Range Rover P38 Fuel flap not releasing

The fuel flap is not releasing on my 2002 p38 .the engine is switched off and when I push the button on dash nothing happens ,the emergency cord in the boot doesn’t do anything either . I’ve had the dash off and everything looks ok at the switch end .What I have noticed is when I sit in the car there is an intermittent buzzing from under the drivers seat maybe coming from the bbcm ,any ideas .

Hey there, does the buzzing coincide with buzzing? Are there any other issues with your bus?

Have you tried pulling the connector of the bottom of the fuel button and using a bit of wire to bridge the pins as that would rule out the button they are known to brake

brianp38dse said:

button they are known to brake

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Yep, I have had 2 ....

Mark Piercy said:

Hey there, does the buzzing coincide with buzzing? Are there any other issues with your bus?

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Hi there ,the buzzing is intermittent with no particular pattern.the flap release rod is in the flap closed position,and there are no other issues with the car.

brianp38dse said:

Have you tried pulling the connector of the bottom of the fuel button and using a bit of wire to bridge the pins as that would rule out the button they are known to brake

Click to expand...

brianp38dse said:

Have you tried pulling the connector of the bottom of the fuel button and using a bit of wire to bridge the pins as that would rule out the button they are known to brake

Click to expand...

Tried that nothing ,before this happened the flap release pin was going in and out like the clippers then it stopped in the flap closed position and it cannot be moved back into the flap open postion ,ie retracted.

That sounds like a short in the wires somewhere or the relay in becm is staying powered, check it the flap end for power.

brianp38dse said:

That sounds like a short in the wires somewhere or the relay in becm is staying powered, check it the flap end for power.

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Very difficult to get at the flap end relay as this is an ex police vehicle and there is as extra battery box in the boot right the other side of where the relay will be.Could I just disconnect the switch and as I can get at the fuel cap by just lifting the flap over the release catch leave it at that .

The relay for the fuel filler solenoid is in the BECM, on the power board.

If disconnecting the switch doesn't stop the 'buzzing' you hear in the BECM then chances are there is either a fault in the wiring to the BECM, or on the power board itself (not the end of the world - they are swappable without interfering with programmed vehicle settings).

If the solenoid was constantly activating then it sounds like either a short in the wiring or a problem in the BECM that's caused it to begin with. Is the buzzing still there?

If you disconnect the filler switch and the solenoid, then I don't see any reason why you can't manually access the fuel filler - either by the release cord, or the method you mention.

If disconnecting the solenoid makes no difference to being able to manually release it, then it could be that the motor in the solenoid has burnt out.

I've got a feeling @tomcat59alan had a fuel-cap issue recently and it was linked in an odd way. Unfortunately he's off sunning himself. Today's pensioners really are a spoilt lot!

Just removed fuze no 14 ,that’s stopped the buzzing ,just means that the back doors are not on the remote lock unlock ,but as it’s only my wife and I ,I can live with that .So until I feel in the mood to get at the solanoid in the spring that’s it for now .