How many times has this happened to you?
You are driving a hire car. You notice it is running low on fuel and decide to stop at the next fuel station. But you don't know which side the fuel filler cap is on! You can't get out and look, you are driving. So you guess, pull up to the pump and you guessed wrong, the filler is on the opposite side to the pump.
If it was your car, you would know, but it is a hire car you picked up a few hours before.
Solution: A sticker on the dashboard "Fuel filler on the left / right". Cheap and simple. Why don't the hire car companies do this?
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Why stop at rentals? All cars should have this. Not all of us have rock-solid memory, right? I believe it was a recent Monte Carlo I was driving that listed underneath the odometer which side the fuel door was on.
I agree that we need this sticker. I think it would be also good to have the sticker tell how to open the fuel door, whether to push it in and it will open, whether there is a lever below the driver seat, whether the door has a little tab to pull with finger. One of my high tech friends bought new infiniti G35 and went fueling first time, and was frustrated to not know how to open the door. Who has time to read the car owner's manual?
I think the gas cap is behind the license plate on a Monte Carlo. Maybe they've changed it in newer models.
The gas tank is a testament to the arbitrariness of left and right.
Sounds solid to me. I have driven the same truck for three years and still find myself forgetting at times.
You should look at what side the gas is on before you step into the car..
Look at the gas gauge. It usually has a small arrow pointing to the side the gas cap is on.
I've never noticed such an arrow on any of the cars I've driven, has anybody else? This is exactly what I am asking for.
Maybe it is because I've never driven a car powered by gas, only petrol or diesel :-) !
What I do, if I don't know the location of the gas cap:I pull the lever, which pops out the door which covers the gas cap. Then I look in my side mirror. Then I know. If your automobile doesn't have an lever to pop it out, then you're out of luck. Then I'd say the arrow in the gas gauge is a great idea.
Actually, this already exits. As was already mentioned. Most cars or trucks have a small arrow right next to the fuel gage that points either right or left indicating the side of the car that has the gas cap.
You might need to look very closely, as I never saw it myself until I was in a rental with a co-worker and made the same comment. My co-worker then pointed to the dash and showed me where it was.
If anything else, maybe this should be made more prominent. :)
I agree 100%. I work for a car rental (hire) agency. Every day I fuel many cars. Until I started checking a car before I got in, it drove me nuts.