# What Side of Your Car do You Put the Gas In? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 17, 2020, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820 "2020-06-17T02:14:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/21 "2020-06-17T11:51:22Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > I see this proudly stated on many sites but it is not universal, not by a long shot. > > Sometimes there is an arrow, other times it is stated that the little pump icon on the dash has the fuel filler handle on the side where the gas goes. No. It is correct often enough to make it seem like a rule, and like “I before E”, there are enough exceptions that it isn’t. > > My car, 2002 Pontiac has the filler handle on the fuel icon on the right, gas cap filler on the left or driver’s side. As scan of google results indicates that the arrow first appeared in 1986 but didn’t become wide spread until 2010. Comments about cars not having them would be more informative with the model year. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/22 "2020-06-17T11:53:48Z")
The filler is in the top, middle. Of my motorcycle. The hose reaches no matter how i pull up. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/23 "2020-06-17T12:29:21Z")
I can’t find a gas fill on my bicycle, but gas has been known to exit the backside. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/24 "2020-06-17T12:37:41Z")
I guess the OP is ordinary. ---
**Author:** ![FastDan1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fastdan1/32/427_2.png) [@FastDan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FastDan1)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/25 "2020-06-17T12:51:57Z")
Driver’s side for me. Many years ago on my old VW Beetle you had to pop the hood to get to the gas cap. ---
**Author:** ![Moris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moris/32/2846_2.png) [@Moris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moris)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/26 "2020-06-17T13:26:05Z")
Voted for “drivers side”. I have two cars and they both have gass fill on the driver’s side, but one is a left and other a right wheel drive. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/27 "2020-06-17T13:48:32Z")
I said “both” - my Dodge Dakota pickup has the fuel filler on the driver’s side, but my wife’s VW Passat has it on the passenger side. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/28 "2020-06-17T13:49:27Z")
Both are drivers site for me now. (2014 Mazda 3, and 2017 Kia). My older Mazda, the 2004, had it on the passenger side, though. Took me a little to get used to the new Mazda, as it was the same make and model and looked largely the same, but just a different year. Old habits die hard. I still sometimes look at the fuel gauge for the arrow to make sure I’m remembering correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/29 "2020-06-17T13:59:05Z")
“I don’t know”?! LOL ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/30 "2020-06-17T14:07:53Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > But IIRC my sister’s 1979 Camaro had its gas cap behind the license plate in the back, centered behind the trunk. I never thought to look if that had an arrow or not. One day, when I was 17 or 18, I was traveling behind an old car. When we began to ascend a steep hill, the car accelerated. Suddenly, a flood of liquid burst out from behind the license plate and flow downhill. My car passed over it, and I could detect the smell of gas. He must have forgotten to put his gas cap back on. I beeped and tried to get his attention, but he turned onto a side street. I’m sure his gas gauge eventually gave him a hint that something was amiss. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/31 "2020-06-17T14:09:52Z")
The side the gas tank icon points to. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/32 "2020-06-17T14:14:42Z")
I miss my mom’s old 1958 Chevy. It had the gas cap behind the driver’s tail light. Puzzled lots of gas station attendants ---
**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:** [June 17, 2020, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/33 "2020-06-17T14:35:25Z")
Both, and there’s no reason that the driver’s side would be the default, especially since there’s no universal default for which side is the driver’s side. Rule of thumb that I heard is that the filler tube will be on the opposite side that the exhaust is on for a car with single exhaust. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/34 "2020-06-17T14:40:45Z")
Subaru, so passenger side. This turns out to be a benefit at busy gas stations since more cars have it on the drivers side. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/35 "2020-06-17T14:48:05Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I miss my mom’s old 1958 Chevy. It had the gas cap behind the driver’s tail light. Puzzled lots of gas station attendants Whoops, my bad. That car was her [1956 Chevy Belair](http://www.motorbase.com/picture/profile/2007/06/28/1956-chevrolet-tail-light-gas-filler-closed-and-open/) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/36 "2020-06-17T14:53:07Z")
2017 Dodge Durango, passenger side, albeit i always check the icon when I pull into the station just in case it moved… ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/37 "2020-06-17T15:20:11Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > There’s also a stupid comment in the first poll option. If you interpret the word ordinary as meaning just the most prevalent without making any value judgments, then so far the poll shows that I am correct. However, you are correct. It was a stupid comment. ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/38 "2020-06-17T15:26:33Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I guess the OP is ordinary. I put the gas in on the driver’s side. This in no way proves that I am ordinary. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/39 "2020-06-17T15:43:58Z")
I voted for drivers side, that’s where the 2018 Acadia is located. However, our previous car was a 2013 Terrain and that had the gas filler on the passenger side. As fewer have the gas cap on the passenger side, that side of the Costco pumps has shorter line ups! (that’s why I liked it when cars had the gas filler on the back of the car, no issues of which line to be in) ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820/40 "2020-06-17T15:45:04Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > … there’s no universal default for which side is the driver’s side. … To be honest, I did not even think about those parts of the world where they drive on the wrong side of the road when composing the poll questions. I only said driver’s side and passenger’s side because some people are not certain what you mean when you say the left side or right side of a car. I guess those people determine left or right when looking at the car from the front instead of the perspective when you are sitting in the car. Has anyone else known someone like that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-side-of-your-car-do-you-put-the-gas-in/855820.md?page=3)