Would you like to know how to open the gas tank on a Chevy Suburban? Well, we have researched this topic and have answers for you. It can be helpful to know so you can easily access your gas tank.
To open the gas tank on a Chevy Suburban, press on the gas tank cover until it clicks and pops open. To close the gas tank, press on the gas tank cover until it clicks shut.
This article will learn how to open the gas tank on a Chevy Suburban. We will also learn the answers to other interesting related questions such as, how do you open a gas tank when the button doesn't work, and how do you open a gas tank without a key? Keep reading to learn more.
How To Open The Gas Tank On Chevy Suburban
The Chevy Suburban's gas tank is designed to open easily. There are primarily two types of gas tank covers, press and click gas tank covers and button locking gas tank covers, and the Chevy Suburban uses a press and click gas tank cover.
Let's discuss each of these types of gas tank covers, starting with the ones used by the Chevy Suburban.
Press And Click Gas Tank Covers
Press and click gas tank cover work just like their name implies. To open a press and click gas tank cover, press on the cover, and it will pop open. To close it, press on the cover again until it clicks.
Many newer vehicles use this gas tank cover because it is easy to open and close, and it has few moving parts which are resistant to needing repairs.
While one advantage of this gas tank cover is that it's easy to get into, one disadvantage is that this type of gas tank cover doesn't lock. While a locking gas tank cover isn't necessary unless you live in a bad neighborhood, it does add a sense of security.
If you don't have a locking gas tank cover but want one, you can buy an aftermarket locking gas tank cap to secure your vehicle's fuel.
Button Locking Gas Tank Cover
A button can lock button locking gas tank covers in the vehicle or from a key fob.
While this gas tank cover does have the added locking security, you will have to repair it before it opens again if the locking mechanism ever fails. There is a method to disable the locking mechanism if it breaks to open your gas tank again, but it won't lock again unless you repair the locking mechanism.
Where Is The Fuel Tank Release Button?
Chevy Suburbans don't have fuel tank release buttons because their gas tanks use press and click gas tank covers. Many vehicles have fuel tank release buttons, and we will share how to find these buttons.
Fuel tank release buttons are not kept in standard locations in vehicles. Since these buttons can be found nearly anywhere in a car, you need to check many places.
Center Console
The center console is one of the first vital areas you should check when looking for the fuel tank release button. Here, where many other control buttons are kept, you can often find a fuel tank release button. This button usually has a picture of an old gas pump.
Steering Wheel
Some vehicles will have their fuel tank release button on the steering wheel. To check if your vehicle has its fuel tank release button on the steering wheel, check the steering wheel's buttons for symbols of gas pumps.
Glove Compartment
You can even find vehicles with the fuel tank release button in the glove compartment. This is usually in higher-end cars where the fuel tank release button is mainly meant to be pressed from a key fob, and the button in the glove compartment exists only as a backup.
Driver-Side Door
Another place you can find the fuel tank release button is on the driver-side door, and it will usually be located on the bottom of the door near your feet.
Owner's Manual
With so many places you could find the fuel tank release button, it may seem like it's always tedious to find. One way to find a difficult-to-locate fuel tank release button is to check the owner's manual.
The owner's manual can be a great source of information regarding everything to do with your vehicle. Looking up the fuel tank release button will quickly reveal a diagram of its location. If you can't find your owner's manual, you can always look up the location of your vehicle's fuel tank release button online.
How Do You Open A Gas Tank When The Button Doesn't Work?
One common issue with button locking gas tank covers is that the electronics eventually fail. You won't be able to open your gas tank if the electronic lock or the wiring fails.
The electronic lock pushes and pulls a metal pin to lock the gas tank cover. If the electronics for the lock break while the pin is closed, your button won't work anymore to unlock your gas tank. You will need to do one of two things to open your gas tank again.
Repair The Gas Tank Cover
You could do to get the gas tank to open again to fix the gas tank cover. The most likely issue is that the electronic lock mechanism has broken, and the next most likely problem is that the wiring has corroded or become severed.
You will have to check and repair each of these parts until the button locking gas tank cover unlocks again. If you are not familiar with electronics, you should take your vehicle to a shop rather than attempt a wiring job you aren't qualified for.
Disable The Electronic Lock
You could also disable the electronic lock, so you don't need to unlock your gas tank cover. To disable the electronic lock, you will need a screwdriver.
Lift the trim of your vehicle on the back inside of your vehicle, on the same side that has your gas tank cover. Locate the electronic lock mechanism attached near the gas spout. Unscrew the screws holding the electronic lock mechanism in place and gently remove it from the vehicle.
Your gas tank cover should now work manually without a locking feature. While this is a quick fix, it doesn't restore the locking element to your vehicle's fuel tank cover.
Here is a video to help you visualize how to disable the electronic lock.
How Do You Open A Gas Tank Without A Key?
There are gas tanks with locks on their gas caps that require a key. If you lose the key, you may feel you can't get into your gas tank, but we are here to share how to open a gas tank without a key.
Understanding how to open a locked gas tank cap without a key requires understanding how it works. There are two turning surfaces to a locking gas cap, and the top surface slides over the bottom surface unless a key is inserted that turns a piece of metal to catch on the lower surface of the gas cap.
If the top and bottom surfaces catch on each other, they slide together and open the gas tank. This is designed to require you to need the key to open the gas cap but, there is a way to open it without a key if you lost yours.
Opening A Locked Gas Tank With A Drill And A Screwdriver
First, take a drill with a drill bit wide enough for a screwdriver to fit through the hole it makes. Then drill about an inch down from the center of the gas cap until you pierce through the first layer.
Now take your screwdriver and slide it into the hole you just drilled. Rotate the top cap with the screwdriver in it until the screwdriver catches on the groove designed to catch the piece of metal that the key turns.
Now use the screwdriver to turn both the top and bottom layers of the gas cap until you have opened the gas tank.
Here is a video to help you better see how to open a locked gas tank.
This method will allow you to access locked gas caps you have lost the keys for. Never use this method to access gas tanks that don't belong to you.
Once you have removed your locked gas cap, it would be best to replace it with either a gas cap that doesn't lock or a gas cap for which you have a key.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we learned you could open the gas tank on a Chevy Suburban by pressing on the gas tank cover, and it will pop open. We also learned that fuel tank release buttons could be found in many different locations depending on which vehicle you have. It would be best to locate a hard-to-find fuel tank release button by searching for it in its vehicle's owner's manual.
Remember, if your gas tank cover release button stops working and you can't repair the electronic locking mechanism, you can disable it so that you can open your gas tank again.
We hope you enjoyed this article. If you want to learn more, check out some of these other posts.