The worlds best kept car secret!

WHO KNEW THIS???

I have been driving for 30 odd years, I would think I should have noticed the little secret on my dashboard that was staring me in the face the whole time...I didn't...and I bet you didn't either...

Have you ever rented or borrowed a car and when arriving at the petrol station wondered...mmm, which side is the petrol filler cap on?
My normal solution was to stick my head out the window, strain my neck and look, try to see in the side mirrors or even get out of the car!!!!
Well ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to share with you my little secret so you will no longer look like Ace Ventura on your way to the petrol station or put your neck at risk of uncomfort or injury.

If you look at your petrol gauge, you will see a small icon of a petrol pump?
The handle of the petrol pump will extend out on either the left or right side of the petrol pump?
If your filler cap is on the left, the handle will be on the left? If your filler cap is on the right, the handle will be on the right (see photo). It is that simple!

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/6914filler_side.jpg


I don't know how you feel right now but when I found out this morning I felt cheated!

WHY don't the dealers share such important information with car buyers?

I don't understand why this isn't in the car manufacturers manual??

I don't get why any mechanic I have ever been too or know has even thought of mentioning this to me??

The only possible explanation can be that all these people probably don't even know!

Go out and share the worlds best kept auto secret with your friends as this is information is way too important to be kept secret.

I didn't know that. I've just always known what side they are on, on my cars.

Also, have you noticed on cars with single exit exhausts the filler neck is on the opposite side of the car in relation to the tail pipe?

I just always learned as soon as I walked up to the car I was driving but now I'll have to go check that out!

Some gas lights also have a small arrow pointing to the gas cap side too.

I read about this in an article a few years ago. I was surprised as well to learn this little secret.

Not universally true, just another international sign that hasn't been internationally implemented. The first symbols to be accepted internationally were on clothing. Bet you never noticed them on the washing instructions on your shorts either, maybe that's why they are a bit tight.



http://nationalbanana.com/#183-182

http://www.fleetfinancials.com/News/Story/2003/09/New-Rules-for-Control-and-Display-Symbols-Proposed-by-NHTSA.aspx

That is so funny you posted that. I was in the same boat, been driving for 25 years and just last month discovered that when my nephew told me about it. At first I thought he was joking, but upon further checking it out, discovered he was right. I have a couple of vehicles where the filler neck is behind the rear license plate. I wonder what the symbol would look like then? :dunno:

I never saw the gas symbols with the hose on either side, but most of my cars have had little arrows to indicate which side. I think there are some cars that even have itty bitty words under that says filler cap or something related.

I also noticed that in cars with single exhaust that the filler cap almost always appears on the other side... love to know why.

I also noticed that in cars with single exhaust that the filler cap almost always appears on the other side... love to know why.

Less clutter and/or safety. Those are the only two reasons but they're kind of thrown out the window on a dual exhaust. http://boostedmopar.com/forums/images/smilies/dontknow.gif

Less clutter and/or safety. Those are the only two reasons but they're kind of thrown out the window on a dual exhaust. http://boostedmopar.com/forums/images/smilies/dontknow.gif
And on my Roadmaster, which has dual exhausts, the gas filler is between the exhaust pipes behind the rear license plate. :eek::lol:

actually I knew, but i felt just like you when I found out on my own :tongue:

And on my Roadmaster, which has dual exhausts, the gas filler is between the exhaust pipes behind the rear license plate. :eek::lol:

Oh, yeah, I forgot about the old school filler necks. Hidden behind the license plate. The ninja filler.

Copy/Paste from an email FWD, but it was news to me. :cwm27:

:lol: Dammit, that could have saved me some time from turning the car off, realizing it was on the other side and then turning it around in front of everybody at the gas station.

And on my Roadmaster, which has dual exhausts, the gas filler is between the exhaust pipes behind the rear license plate. :eek::lol:

+1 I love that. I never have to worry what side it is on in the cougar. :biggrin:

I have a belt buckle like this, which way I turn it depends which way I'm hanging. ;)

Checked my car today.

