Since the first Volvo came off the assembly line in 1927, Volvo has earned a reputation for reliability, safety and longevity. Unfortunately, the plastic fuel door hinge has proved to be a weak link in Volvo engineering. As it ages, the hinge becomes brittle and breaks, causing the fuel door to simply drop to the pavement. Finding a new hinge may take some time, but installation is a relatively easy and inexpensive do-it-yourself repair job.
Shop online or visit your Volvo dealer for a new fuel door hinge. You can purchase one online for less than $7. Dealers usually charge around $15. Make sure all the sealing pins are included in the package before beginning the repair.
Remove the fuel door hinge from the body of your Volvo with a flat-head screwdriver. Snip the tether off the filler cap. The black plastic hinge is attached with four plastic pins or rivets. Push out any residual rivet pieces with a nail.
Cover the work area beneath your Volvo's fuel door with a sheet of plastic to catch any parts that may drop while working. Examine the new hinge unit to understand how the pieces fit.
Attach the new hinge on the fuel door before installing the unit on the Volvo. Align the cupped edge of the hinge with the long metal pin located on the rear of the fuel door. Push the metal pin gently but firmly down into the two plastic hinge sockets.
Flip the metal pin over. Push the pin into the two plastic slots at the center of the hinge unit.
Install the fuel door hinge assembly on the Volvo. Position the four plastic rivets on the back of the unit over the four holes in the car body. Lightly hammer down the rivets. If necessary, tap down the two center rivets with a nail set. Shut the fuel door.
