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

[Pepsi90919]

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.

this is the real and confirmed answer.

 

[Theguynextdoor]

Weight distribution of the car. Depends on where the distribution of the other parts of the car, the shape of the gas tank, where the gas tank pump is (if it has one) and how many internal pumps it has.

Manufacturers don't have a set side for all their cars.

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: 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?

germany != uk

All of continental europe is LHD, like us.

anyways, all the german cars I've driven have it on the passenger side. makes sense to me.
1. don't get nailed by passing traffic
2. don't nail your door on the gas pump
etc.

I'm not sure if they're reversed in a RHD market, like the UK, australia, india, S. africa, etc.

 

[torpid]

Wasn't this same question posed a week ago or so?

I prefer passenger side so I don't have to worry about banging my door when I get out to pump the gas. My lexus has it on the driver's side and it's annoying to have to pull further ahead just so I can open my door.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

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.

Negative. Germany, like all of Europe (other than the UK) uses LHD and drives on the right. I imagine they figure that since most of their cars are sold in LHD places, that it makes the most sense to put the filler doors on the right, with the understanding it won't best serve the interests of BMW owners in the UK, Japan, and the other RHD countries.

 

[acemcmac]

I like it on the right. Since it's less common, when you're in a fuel pump que, like on the NJ Turnpike, there is rarley a line for people with tanks on the right but always a huge line for people with tanks on the left...

 

[theknight571]

Don't matter to me where they put it... just indicate which side it is on by the gas gauge.

There's a little arrow on my gas gauge that shows which side it's on.

 

[j00fek]

should be uniform

 

[fbrdphreak]

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

This is correct

[/thread]

 

[Lonyo]

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.

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.

What petrol stations do you go to?
http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/8277/petrolstationes9.jpg
Black = pump. Both sides have a nozzle. If cars all have the filler on the same side, then either you can only get 1/2 the number of cars in, or like in the bottom right you have to carry the hose across or round the back of your car. Which is stupid.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
What petrol stations do you go to?
http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/8277/petrolstationes9.jpg
Black = pump. Both sides have a nozzle. If cars all have the filler on the same side, then either you can only get 1/2 the number of cars in, or like in the bottom right you have to carry the hose across or round the back of your car. Which is stupid.

why would you only be able to get half the number of cars in?

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

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.

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.

What petrol stations do you go to?
http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/8277/petrolstationes9.jpg
Black = pump. Both sides have a nozzle. If cars all have the filler on the same side, then either you can only get 1/2 the number of cars in, or like in the bottom right you have to carry the hose across or round the back of your car. Which is stupid.

Or you come in through the other way or reverse into the space.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

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.

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.

What petrol stations do you go to?
http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/8277/petrolstationes9.jpg
Black = pump. Both sides have a nozzle. If cars all have the filler on the same side, then either you can only get 1/2 the number of cars in, or like in the bottom right you have to carry the hose across or round the back of your car. Which is stupid.

or they can back in. or they can come in from the other entrance.

 

[pnad]

I prefer it on the passenger side. More room to open the door.

 

[GoPackGo]

Anyone remember when some cars had it up by the engine?

 

[Kelemvor]

You can tell what side it's on by looking at yoru gas gauge in the vehicle. If the gas icon is on one side or the other, that's the side the fuel door is on. If it's in the middle there's usually a litle arrow pointing one way or the other. That's the sied it's on then.

Not sure what year that started though.