Modern cars are packed with electronic features designed to make life easier, like keyless entry, automatic locks, and sensors that detect your key fob and respond accordingly.
But when those systems malfunction, they can produce some truly bizarre sounds, like what this Honda Civic is making. Luckily, TikTok car enthusiasts were able to diagnose the issue from a just 30-second video.
In a video with more than 3,300 views, content creator Wendal (@lou841077) documented a perplexing issue with his 2016 Honda Civic Coupe.
"Do you know the problem?" he asks in the text overlay, turning to TikTok before taking it to the mechanic.
"So let me know if any of you car guys can help me out with this problem. We have to take it to Honda to get it serviced for it," Wendal explains.
He opens and closes his car door, then walks away from the vehicle. The car's proximity sensors detect that the key fob is moving away and attempt to auto-lock the doors. But when Wendal gets far enough away, and the car tries to lock itself, something goes wrong.
Instead of the normal click or beep of a car locking, the Civic produces a rapid-fire mechanical noise that sounds disturbingly like a machine gun. It's a rattling, chattering sound that clearly indicates something is trying to move repeatedly but can't complete its cycle.
"What the [expletive] is that? Does anybody know?" Wendal asks, clearly baffled by the bizarre noise coming from his car.
A Common Honda Civic Problem
Based on comments from viewers who immediately recognized the sound, the culprit is likely the fuel door actuator—an issue other Honda drivers have complained about.
“The fuel door actuator, unfortunately pretty common. I work for Honda,” one wrote.
“It’s the machine gun they added for security lol,” a second joked.
“I knew the noise the car was gonna make the second the vid started,” another said.
The door release actuator is a small motorized component integrated into the car's central locking system. When you lock your vehicle, the system sends a signal to lock all entry points, including doors, trunk, and fuel door. If the door actuator is faulty or stuck, it will repeatedly attempt to complete its locking cycle but fail, producing that rapid sound as it tries again and again to engage.
According to discussions on a CivicX forum, fuel door actuator failures are common enough that multiple owners report experiencing the same problem. One owner described their actuator making "a nasty grinding sound" before failing, while others reported loud buzzing noises when the locking mechanism engaged.
RepairPal explains that when a fuel door actuator fails, it can make it difficult or impossible to open the fuel door to add fuel, which is particularly problematic when you're at a gas station with an empty tank.
How Much to Fix A Honda's Fuel Door Actuator?
According to RepairPal, the average cost for a Honda Civic fuel door release actuator replacement runs between $130 and $170. Forum users report even cheaper DIY fixes, with one owner stating the part cost $40 shipped and took about 10 minutes to install.
This problem affects relatively new cars and can occur repeatedly. One CivicX forum member reported their actuator failed at 40,000 miles, was replaced under warranty, then failed again just a year later at 47,000 miles. Another owner noted that their actuator would seize whenever the temperature dropped below 20°F—"pretty embarrassing when you have to pry your fuel door open at the pump on a nearly new car."
Some owners have found temporary fixes by pulling the power to the actuator with the fuel door unlocked, but ultimately, replacement is the only permanent solution.
Motor1 reached out to Wendal for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to Honda via email. We’ll update this if either responds.
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