1996 Mazda Protege fuel cap door

Cehck to see if the little nipple (black thing that the fuel door latches too) is sticking out from its hole. If it is not, try pushing down on the fuel release cable.

Was the release really ahrd to pull the last few weeks? If so the cable might have seized. Another thing you can do is pull back the trim on the left side of the trunk and push the nipple out and the nlube it with some penetration fluid

Cosmo. Mazda TEch