Your Fuel Gauge Has a Secret

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Most drivers know that the fuel gauge tells you how much fuel is in the tank.

What many drivers don't realize is that the fuel gauge usually tells you something else as well:

Which side of the vehicle the fuel door is on.

Take a look at your fuel gauge the next time you're in your vehicle. Chances are you'll see a small triangle or arrow near the fuel pump icon. That arrow points to the side of the vehicle where the fuel filler door is located.

If the arrow points left, the fuel door is on the left side of the vehicle.

If the arrow points right, like the one pictured above, the fuel door is on the right side of the vehicle.

Simple.

This feature is particularly useful when driving a rental car, a company vehicle, a recently purchased vehicle, or simply a vehicle you don't drive very often.

I first learned this while working in the car rental industry. It saved time, prevented guesswork, and eliminated the awkward moment of pulling up to a fuel pump only to discover the fuel door is on the opposite side of the vehicle.

Of course, some people will point out that you can simply remember which side your fuel door is on. That's true. Most people can.

The fuel gauge arrow isn't there for the days when you're driving your own vehicle. It's there for the days when you're driving someone else's.

As a bonus, we can all be thankful that automotive design has evolved over the years. Many older vehicles placed the fuel filler directly behind the license plate. If you're old enough to remember those, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The license plate would fold down or swing out of the way to reveal the fuel filler behind it. See the image below. 



It worked, but it certainly wasn't elegant.

Today, most vehicles simply use a fuel door on one side of the vehicle, and the small arrow on the fuel gauge quietly tells you which side that is.

Like many good design features, it solves a problem so effectively that most people never notice it is there.

Now that you know, you'll probably never stop seeing it.





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