Stupid car question: The Fuel door. Why is it on the driver side on some but on the opposite side on others?

[gotsmack]

This is confusing to me. Why do some cars like Honda have the fuel door on the driver side, but Cadillac and Subaru have it on the opposite side?

The only reason I can see having the fuel door on the passenger side is because it is more natural to parallel park the car if the passenger side has to face the pump (sometimes you have to use the middle pump at large gas stations).

I perfer to have it on the driver side, it makes it easier to pump gas at self serve and easier to hand the money/CC to the gas jockey at full serve places (you don't have to lean over) .


**Additional info request: Do you guys know the mailing address for Robert Lutz. I want to write him a letter, but I can't find his mailing information on the GM webpage.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

There's no particular rhyme or reason to it, except for one or two manufacturers who use one side or the other consistently. BMW, for example, almost always puts the fuel filler door on the passenger side, because if the car runs out of gas it's safer for the driver to be standing on the shoulder than in the road while refilling it. Another thing you'll notice is that the filler door is ordinarily on the opposite side from the tailpipe.

 

[Bootprint]

Time to start putting them back behind one of the tail lights or license plate.

 

[RedArmy]

what DonVito said

However, for some odd reason my 86' Honda has the exhaust coming out on the left and the fuel door is on that side too. Doesn't really help that it's on the left side either if Im pulled over at the side of the road. Go Japan

 

[outerheaven]

This is one of the things that I don't even conjure the willpower to put my brain through this frivolity, but still....don't they drive on the other side in Germany?

 

[MikeMike]

Another thing you'll notice is that the filler door is ordinarily on the opposite side from the tailpipe.

this is typically the biggest case.

 

[waggy]

i asked a frien dof my fathers about this (the guy owns like 10 ford dealerships). his reason for (well ford anyway) was with a escort it is a younger persons car. so they are unlikely to have anyone in it. so its on the drivers side. With cars such as the Taurus they are likely to have passangers and maybe a family so its on the passangers side.

I have no clue. but it kinda made some sense. i just wish they would start having it on the same side. it sucks trying to get into a busy gas stgation. heh

 

[Toastedlightly]

Just od it the right way. Dual exaust. Where does the filler neck go!? Behind the licence plate!

 

[BillGates]

I have dual exhaust and my fuel door is on the driver's side. I like it there - nice and close.

 

[AsianriceX]

What about those old Buicks that had the filler door behind the spring loaded rear license plate?! Oh the humanity!

 

[Kaido]

Yeah I've wondered why it's so inconsistant. No design standards, I guess. I have parked the car next to the pump on the wrong side on more than one occasion! They should put in dual gas flaps so that you don't have to worry about it

 

[gotsmack]

Originally posted by: waggy
i asked a frien dof my fathers about this (the guy owns like 10 ford dealerships). his reason for (well ford anyway) was with a escort it is a younger persons car. so they are unlikely to have anyone in it. so its on the drivers side. With cars such as the Taurus they are likely to have passangers and maybe a family so its on the passangers side.

I have no clue. but it kinda made some sense. i just wish they would start having it on the same side. it sucks trying to get into a busy gas stgation. heh

could you ask him why it matters if it is a family car or not?

Wouldn't an American car made for the American market be better off having the fuel door in a place that is convient to pump gas?

 

[Trikat]

Grand Am 02 is on the right side. Doesn't really bother me, but i'd rather have it on the driver's side. I can see how it could be a hazard when you are "stuck" on the side of the road due to no gas.

 

[Rastus]

I think it's kind of an unwritten agreement the manufacturers made with each other. If every vehicle on the road had the fuel door on the same side, gas pump traffic jams would be horrific. So, they probably trade off with each other.

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

The filler door will most likely be on the side closest to the fuel tank. Just a thought..

 

[marrr]

i thought it was always on the opposit side of the exhaust

 

[sswingle]

Originally posted by: Rastus
I think it's kind of an unwritten agreement the manufacturers made with each other. If every vehicle on the road had the fuel door on the same side, gas pump traffic jams would be horrific. So, they probably trade off with each other.

I totally disagree with that idea. Nothing is worse than trying to get a pump when it seems like everyone else is on the opposite side. Same side, then you just pull in behind them.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: Rastus
I think it's kind of an unwritten agreement the manufacturers made with each other. If every vehicle on the road had the fuel door on the same side, gas pump traffic jams would be horrific. So, they probably trade off with each other.

