Fuel door placement

[dbias]

All things being equal with any vehicle where do you prefer the fuel tank door to be, drivers or passenger side?
I prefer it to be on the passenger side as getting out of the vehicle is easier when the drivers door is not against the pumps.

 

[Propflux01]

Drivers side. I know then exactly how close I get to the pumps. Originally I liked the 'under the license plate' ones, because then it didn't matter what side of the pumps you were on. it reached both ways.

 

[Gokhan]

On my Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, there are two fuel doors: gasoline on the left and electricity on the right. I prefer this configuration because some EV-charging stations are curbside.

 

[PimTac]

Drivers side

 

[BHopkins]

Passenger side. Absolutely.

There is nothing worse than getting in the correct position with a driver side fuel door, and finding a steel post right next to the driver's door.

All that said, if not for the terrible safety risk involved, I really do miss the fuel fill being behind the rear license plate. You never had to be concerned about which side to pull in to. No door on the side of the car. It was cool.

 

[dbias]

Drivers side. I know then exactly how close I get to the pumps. Originally I liked the 'under the license plate' ones, because then it didn't matter what side of the pumps you were on. it reached both ways.

I had a Pontiac with filler under the license plate, that kinda dates me lol. This lady here would be better off with that configuration lol

 

[Wrenchturner44]

Best place....1956 Chevy.

 

[PimTac]

Best place....1956 Chevy.

Or having the full right behind the door like on older pickups.

 

[gman2304]

Drivers side

 

[dishdude]

 

[Blinker]

I prefer the passenger side. The first GM car I bought with the fuel door on the passenger side I thought it was so bizarre and that I’d hate it. Boy was I wrong! It’s honestly much easier to find a spot at the gas station without having to circle around the pumps because everyone else in their drivers side mounted vehicles are all facing the same direction when the pull in.

In my fleet of cars I have both drivers side and passenger side mounted fuel doors. I always find myself saying how much smoother it is finding an available gas pump when I’m driving one of my vehicles with the passenger side mounted fuel door.

 

[Kestas]

Manufacturers put it on the driver's side for convenience, or on the passenger's side for safety.

 

[brages]

License plate is most convenient for sure

 

[92saturnsl2]

What I've noticed is that the fuel door is always opposite the side of the exhaust -- many exceptions of course, like dual-exhaust, duh.

Personally I prefer passenger side.. Why? Because the hidden bollards at gas stations you don't see that you sometimes open the door into (they're usually low and below the window sill, sometimes clearly visible). It's not because I wasn't paying attention, it's because they put them in a dumb spot!

But that reminds me when I have a car-full of kids, they'll open the passenger door(s) into the bollards if the filler was on the pass. side.

So my "expert" opinion is passenger side for my personal car, drivers side for any vehicles I might carry my kids around in. If anyone knows any designer in Detroit / Japan / wherever cars are made, please forward this advice to them. Summary = any car that only I drive, pass side. Car with kids = drivers side.

I'm 4/4 for vehicles with fillers on the drivers side. I never have to guess at the gas station.

 

[paulo57509]

Best place....1956 Chevy.

FWIW, they left it there for the 1957 model year too.

I have vehicles in both left and right sides. I do prefer the driver's side. I'm just used it it being there.

 

[CharBaby]

Well, if I had to pick, I may pick the driver side however I can't really say that it matters to me which side the filler is on as I've had all 3(driver, pass, rear) and currently have one directly in the rear(Firebird) which is below the trunk key hole. In this case it doesn't matter how you pull up to the pumps as long as you pull up far enough in order to reach the rear.

I do like the idea of the filler on the passenger side as it does give the owner that once per fill up to at least take a look at that side of the vehicle where they'd be able to see if there is any damage that normally goes missed otherwise.

 

[RAR]

I think the last car I had which had the license plate filler in the center was my 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. A car that was longer than my brother’s GMC Suburban.

It would confuse people because there’s no fuel door on the quarter panel but way out back. Common on 70s GM cars, as my dad’s 1976 Buick Century had it in the same location.

I suspect it’s not there on any car anymore because it would cause a leak if rear-ended. My guess anyway.

 

[CharBaby]

RAR, in addition to the rear fill gas tanks, I loved the hiding trunk key hole plaque in old/vintage vehicles.

 

[Trav]

Some interesting hidden caps.

 

[Pelican]

All things being equal with any vehicle where do you prefer the fuel tank door to be, drivers or passenger side?
I prefer it to be on the passenger side as getting out of the vehicle is easier when the drivers door is not against the pumps.

That's a carry-over from the days when there were service attendants, so they could approach you from the driver's side and fill from the passenger's side, now since you fill your own the driver's side is more convenient.