How To Fix Your Gas Door - A Tutorial

I drive a 1987 Ford Mustang LX. It has an automatically locking gas door with a button release inside my glove box. The button has never been terribly reliable, and this week I declared it officially dead, presenting the problem of how to put gas in my nearly empty gas tank. My last car was a 1988 Ford Mustang LX, and it had the same problem, so for Mustang owners everywhere, I respectfully submit this tutorial as to how I 'fixed' it.

The first order of business is to get your gas door open. Mustangs have an emergency release latch down by the spare tire in the hatchback. Having never driven a Mustang Coupe, I am unsure if the relase is located in the same spot. My emergency release was broken, so I just brute forced it open.


Next we must look at what we have. The gas door opens on a hinge to the right. On it there is a tab for pulling it open, the latch, and two bolts (shown in the diagram as Screw 1 and Screw 2). The latch is what makes the door lock, so all you need to do is remove the two screws, take off the latch and replace the screws. I did this in about three minutes with a pair of Vice Grips.

And there you have it. That is how to 'fix' your gas door so that it no longer automatically locks.