That wouldn't happen because most pumps have nozzles on both sides and you can also pull in either direction at most places.

What annoys me about it is when I'm traveling and forget to look what side it's on in my rental car. I used to travel a lot for work and more than once I pulled up to the pump the same way I would in my own car only to get out and find that the cap is on the other side. Always made me feel like a dumb ass to have to get back in my car and turn it around.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Rastus
I think it's kind of an unwritten agreement the manufacturers made with each other. If every vehicle on the road had the fuel door on the same side, gas pump traffic jams would be horrific. So, they probably trade off with each other.

That wouldn't happen because most pumps have nozzles on both sides and you can also pull in either direction at most places.

At most stations yes, but not so much on heavily trafficked roads.

What annoys me about it is when I'm traveling and forget to look what side it's on in my rental car. I used to travel a lot for work and more than once I pulled up to the pump the same way I would in my own car only to get out and find that the cap is on the other side. Always made me feel like a dumb ass to have to get back in my car and turn it around.

In a lot of car it's indicated somewhere on the instrument panel. On my old car it actually said FUEL DOOR with an arrow (that was a Chrysler), on my new car I think it's just an arrow to one side of the fuel gauge (Honda).

 

[Stunt]

I thought half had one side, half on the other (accross a company's lineup) to have better flow at gas stations.

 

[MikeMike]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Rastus
I think it's kind of an unwritten agreement the manufacturers made with each other. If every vehicle on the road had the fuel door on the same side, gas pump traffic jams would be horrific. So, they probably trade off with each other.

That wouldn't happen because most pumps have nozzles on both sides and you can also pull in either direction at most places.

At most stations yes, but not so much on heavily trafficked roads.

What annoys me about it is when I'm traveling and forget to look what side it's on in my rental car. I used to travel a lot for work and more than once I pulled up to the pump the same way I would in my own car only to get out and find that the cap is on the other side. Always made me feel like a dumb ass to have to get back in my car and turn it around.

In a lot of car it's indicated somewhere on the instrument panel. On my old car it actually said FUEL DOOR with an arrow (that was a Chrysler), on my new car I think it's just an arrow to one side of the fuel gauge (Honda).

on my car there is an arrow under the fuel gauge pointing to the side (pass) and i still have to check it, im so used to driver side.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: mar23
i thought it was always on the opposit side of the exhaust

I used to think that too, but then I started noticing a bunch of cars that didn't follow that rule. It's just random, I guess.

Originally posted by: Stunt
I thought half had one side, half on the other (accross a company's lineup) to have better flow at gas stations.

People need to learn how to back up! I have no problem parking at the gas station, no matter which side is open.

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: DonVito
There's no particular rhyme or reason to it, except for one or two manufacturers who use one side or the other consistently. BMW, for example, almost always puts the fuel filler door on the passenger side, because if the car runs out of gas it's safer for the driver to be standing on the shoulder than in the road while refilling it. Another thing you'll notice is that the filler door is ordinarily on the opposite side from the tailpipe.

Wouldnt that put a right hand drive BMW filler door on the driver side, forcing those silly European drivers to stand in the road after running out of gas?

It would seem silly for BMW to make 2 distinct quarter panels for the same model car, depending only on its final market area. It would double inventory needs for quarter panels.

 

[BoomerD]

My 87 BMW & series has the fuel door on the driver's (left) side, while my wife's 90 had the fuel door on the passenger (right) side. Go figure. Personally, I like it on the driver's side, but have no problem adapting. Rental cars however always seem to be on the opposite side of what I think they will be on...

 

[wetcat007]

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: DonVito
There's no particular rhyme or reason to it, except for one or two manufacturers who use one side or the other consistently. BMW, for example, almost always puts the fuel filler door on the passenger side, because if the car runs out of gas it's safer for the driver to be standing on the shoulder than in the road while refilling it. Another thing you'll notice is that the filler door is ordinarily on the opposite side from the tailpipe.

Wouldnt that put a right hand drive BMW filler door on the driver side, forcing those silly European drivers to stand in the road after running out of gas?

It would seem silly for BMW to make 2 distinct quarter panels for the same model car, depending only on its final market area. It would double inventory needs for quarter panels.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember people sitting on the left hand side of the car driving on the right side of the road in Germany. (just mentioning this being it's a german car.)