Why Do Cars Have Fuel Doors on Different Sides?

 

Have you ever experienced going to fill the tank of your new car with fuel and then surprised by standing in the wrong side in the gas station because the fuel tank was on the other side? You may have noticed that the fuel door is different from one car to another, whether you buy a new car or rent a car or even drive a friend's car. But why is the location of the fuel tank door is changeable? Is there a logical explanation for this difference or does it happen by chance?

Sure, you asked yourself these questions and perhaps your answer was that there was a secret behind locating the fuel tank, either left or right. You will definitely change your mind after reading this article!

 

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In the past, the fuel tank was located in the rear of the car where it was quite convenient to go to the gas stations to fill the tank but it was dangerous at the same time. Companies realized how dangerous it would be if a vehicle crashed with another vehicle from the rear where it could cause significant damage to the fuel tank or a fuel leak.

 

Then the fuel tank door was changed, but how did the automakers decide where it should be placed?

 

Several spokesmen of car manufacturers mentioned some things that influence the decision to choose the place of the fuel tank door.

According to Ford spokesman Mark Schirmer, engineers are free to place fuel doors on the side of the car that offers the easiest packaging.

“The placement of the fuel door is mainly a factor of fuel tank design, location, and underbody packaging,” Nissan’s Steve Yaeger told theAllstateBlog. “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.”

While Volkswagen passenger cars always on the right (passenger) side (to keep the filling person away from the street/lane traffic in left hand drive cars, which is the majority of our sales).

A Toyota engineer also relayed a similar justification for fuel filler-side decisions: "Depends on the OEM and may be affected by crash testing versus p/f packaging. In our case it is based on company policy for customer convenience".

 

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So, the basic explanation for why the fuel filler should be placed on the passenger’s side has to do with safety when, say, filling a car on the side of the road from a gas can. If you’re filling on the passenger’s side, you have a car between you and traffic. If you’re on the driver’s side, your ass is right next to all the speeding cars.

In countries with right-led cars that are on the left side of the road, the reverse is true, and this is one reason why many Japanese cars tend to place a fuel tank on the left side of the car.

"Americans prefer fuel doors on the left," said Shermer, referring to a study in Ford. In Japan, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and South Africa, they drive on the left side of the road and sit on the right side of the car. In general, there is no place agreed by the companies on the location of the fuel tank depends on the type of car and interior design of parts or the steering wheel on the right or left, which also varies according to the country used.

There are many other technical reasons that vary in any particular model of car. As mentioned earlier in the article about what Steve Yager spoke of Nissan.

Until automakers and regulators come together to develop a universal code or template for the placement of fuel doors (be they for gasoline, electricity or another type of fuel) drivers should pay attention to the location of the doors before they approach a filling or charging station to help avoid potential frustration.

 

See how it is confusing to decide where the fuel door is:

 

 

 

Then, how to know in which side the fuel door is?

 

As many drivers know, there are plenty of signs behind the steering wheel. But what is not known by some of them that there is a sign tells you in which side of the car is the door of the fuel tank.

These signs are intended to make it easier  for the driver to park in the right side when refueling.

There is a small triangle next to the fuel warning sign. This triangle indicates  and shows the side of the fuel tank for the vehicle whether it is in the right or left side.

 

 

Further reading: How to Keep Your Car Looking Shiny and New

 

Sell your used car or buy a car in Qmotor.

 

 

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