An Auto Repair Shop in Gary, IN Explains Why Fuel Doors Aren’t All on the Same Side

Have you ever wondered about the reasoning behind the position of the fuel door on your vehicle? Many of us have questioned it briefly at one point of another, but dismissed it due to thinking it’s all based on car manufacturer preference. Anyway, it’s not likely that you chose your car based on where the gas door is located. In fact, this feature probably never even crossed your mind until your first few trips to the gas station resulted in you pulling up to the pump on the opposite side of your gas cap.

So, an interesting question to ask a professional auto repair shop in Gary, IN might be: Why are fuel doors not all on the same side of every car? Here are a few explanations.

The early days of gas pumps

Before self-serve gas stations, there were drive-up pumps with an attendant to fill your tank up. For convenience, the fuel fillers were positioned on the side of the vehicle that was closest to the curb for quick drive-up service—for example, gas doors originated on the right side in the United States and on the left in the United Kingdom.

It depends on gas tank factors

There are many considerations that come with building a vehicle—including gas tank factors. Car manufacturers and some experts explain that fuel filler door placement is all dependent on fuel tank design, tank location and how the vehicle is put together. All the components underneath a vehicle will restrict where the fuel lines can run. Therefore, every vehicle make and model has to route the gas filler tube to the side that is the easiest for installation.

It’s not a law

The U.S. government does not regulate the side of the vehicle on which carmakers must place the gas filler. There is currently no set standard for fuel filler location, and there probably never will be one in the foreseeable future. With that in mind, in order to avoid a car ballet at the gas station, remember which side your gas filler is on, whether you own or are renting the vehicle.

Helps to avoid gas station mayhem

Some say that the position of the gas filler is random to spread vehicles out at the gas station, because if all cars had the filler in the same position, then everyone would be pulling into the same side of the gas station. This would cause all sorts of problems, from congestion to long wait times. If you drive, then you know there is always mayhem at the gas station—especially during certain times of the day—but it could be worse with fuel doors all on the same side.

If your car or truck needs service, look no further than Miller Brakes and Mufflers, Inc. We are your go-to auto repair shop in Gary, IN, offering repair and maintenance services ranging from brakes, tires and exhaust to oil changes, alignments, even engine rebuilds—and everything in between. Visit our shop today!

Categorised in: Auto Repair Shop

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