Does anyone know why American auto manufacturers started putting gas tank fillers on the passenger side of the car instead of the traditional driver's side? Even within a manufacturer's line, some cars have right side fillers and some left side.
Does anyone know why American auto manufacturers started putting gas tank fillers on the passenger side of the car instead of the traditional driver's side? Even within a manufacturer's line, some cars have right side fillers and some left side.
No idea, but at least they almost all put the arrow on the fuel gage to remind you which side as you pull up to the pump.
So when you pull up to the pumps to close you don't smash the door in to the pole for the pump roof. Just a guess, but I've seen it happen with old people
I have noticed that the fuel filler door is usually on the opposite side of the exhaust/muffler, which would make sense. There are some exceptions, but it seems to hold true for most.
My answer is this, what was the original market? Not originally the NA market, the fuel fill will be on the passenger side as most of those cars are right hand drive. So it makes sense for the fuel fill to be on the drivers side, right?
73-91 suburbans have it on the passenger side. it always annoyed me going from my truck to my dad's suburban, and pulling up on the wrong side.
Ranger50 wrote: My answer is this, what was the original market? Not originally the NA market, the fuel fill will be on the passenger side as most of those cars are right hand drive. So it makes sense for the fuel fill to be on the drivers side, right?
Actually, no, most of the the rest of the world is the same as the US in this regard. The UK, Japan, Australia, and India are the major LHD car markets.
IIRC, the standard in Germany is to put the filler neck on the passenger side so that if you're filling a car that ran out of gas on the side of the road you're not standing in traffic. Seems like a minor point, but I guess it's pretty much arbitrary.
My 911 has it on the driver side. Either way, I totally love it when manufacturers put the arrow on the fuel gauge.
It belongs behind the license plate..
I can't think of any cars I've owned with a right side filler. Then again, the newest one is a 2000.(which hit the market in 93)
You are right about German cars generally putting it on the right. In thinking on it, going way back to the 1968 beetle I had.. most of the german fillers were on the right.
Fiat seems to favour the left
When you pull up into a Sam's Club or other "one way" filling station which prohibits entering the "wrong way", it is very annoying to find that a majority of cars fill on the left side of the vehicle. Cars will be backed up waiting to pull to the right of a pump, while the pumps left sides are empty.
Actually, I suppose it's a good thing, since I promptly drive to the left and drag the hose across my back window and fill without waiting.
Only car in our fleet that has a right side filler is the RX-7.
Hmm...
'03 Jetta - right side
'08 Caravan - left side
'73 1800ES - left side
'72 GT6 - left side (domestic RHD car)
'64 Mini - left side (domestic RHD car)
Past cars:
'88 E30 - right side
'07 MINI - left side
'78 Spitfire - middle
'95 Dodge p/u - left side
'90 E150 - left side
It would be interesting to know what the reasons are.
Only one vehicle I own has it on the passenger side and that seems to be a problem with the rest of the world. Two vehicles(both Toyotas) have it on the drivers side. The two Spitfires of course have them in the middle of the rear deck.
Two newish Exploders at work have them on the passenger side.
I prefer the right side. When at the gas station, the left side fill lanes have way more traffic than the right side fill lanes. RN Truck, right. LS400, right. Camry, Left. Elise, right. Europa, both (and you have to fill both). Esprit (RIP), both and you can use either.
I've started buying most of my gas from Costco. They have gone to long hoses, so you can fill up from either side now
On almost all cars, when the fuel gauge gets to empty the needle will point to the side the filler is on.
sergio wrote: On almost all cars, when the fuel gauge gets to empty the needle will point to the side the filler is on.
the gauge needle points whichever way the marketing and styling teams say the needle should point...
for example: 95 and newer cavaliers have the filler on the right, but the gauge needle points left when empty since it's on the left side of the cluster..
my 87 GMC has gas tanks and fillers on each side of the box..
like i said before, the best place for the fuel filler is where GM put it for almost 50 years in most of their cars: right behind the license plate. that way, it doesn't matter which side of the pump you pull up to...
You'll need to log in to post.
