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Old Feb 27, 2007, 12:45 pm
  #1  
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Which side is the gascap on?

Aurggghhhh. I always fail to note which side until I pull into the gas station and get out of the car. The rule of thumb is that the gascap is on the opposite side from the pump.

FYI:

2007 Ford Taurus - right
2007 Chevrolet Malibu - right
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Old Feb 27, 2007, 12:47 pm
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I think virtually all rental cars have a little arrow on the fuel indicator to show which side the cap is on.
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Old Feb 27, 2007, 2:28 pm
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Originally Posted by NNH
I think virtually all rental cars have a little arrow on the fuel indicator to show which side the cap is on.
Not just rentals. On almost any new car these days, if you look closely at the gas gauge, you will see a little "<" or ">" next to the fuel pump icon that will indicate which side of the vehicle the filler is on.
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Old Feb 27, 2007, 2:39 pm
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Originally Posted by keeton
Not just rentals. On almost any new car these days, if you look closely at the gas gauge, you will see a little "<" or ">" next to the fuel pump icon that will indicate which side of the vehicle the filler is on.
Huh; I never noticed that -- I'll have to start looking. My experience is usually that of BamaVol's.
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Old Feb 27, 2007, 3:33 pm
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Rules of thumb in the US IME:

German cars = right.

Toyota, Ford = Right

GM = Left
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Old Feb 27, 2007, 4:32 pm
  #6  
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A few weeks ago a snowstorm in DC, I felt like an idiot trying to figure out how to open the gas flap on the 300. I went to the side of the car & there was not a "thumb hole" to open it with, so I figured there was a switch/lever inside near the driver's seat. I searched all over near the driver's seat for the lever, to no avail.

After a few minutes, I finally had to rip out the owner's manual to figure it out. Turns out, you have to just push on the left side of the gas flap & it opens right up. Quite a few people were looking at me wondering why it took me FOREVER to get the gas cap open.
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Old Feb 27, 2007, 4:34 pm
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Originally Posted by stevenshev
Rules of thumb in the US IME:

German cars = right.

Toyota, Ford = Right

GM = Left
My experience:
any car i own = left
any car i rent = right
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Old Feb 27, 2007, 4:45 pm
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Originally Posted by stevenshev
Rules of thumb in the US IME:

German cars = right.

Toyota, Ford = Right

GM = Left
Dunno, I have a Toyota Avalon and a Ford F-150, and both have gas caps on the left (driver's side).
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Old Feb 27, 2007, 5:41 pm
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Why are some cars have their fuel cap at left while some other at right?
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Old Feb 27, 2007, 6:27 pm
  #10  
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Originally Posted by IAHtraveler
A few weeks ago a snowstorm in DC, I felt like an idiot trying to figure out how to open the gas flap on the 300. I went to the side of the car & there was not a "thumb hole" to open it with, so I figured there was a switch/lever inside near the driver's seat. I searched all over near the driver's seat for the lever, to no avail.

After a few minutes, I finally had to rip out the owner's manual to figure it out. Turns out, you have to just push on the left side of the gas flap & it opens right up. Quite a few people were looking at me wondering why it took me FOREVER to get the gas cap open.
Don't feel bad. I had the same problem once and ended up bringing the car back on E. I leaned on the cover at the return, as I was about to complain, and it swung open.

Last month, I had a Mitsubishi Galant and again couldn't figure out how to open the gas hatch. I asked the guy at the pump in front of me, who was also driving a Mitsubishi. Turned out it was a rental too and he hadn't a clue. I ended up asking the clerk in the c-store.
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Old Feb 27, 2007, 6:27 pm
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Originally Posted by NNH
I think virtually all rental cars have a little arrow on the fuel indicator to show which side the cap is on.
The eyes are the first thing to go. sigh. Then the memory. I forget what else.

I looked at the dashboard display on my 2007 Ford Escape last night and lo and behold, there is an arrow next to the gaspump symbol pointing left. Does this mean I have never cracked the manual open. Yep.

Last edited by BamaVol; Feb 28, 2007 at 7:16 am Reason: found it on my personal vehicle
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Old Feb 28, 2007, 6:41 pm
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Originally Posted by IAHtraveler
A few weeks ago a snowstorm in DC, I felt like an idiot trying to figure out how to open the gas flap on the 300. I went to the side of the car & there was not a "thumb hole" to open it with, so I figured there was a switch/lever inside near the driver's seat. I searched all over near the driver's seat for the lever, to no avail.

After a few minutes, I finally had to rip out the owner's manual to figure it out. Turns out, you have to just push on the left side of the gas flap & it opens right up. Quite a few people were looking at me wondering why it took me FOREVER to get the gas cap open.
Okay, parallel experience. GM cars (i.e. Caddy and Buick in particular) have this super-annoying gas cap. I cannot figure out how to get it off, and the picture on it is patently unclear. Gas station attendants can't do it either. I've nearly missed several flights because of this idiocy.
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Old Feb 28, 2007, 7:07 pm
  #13  
 
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Originally Posted by IAHtraveler
A few weeks ago a snowstorm in DC, I felt like an idiot trying to figure out how to open the gas flap on the 300. I went to the side of the car & there was not a "thumb hole" to open it with, so I figured there was a switch/lever inside near the driver's seat. I searched all over near the driver's seat for the lever, to no avail.

After a few minutes, I finally had to rip out the owner's manual to figure it out. Turns out, you have to just push on the left side of the gas flap & it opens right up. Quite a few people were looking at me wondering why it took me FOREVER to get the gas cap open.
Okay. Not even gonna pretend I didnt just do this. Exact car and exact story except someone stole my manual, so I called Avis and the lady did a google search and told me "just pull it open" I couldnt figure that out so I used my key and it just opened...I stood there looking like an idiot dancing happlily that no one saw me
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Old Mar 1, 2007, 12:43 pm
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by Acrossenger
Why are some cars have their fuel cap at left while some other at right?
On NPR's "Car Talk" radio show this was one of their puzzler questions a few months ago:

It turns out that it is almost universal for the fuel filler to be on the _opposite_ side of the exhaust pipe. Of course, this won't help you if the car has dual exhausts!

As for stevenshev's generalization about GM cars, I own one that has the fuel filler on the right.

I've learned to look for the little arrow on the gauge.
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Old Mar 1, 2007, 12:52 pm
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Originally Posted by stevenshev
Rules of thumb in the US IME:

German cars = right.

Toyota, Ford = Right

GM = Left
Most Japanese cars, including most or all Toyotas, have the filler on the left. I think that is because most of them have a cable operated filler door latch with the release lever on floor next to the driver door.

GMs vary, Impala on left, the G6 I had yesterday was on the right, for example.

Most cars I have rented over the past few years have the little indicator on the fuel guage.
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