When I bought my last vehicle the sales associate told me in a very perky way “The gas side is on the grass side. So when you run out of gas you will stand out of traffic to refill it.” Talk amongst yourselves 
I test cars and I use that every week! Never knew about it until I started the job.
The sales associate is full of salesman-speak. Otherwise known as “crap”.
Some cars, I believe current Chrysler products are among them, have the doors on the passenger side. Some have them on the driver’s side. Cars are developed for a world market, and many such as Chrysler aren’t even owned by companies headquartered in the United States. The home countries integrate their own countries or their primary markets’ preferences into the cars to the extent possible and sell them across the world.
I have to agree that planning to run out of fuel is one of the worst reasons to put the fuel filler neck on the passenger side of the vehicle.
This is kind of like the myth that grocers put milk in the back of the store so you’ll have to walk through the entire store just to buy it. The real reason they put the milk in the back is that it lasts longer before going sour if they keep its temperature down (in what they call the “cold stream”), and putting those refrigerators in the back allows most grocers to restock them without ever exposing the milk to room temperature.
I think a much more logical reason to put the fuel filler neck on one side or anther is that it is the opposite side on which the exhaust system was installed. Unless you have a dual exhaust or a fuel cap under your license plate, you likely have the fuel cap on one side and the muffler on the other side.
1 Like
I doubt if we’ll ever see that again. Crash test standards today would force a manufacturer to locate the fill pipe in a more crashworthy place. I remember when hiding gas caps under things like license plates and even taillight bezels was the “in” thing among designers. Back before Pintos.
Best bumper sticker I ever saw was on a Pinto. It said “CAUTION - IF HIT IN THE REAR THIS CAR MAY EXPLODE”. If that doesn’t stop tailgaters, nothing will! 
2 Likes
Sadly, I have come to the conclusion that NOTHING deters tailgaters.
Theoretically, seeing a bumper sticker of that nature would deter those people from hugging your rear bumper, but that level of awareness is probably much higher than what we can expect from people who think that it is appropriate to travel only a few feet behind the car in front of them.
I have come to the conclusion that these folks are unaware of…most things…in the world around them, other than their own primal desires. Just yesterday, on I-287, with very light traffic, I was passing a few vehicles that were traveling somewhat slowly in the right lane when I encountered one vehicle traveling–literally–only about 10 feet behind the vehicle in front of her. This was on a roadway that was almost devoid of traffic!
1 Like
I don’t understand this whole discussion, all the pumps around here have hoses, on both sides of the pump.
1 Like
Yes, the pumps around here also have hoses (and meters) on both sides of the pump, but in order to provide some semblance of sanity (less lane-changing) Costco has EXTRA-long hoses, and posts signs announcing that reality. It really does help to reduce the number of lane-changers at the station.
I’ve concluded that any prohibition to stretching the filling hose across to the other side of the vehicle is a station or company rule and not “the law.” I’d welcome a citation to such a law.
3 Likes
I just thought I would revive this thread to put an end to the myth that the picture of the gas pump on your fuel gauge has anything to do with which side your fuel door is on. My pickup has the fuel tank on the left side, while the pictograph on the gauge shows the hose on the right side.Uploading…
Newer cars have an arrow on the side of the fuel icon that indicates the side of the fuel port.
This is the picture that should have uploaded, in answer to the myth that makes the rounds every so often that for cars without the arrow, the side of the gas pump that the hose is on is the side that the gas fill is on. Obviously not true. The pictograph shows the hose on the right but the fuel fill is on the left.
Obviously not true, About time for gas?
A fuel hose on the right side of the pump would be appropriate for a car that fuels on the left side. That icon is telling you what you need to know.
No, the hose position means nothing.
1 Like
Car Talk Lackey
The placement of the fuel door is mainly a factor of fuel tank design, location and underbody packaging.
With all of the structure and components located underneath the vehicle, (engineers) would quickly encounter restrictions in trying to route the filler tube to the same side on every vehicle.
If you can’t remember the location of your fuel door, look at the little diamond-arrow on your fuel gauge.
https://blog.allstate.com/gas-tank
1 Like
Is anyone else tired of all these international symbols instead of some labels? Would it really hurt to print the words fuel door and an arrow you can see? I have to squint to see that little arrow and now we see how symbols can be misinterpreted. I’ve got one of each so I always have to ask myself which side to park on and I’ve gotten it wrong a couple times. No one was watching though.
Yup.
Especially the new handicap symbol Yup, this is for real. Being disabled, I’m insulted.
My most recent car, a VW has the tank fill on the right. It still confuses me at times and I have to stop and think about which side it is on. And my gauge doesn’t have an arrow either. But it’s really no big deal. I just pull up on the left side or turn around and back up to the other side. It’s never been a big issue. I don’t know why that would stop you from buying a car you really liked.