Toyota Prius: Fuel Tank Door Problems

The fuel tank door on my Prius won't flip open when I pull the lever. I
have to apply pressure to open the door. I'm taking into the shop to
have it looked at. Anyone else have similar problems?

com wrote: 

Sadly, quite common on the Classic Prius.

When you close the fuel filler tank door, make sure that the tether
cord holding onto the gas cap doesn't get into the door hinge or
V-spring that pops open the door. (Since I've been checking this, I
have rarely had a problem opening my 2001's door.)

You may need to pry open the V-shaped spring latch, to give a little
more push the next time you open the fuel filler tank door. Some
people have gone so far as to add another coiled spring inside the V
spring, to aid the weakened V spring metal.

and then there's my mother's method with her 2002 Prius - carry a thin
plastic device to slide into the door and use as a lever to open the
door. (fingers tend to re-close the door rather than open it.) For a
while she was using a plastic disposable knife, which she stored next
to the fuel filler door lever at the floor of the driver's seat, but
now her preferred device is one of those fake credit cards that comes
in the mail ("you could have a credit card that looks as pretty as this
one if you send in the application" type).