# L vs R side for gas cap on cars in US **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 1, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421 "2009-01-01T00:21:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/81 "2014-11-20T01:16:22Z")
> [@FarmerChick](#): > > Interesting little fact, you know on the gas gauge, when you see the little pump? Whichever side of the gauge it is on, that’s the side of the car your gas cap is on. (Damn, did that make sense?) Or there is an arrow showing which side. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/82 "2014-11-20T03:46:32Z")
> [@CC](#): > > I’m surprised no one’s mentioned a Cadillac of several years ago - mid to late '60’s? that had the gas cap under the tail light. I don’t remember which side it was on, but the point still remains that it seems to be a crapshoot as to what side the filler is on. Personally, I prefer the driver’s side because it’s easier to get closer to the tank island when it’s on your side. Seems as if that gas tank filler arrangement was on the 1955 Caddy. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/83 "2014-11-20T05:00:22Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > If you really want to mess with people’s heads, drive a [Trabant](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Trabant_Engine_Block.jpg/800px-Trabant_Engine_Block.jpg). :eek: I have a die cast toy Trabant wagon. It’s built better than the original car. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/84 "2014-11-20T05:29:08Z")
> [@dogbutler](#): > > I have a die cast toy Trabant wagon. It’s built better than the original car. What is in Appendix A of the Trabant owner’s manual? Bus and train schedules What do you call a Trabant at the top of a hill? A miracle What do you call a dozen Trabants at the top of a hill? The factory is up there. How do you make a Trabant go faster? Put in an engine. What do you do if your Trabant gets attacked by a swarm of killer bees? Stop pushing and get in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/85 "2014-11-20T12:58:53Z")
> [@tonyfop](#): > > I always thought that it had to do with the side that the steering wheel was on in the car’s country of origin, so that fueling was always on the opposite side from traffic in the country of design. So right side cap for American and German cars, left side cap for UK and Japanese. I am probably dead wrong, however. Not true. My previous car (Nissan Maxima) had filler on left side. My current car (Infinity G37) has filler on right side. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/86 "2014-11-20T20:20:33Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > What percentage of cars on the road actually have an interior release mechanism? In my experience, it isn’t the majority. Rental cars don’t, but most of the cars we’ve owned do. They started after the 1973 gas crisis when people were worried about crooks siphoning out their valuable gas. Our Grand Am didn’t have one, but it was a used rental car. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/87 "2014-11-20T21:51:35Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Rental cars don’t, but most of the cars we’ve owned do. They started after the 1973 gas crisis when people were worried about crooks siphoning out their valuable gas. Our Grand Am didn’t have one, but it was a used rental car. I’m skeptical that this has anything to do with rental cars. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/88 "2014-11-21T01:06:15Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > I’m skeptical that this has anything to do with rental cars. The only reason I’d think that rental cars would not have a gas lever was to avoid customers running out of gas from not being able to figure out how to open it. Cars I’ve rented have often not had them, cars I’ve bought have. But that is purely based on my experience - I have no cite. The Tempos I mentioned were fleet leases, not rental cars per se. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/89 "2014-11-21T01:15:35Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > The only reason I’d think that rental cars would not have a gas lever was to avoid customers running out of gas from not being able to figure out how to open it. Gas cap opening levers are so common now as to be ubiquitous. There may be stripped down models used for rental fleets but the differences are getting smaller and smaller these days. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_from\_CB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/90 "2014-11-21T01:20:48Z")
The mid 80’s Jaguar XJ6 sedan had 2 gas caps and 2 gas tanks about 12 gallons each. The gas caps were on top of the rear fenders between the trunk lid and the rear window on each side. About 12 gallons each. Just think having to fill one tank, get back in the car, move it around the other side of the pump, re enter a credit car and fill the other tank. Beyond stupid. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421/91 "2014-11-21T02:30:47Z")
> [@Alex\_from\_CB](#): > > The mid 80’s Jaguar XJ6 sedan had 2 gas caps and 2 gas tanks about 12 gallons each. The gas caps were on top of the rear fenders between the trunk lid and the rear window on each side. About 12 gallons each. > > Just think having to fill one tank, get back in the car, move it around the other side of the pump, re enter a credit car and fill the other tank. > > Beyond stupid. Several vehicles had that arrangement. I drove a 64 International Scout at one time that had two equal sized tanks. A switch on the dash changed the gas gauge between tanks, and a valve on the floor switched the actual tank being used. Yeah, two separate controls, so that you could have the gauge set to the tank you weren’t using … There’s one thing manufacturers could do that I never heard of them trying - why not put two filler necks on the tank with a cap on each side of the car? I did like the location in the rear, but there were crash safety concerns, which the publicity about the Pinto caused people to become worried about. Rear caps usually went with tanks that were behind the rear axle. Also, the cap behind the plate was too low - you had to bend down to fill it, and a car I had with that arrangement would drip gas on the ground when I had a full tank and parked pointed uphill. The filler neck wasn’t high enough above the tank. One can also possibly fix the gas stations instead. There was an arrangement I’ve seen, but possibly only at one station. Rather than being attached to the front of the pump, the hoses hung from an overhead boom with a retractor to keep the nozzle about 5 feet off the ground. You could swing the boom out over your car and easily fill the side opposite the pump. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/l-vs-r-side-for-gas-cap-on-cars-in-us/479421.md?page=4)