You got a new Mazda 3, and you instantly went to a gas station to fill her up. Once you get there, you realize that you don't know how to open the gas tank. Oh boy, is it ever an embarrassing experience. Don't worry; in this post, we will be guiding you on how to open the gas tank of your new Mazda 3.
For the latest 2021 model of the Mazda 3, there is no release button inside the vehicle for the gas door. You only have to go to the gas cap, gently push the right side of the cap, and it will seamlessly open for you. Now you can access the gas tank by rotating the gas cap counterclockwise.
It's easy, right? Well, what if the fuel door is stuck? Continue reading the post for further explanation on these steps, as well as we will be trying to answer some other questions you have in your mind when it comes to your Mazda 3.
Opening the Gas Tank on a 2021 Mazda 3
Opening the fuel cap door on the latest model of Mazda 3 is relatively simple. Just follow along with these steps:
- Approach the fuel cap door near the trunk of your Mazda 3.
- On the side near the trunk, push the fuel cap gently.
- Your fuel door should open.
- Rotate the cap counterclockwise, and now you have full access to your gas tank.
To further help you with these steps, watch and follow along with this demonstration video.
How Do I Lock The Gas Cap of the 2021 Mazda 3?
Now you know how to unlock and access your gas tank on your new Mazda 3, you might be wondering, isn't that feature useless since anyone has access to the gas tank now? How do I prevent gas thieves from stealing my premium gas?
Mazda thought of that ahead, so what they implemented on the recent Mazda 3 to prevent people from siphoning off of your gas tank is they have a feature wherein if you lock your vehicle's doors, then the fuel door cap is locked simultaneously.
There is a setting on your navigation screen to control the fuel door lock delay. Here's how you can do that:
- Get inside your car.
- Go to your navigation screen.
- Scroll down until you get to "Settings."
- Go to "Vehicle Settings."
- There is a "Fuel Door Lock Delay" option that you should select.
- Now, as soon as you lock your door, the fuel door will also shut itself depending on the time you set it there. It ranges from 0-120 seconds.
This handy feature is available from the 2019 Mazda 3 to the recent 2021 model.
For a visual representation and aid on doing this, watch the video below.
What If I Have An Older Model of Mazda 3?
We have answered how to open the gas tank for the newer Mazda 3, but what about the owners of older models? Don't worry; in this part, we will be covering that as well.
- Get inside the car.
- Look for the fuel door release button. It can vary depending on the model; it may either be on the dashboard or even near the bottom side of the driver's seat.
- Once you have located the button, pull it using your finger.
- Go to where the fuel door is.
- It should be opened once you get there; go ahead and swing the fuel door open.
- Rotate the gas tank cap counterclockwise, and you now have access to your gas tank.
We've shared below two videos for the fuel door release button's location so you can better understand where to start looking for the release button.
Here's the video showing the location of the fuel door release button on a 2018 Mazda 3.
And now here's a video showing the location of the fuel door release button for the 2010 Mazda 3.
The Fuel Door Is Stuck, What Now?
If the fuel door for your Mazda 3 won't open even though you've already done the steps above, then there might be more significant issues, such as:
- The fuel door fuse might be busted.
- The fuel door control cable may be stuck.
- The fuel door opening motor may be burnt out.
We'll be discussing an alternative option that may be of use if one of these is the problem. If you suspect that you have this problem, take your Mazda 3 to the automotive repair shop immediately.
Opening The Fuel Door Using The Emergency Opening in the Trunk
According to some of the owners of Mazda 3, if the fuel door doesn't open, there should be an area in the trunk where you will be able to access the gas door from inside. You can then release the fuel door manually or fill the gas tank from there.
A heads up, to locate this emergency opening, you may have to pull back the trunk lining to find this emergency access to the gas tank.
Gently Prying Off The Fuel Door Cap
This method is dangerous as you can heavily scratch the pain of your Mazda 3. You can use a flathead screwdriver in order to pry the fuel door cap open. If you have an older version of Mazda 3, then you can ask someone to pull the fuel door lever while you're prying off the fuel door itself using the flathead screwdriver.
If you don't happen to have a screwdriver, a sturdy plastic knife will do. Remember to be very careful when doing this; you don't want to scratch up your Mazda 3 while opening the fuel door!
Check out this Craftsman Screwdriver Set on Amazon!
What Type of Gas Should You Use on A Mazda 3?
According to the Mazda Owner's Manual, you should only consider using unleaded fuel for the Mazda 3. This specific choice of gas is because of the engine that Mazda 3 has, as it can only process unleaded fuel properly.
Using leaded will only harm the engine of your Mazda 3, early deterioration of the ECS (Emission Control System) and sometimes it may even lead to total failure of the engine to function. Please, follow this rule faithfully to lengthen your Mazda 3's lifespan.
Premium Unleaded or Regular Unleaded?
The Mazda Owner's Manual states that you should only use premium unleaded or regular unleaded for your Mazda 3, but what's the difference between the two? Will you see a drastic difference in performance?
Premium Unleaded Gasoline
Octane ratings define what fuel is. These octane ratings depend on how much oxygen is in the fuel. Premium Unleaded Fuels have an octane rating of 91-94. Now, what does this mean for your car?
Well, the more oxygen your fuel has, the more chance that your engine will keep the gas from premature ignitions. This process is known as knocking.
With premium unleaded fuel, you can assure that there will be less knocking due to the amount of oxygen it contains. However, premium fuels will not have an effect on your engine's performance and even will not help lessen the amount of deterioration your engine will experience over time.
Regular Unleaded Gasoline
Regular Unleaded Gasoline has a lower octane rating than the premium, making knocks somewhat more prominent with this type of gasoline. However, that doesn't entirely make up for the price difference between regular and premium.
As mentioned, premium or regular unleaded will not affect your engine's performance and even its durability as long as it's the correct type of fuel for your engine.
Usually, high-performance vehicles such as a Corvette and Lamborghini will benefit more from the premium gasoline. But in our case, we have a Mazda 3; it's in a different dimension than these sports cars, so we would recommend getting regular unleaded gasoline instead.
In the long run, you'll be spending way less if you're using regular unleaded gasoline than you'll be spending for the premium one.
If you're still unsure about this, you can go and call your local Mazda dealer and ask their opinion on the type of gas you have to use on your Mazda 3.
For more information on engine knock, watch this highly educational video.
In Conclusion
Opening the gas tank should be simple and relatively easy. We're hoping that some of these solutions helped you open the gas tank for your Mazda 3. For more articles similar to this, check these out if you have a different make and model for your vehicle.
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