Never guess again: the dashboard fuel door arrow trick
How to find your fuel door side using the dashboard arrow
Never guess again: the dashboard fuel door arrow trick
Tired of parking on the wrong side? The fuel gauge's gas-pump icon and arrow show your fuel door side. Learn the quick dashboard trick and skip pump shuffle.
2025-09-10T10:50:17+03:00
2025-09-10T10:50:17+03:00
2025-09-10T10:50:17+03:00
Every driver has faced that awkward moment at the pump: you pull up on the wrong side, then end up dragging the hose over the bodywork or shuffling the car. Dodging that hassle is easy—the answer is right on the instrument cluster.Expert Dmitry Novikov reminds readers that there’s a small gas-pump icon next to the fuel gauge. A tiny triangle beside it points to the side of the fuel filler door. If there’s no arrow, the icon itself can serve as a hint: the nozzle is often drawn on the same side as the filler neck.It used to be straightforward: European cars tended to have the flap on the right, while many Japanese models placed it on the left. Globalization blurred that pattern—manufacturers now decide based on packaging, safety, and even the needs of a specific market. Which is why the only reliable move is a quick glance at the gauges.Modern nozzles come with long hoses, but hauling one over the car is still a nuisance: it’s easy to get your hands dirty, scuff the paint, or simply not reach. That’s when a scene worthy of Mr. Bean begins—circling the car and swapping sides at the pump. A split-second look at the dashboard prevents the whole routine, a small cue that’s worth turning into a habit.
fuel door side, gas pump icon, fuel gauge arrow, dashboard indicator, instrument cluster, refueling tip, driving hack, fuel filler door, avoid wrong side at pump
2025
Michael Powers
articles
How to find your fuel door side using the dashboard arrow
Tired of parking on the wrong side? The fuel gauge's gas-pump icon and arrow show your fuel door side. Learn the quick dashboard trick and skip pump shuffle.
Michael Powers, Editor
Every driver has faced that awkward moment at the pump: you pull up on the wrong side, then end up dragging the hose over the bodywork or shuffling the car. Dodging that hassle is easy—the answer is right on the instrument cluster.
Expert Dmitry Novikov reminds readers that there’s a small gas-pump icon next to the fuel gauge. A tiny triangle beside it points to the side of the fuel filler door. If there’s no arrow, the icon itself can serve as a hint: the nozzle is often drawn on the same side as the filler neck.
It used to be straightforward: European cars tended to have the flap on the right, while many Japanese models placed it on the left. Globalization blurred that pattern—manufacturers now decide based on packaging, safety, and even the needs of a specific market. Which is why the only reliable move is a quick glance at the gauges.
Modern nozzles come with long hoses, but hauling one over the car is still a nuisance: it’s easy to get your hands dirty, scuff the paint, or simply not reach. That’s when a scene worthy of Mr. Bean begins—circling the car and swapping sides at the pump. A split-second look at the dashboard prevents the whole routine, a small cue that’s worth turning into a habit.