Fuel cap on the left, arm on the right :dunno:

Checked my car today.

Fuel cap on the left, arm on the right :dunno:
+1:confused:

Take them back and ask for a refund.

Checked my car today.

Fuel cap on the left, arm on the right :dunno:
Maybe it was one of those cars made on a Monday morning, or late Friday just before quittin' time :dunno::lol;
Oh wait , maybe it was made in the Southern Hemisphere. Isn't everything supposed to be "opposite" as it is in the Northern Hemisphere??( the old water down the drain in th eother direction rumor , etc.)

It's not a tumour! rumour. ;)

It was assembled in NZ - so wouldn't surprise me if Murray and the boys had a few before putting the dash in.

I didn't know that. I've just always known what side they are on, on my cars.

Also, have you noticed on cars with single exit exhausts the filler neck is on the opposite side of the car in relation to the tail pipe?

:smokin: I got curious on both counts, just ran out to the ride and damned if the pump nozzle wasn't pointed on the side of filler door. And, damned if the exhaust {single} wasn't on the opposite side of the door also!!!!

Cool.

No symbol on the velle.
However, the bike has fuel indicator pointing left. The indicator is on the right side of instrument cluster, which by default makes the fill to the left of the indicator. :lol:
Big trucks have an indicator pointing to one side but most have a tank on both sides.
If you get a pickup with dual tanks why is there not 2 hoses on the indicator then? (todays gas pumps have 2 or more hoses :evillol: )

No symbol on the velle.
I don't think they started putting those symbols on the fuel gauge until the late'80s or '90s. The Chevelle was far earlier than that.

If you get a pickup with dual tanks why is there not 2 hoses on the indicator then? (todays gas pumps have 2 or more hoses :evillol: )
Now that would really confuse people:lol:. But then again looking at the general public, how many realize what those symbols mean? (Perhaps they could have put a hose symbol and the words "X2" on it :dunno:)

Checked my car today.

Fuel cap on the left, arm on the right :dunno:

+1:confused:

+2. My Nissan has the picture with the arm on the right, but the filler is on the left.

I don't think they started putting those symbols on the fuel gauge until the late'80s or '90s.
80's I think.

But then again looking at the general public, how many realize what those symbols mean?
Hardly any..
"I've got a light on, on my dash"
"A check engine light? Okay we'll take a look at it"
"No, its a symbol of some kind"
"Can you describe it?"
"It weird, it looks like....uh...I don't know, a box thingy"
(after looking at truck)
"that's a low coolant light, your coolant is low from the hole in your radiator"
"Oh"
"You probably noticed the steam and smelled it?"
"No, I thought it was starting to rain"
:sly:

I hated learning to drive in my parents' 1977 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale. It had the filler behind the license plate - and darn it if I didn't cut myself on that sucker a few times before I learned to use the gas cap to prop the plate away from the filler. I'm not bright sometimes. :(

This past weekend my girlfriend and I took a trip to South Carolina. We rented a Mitsubishi Galant and it has the fuel icon with the hose on the right and directly under that is the words "filler cap" with the arrow pointing left. :confused:

As for the exhaust, Chrysler mini-vans have the exhaust pipe and the filler cap on the same side. :screwy:

I've never paid attention to that sort of detail, nor will I ever. All I need to know is which side am I dumping money(fuel) into.

I realize this thread is getting a little dated, but I think its still ok to add my 2 cents.

I went to get gas the other day and pulled up as I always do, then remembered this thread, so I checked my gauge... yup it points to the passenger side and my filler cap is on the drivers side. This is on a 98 chevy blazer. Pretty common and not too outdated.


I have a feeling that this is one of those coincidence things that has happened so much that people started making up a myth about it.

cool post, i'll be checking this out for myself.