[Oddball666]

Hi, I have a 2020 X3 and went to fill up and the fuel door would not open. The car was unlocked. Looked through the manual and all it says is go back to your dealer. Opened the side panel in the rear compartment and found a fuse panel. No blown fuses. Is there a manual way to open the fuel door?

[suby01]

Is it frozen?

[Joker Eh]

Don't you just press the fuel door to click it open?

What does the fuse panel have to do with it? Is there an automated button to press and I have been doing it wrong all this time?

[Oddball666]

No it’s not frozen. It was above freezing yesterday. I’ll have a look at the links. Thanks

[Oddball666]

It is locked until you unlock the doors. It’s an electronic lock. Older models had a green handle that you could pull and it would pop open

[freshxdough]

Originally Posted by Oddball666

It is locked until you unlock the doors. It's an electronic lock. Older models had a green handle that you could pull and it would pop open

If the car is unlocked then the only thing preventing it from opening is if the lock hasn't pulled back all the way. Pull the green emergency release in the right side of the trunk (gently) and see if you can open it now.

[Oddball666]

I have tried to push it in but it does not move. I have pulled the panel out and removed the insulation. The only thing I found was a fuse panel. I can not see the green emergency cable. I have gone back and looked 3 times today

[Oddball666]

Originally Posted by freshxdough

If the car is unlocked then the only thing preventing it from opening is if the lock hasn't pulled back all the way. Pull the green emergency release in the right side of the trunk (gently) and see if you can open it now.

I have the car unlocked opened the rear door, removed the panel on the right side (same side as fuel door). Removed the insulation and I can see a a small fuse box and see the back side of the fuel goes in. The only 5hing I see is a wire running somewhere towards the front of the car. It was attached and not loose. Can not see a green cable.

[kscarrol]

Never had this issue but looking at my 2021 manual there is no mention of a green cable for emergency release of the fuel door. The manual says in emergency situations you may need to go to the dealer for to release the door...

[BobsM3Coupe]

When I had my 2019 X3 M40i, there was no emergency release cable/wire anywhere in sight behind the panels and insulation.
They probably deleted it (like they have done so often) and never bother to update the info in the owners manual.

[Lady Jane]

Out of curiosity, I opened-up the rear panel. No emergency release cable to be found. I wonder if BMW will dispatch a technician in case you are miles away from a dealership and in need of gas... Better add that emergency crowbar in my tool kit.

[keithguido]

That is kind of unacceptable solution as dealers service is closed Sundays also,

[kscarrol]

Not kind of, totally unacceptable. Why BMW discontinue the emergency handle is beyond me...

[Oddball666]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Never had this issue but looking at my 2021 manual there is no mention of a green cable for emergency release of the fuel door. The manual says in emergency situations you may need to go to the dealer for to release the door...

That is what my manual says also. Going to the dealer 1st thing in the morning. Let you know what they have to say.

Thanks everyone

[ckbingge]

Originally Posted by Oddball666

Hi, I have a 2020 X3 and went to fill up and the fuel door would not open. The car was unlocked. Looked through the manual and all it says is go back to your dealer. Opened the side panel in the rear compartment and found a fuse panel. No blown fuses. Is there a manual way to open the fuel door?

Need a special tool open the fuel door, you'd better go dealer for help.

[DPG23]

Huh looks like they did get rid of the cable.
In an absolute emergency you can unbolt the rear fuse box and push it aside , then reach your hand back there and just pull the lock back so the flap opens. Would require a T30 torx socket tho

[Oddball666]

Went to the dealer and there is no emergency cable and they had to replace the lock.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

[suby01]

Thanks for the update. I forgot about this one I was thinking of checking on the outcome.

[JDsX3]

The Corvette Stingray C7 (2014-2019) has a similar set up. It turned out that you can us a plastic pry bar to gently ease the cover away from the body and then slide the entire cover off of the hinge mechanism (without it doing any damage).
When my X3 was just a week old, I was sitting at a light when two guys came running between the two lanes of cars stopped at the light. The first guy was really flying and managed to hit my gas door with apparently a lot of force as he ran by. The door opened and flew (slid) off of the hinge and landed next to the front right tire. After I realized what had happened I got out, retrieved the gas door (which was auto locked along with the doors, since we had been driving up to the light) and it slid back on to the hinge with no damage.
So, my somewhat long winded post is intended to state you can probably use a plastic pry bar to open our gas door in an emergency.