Gas door stuck closed!

[madbomber08]

Was trying to do a good thing to my 4runner by extending the differential breather to the gas cap, but a really bad thing happened. We finished putting in the last o-ring for the rubber boot around the cap and finished screwing the door latch mechanism and it was getting fairly tight but the nut didn't look threaded on as much as when i unscrewed it to get the boot off. I looked at the release pin to see if it would even hook on the door latch and it did. So i closed the door, then pulled the release lever on the inside a couple more times and thought it didn't feel as "tight" as it did when i took it off. Then i shut the gas door another time and..... IT WOULDN'T OPEN AGAIN! The release lever absolutely had no tension besides the spring that pulls it back flush to the panel.

My only guess would be the black cord that pulls on the mechanism by the gas door must have came unhooked. I have no idea how to get the door open to fix it now. Someone has had to have had this happen tho them before.... oh and the best part is the gas cap isn't even on!

 

[Singtoe]

Pull the interior trim panel down on the drivers side and you will have full acces to the gas door lock mechanicals.

 

[Brutus]

Mine did this recently. My problem was a broke spring mechanism that pops the door open. Try a small stick in the door and pry just abit and get someone to pull the lever under the dash. I had to do this on vacation till I got home and worked on it. I ended up screwing a spring into the door and when the door closes, it compresses the spring just to the left of the gas cap and has enough force to pop it open again.
That may not be your problem but it's worth checkin out.

 

[madbomber08]

Tried sticking somthing inside the gap of the door from the outside to no avail. Easiest way to do it is just pry up the rear side panel just enough to get at the mechanism. Wasn't as big a deal as I thought it was gonna be. It turns out the cable got unhooked from the mechanism somehow? Just had to snap it back into place.