is I had the car keys in my pocket. When I got back she was complaining that the bell just kept ringing every 5 seconds or so. Drove her crazy.

Well, you know . . . she could've just turned the engine off !!

tkyoshi Nov 12, 2011 8:07 pm


Originally Posted by Stephen loves Starwood (Post 17435641)
That's the stupidest thing I've heard. I'd be ticked off also. Usually, you can't even lock the darn doors if the keys are in the car.

On another note, the other day I had to run into Staples to pick up some supplies and left a passenger friend of mine in the car. I left the car running as it was cold out as she also had her baby with her. Problem is I had the car keys in my pocket. When I got back she was complaining that the bell just kept ringing every 5 seconds or so. Drove her crazy.

Well, you know . . . she could've just turned the engine off !!

It should not lock the transmitter in the vehicle. The doors only lock once the vehicle is moving.

Also if you try locking the vehicle with the Passive Key inside it will automatically unlock the doors (unless you try 3 times - on the 3rd it will let you lock them in). If you leave the Passive Key in the trunk and close the lid, the lid will pop back open.

Jaimandj Aug 1, 2013 8:12 am

It's the same on the 2014!!
 
I was very leary to click on this search result since it was a post from 2011. I am soooo glad I did. We have a 2014 Charger and it took visits to two separate gas stations and 5 men assisting to give up, google it at work and finally locate it in the parking lot. OK, here it is - If you are sitting in the driver's seat with the door closed, the button is located IN the trash collecting side pocket of the door (at least that's what it ends up being in my car). It's a little round black button no bigger than the size of a quarter. It is easier to spot if you are still sitting in the seat when the door is open.
I hope this helps!!:confused:

LoganFlyer Aug 2, 2013 8:48 am

Yup...I had the same thing on a Santa Fe out of SAN. The button to open the gas door was in the middle of the driver's side door:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-m...627_213748.jpg

Aginn10 Sep 17, 2015 3:09 pm

Thank you!!
 
Because of u I wasn't stranded!!!

QUOTE=BearX220;17317653]I had a weird experience on my way back to LAX last night in a new (500-mile) Dodge Charger from Avis.

I drove the car less than 100 miles around LA and pulled into the Arco station on Century Blvd, running a little late, to top up the tank before returning it. After turning the car off I realized I could not for the life of me locate a button or latch inside the car to pop the fuel filler door. I looked all over the dashboard, center console, glove box, button console on the door's armrest -- nothing. I got out and tried pressing the door itself at different edges -- nothing. Finally I gave up and drove to the Avis return lot. Explained to the roving return guy that I had tried to buy gas without success, and HE couldn't find a way to pop the fuel door either. "Sometiimes it's in the trunk," he said (?), so we looked in there too. No dice.

The agent added $21 in fuel charges to my rental tab but suggested I go inside and ask to have it lifted, which I did -- and when I told my story to the counter guy, he took the fuel charge off without arguing. Then when I stepped outside heading for the shuttle bus, the roving agent yelled over at me: "Hey, I found it! I found it!" I trotted over to see. Triumphantly the agent flung open the driver's door on the Charger. Toward the rear of the door's floor-level storage bay was a tiny, unlit black button. With the door closed it would be about abeam with your left hip, impossible to locate except by feel.

Ridiculous design and I wonder how many Charger renters get socked for fuel fees because they can't figure out how to put gas in the car and don't want to appear dumb when they return it (not one of my worries)?

Other than that the Charger was a surprisingly nice ride. Great big purring high-powered road-sled for crawling along Santa Monica Boulevard at 4 mph.[/QUOTE]

optostar Sep 13, 2017 12:30 am

Dear OP! I'm so thankful your post came up first on my google search while I was at a Shell near the airport frantically searching all over the car for the button and pressing and pulling at the gas door. I didn't allot too much time for getting gas so it was really stressful as each minute ticked by. I nearly gave up but pulled out my phone and googled "Where is Dodge Charger gas door button". I read your entire post and found the button.

My friend said, "American engineering at its finest!"

https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...09&oe=5A5EFD50

https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...d3&oe=5A52AA55

BearX220 Sep 21, 2017 12:12 pm

That is amazing. I'm glad this thread is still alive to help you. Also amazed that Dodge hasn't modified this design in six years to make it less infuriating.

s0ssos Oct 14, 2017 1:27 am

Oh, wow, this thread is still here.

I actually had no issue finding it.

Bonehead Oct 16, 2017 2:29 pm

When this happens to me I simply Google (e.g., "charger fuel door release") and have always had the answer pop right up.


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