Jake’s review · Returned it
Jeep JK locking gas cap review: why I returned it after one cold morning
It looked like cheap, unobtrusive security for a topless Jeep. Then the lock wouldn't open at the pump in cold weather, and it became the one product on this site I can't recommend.
Jake’s photos
No installed photos this time
The photo above is the product listing, not my installed unit—I don't have installed photos for this one. I was more focused on getting the tank open at a gas station than documenting a lock that wouldn't cooperate.
Jake’s note
Why I bought it
With the soft top off for most of the year, the fuel door felt like the one exposed, unlocked point on the Jeep. A locking gas cap looked like cheap, simple insurance—no visible bulk, no real installation project.
Heads-up
The 15 minutes that ended it
At the pump, in cold weather, the key would not turn the lock at all. I don't know whether the mechanism froze or the tolerances were just too tight in the cold—I only know it refused to open, and about fifteen minutes of trying was enough for me to decide I didn't want to find out again in worse weather.
The good stuff
What it had going for it
- Added a basic theft deterrent for a topless Jeep
- Inexpensive, low-profile add-on
Before you buy
Why it came off
- Wouldn't unlock in freezing weather
- Left me stuck at the pump for about 15 minutes
- Not worth the risk of it happening again
- Returned before finding out if it was a one-time fluke
Bottom line
Would I buy it again?
No. A lock that can strand you at the pump in winter isn't worth the small security benefit—especially somewhere cold mornings aren't rare. It’s listed as a pass on Worth a Look, my site for gear beyond the Jeep, too.
Questions I get
Quick questions
Did the lock break, or was it just frozen?
I don't know for certain—I only know it refused to open at the pump in cold weather, and that was enough for me to return it rather than test it again.
Would this work fine in a warmer climate?
I can't say. My test was cold-weather use in Minnesota; I have no data on how it performs somewhere that never freezes.
Why publish a review of something you returned?
A failure is useful evidence too. If a product doesn't hold up, that belongs in the record as much as the ones that do.