# Gasoline filler location



## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

Why do German cars have the gas filler located on the right (passenger) side of the car, while American and Japanese cars have them on the left (driver) side? Left side makes sense because the driver, who normally fills the tank, does not have to walk around to the other side of the car.


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## AndrewZ (Feb 1, 2006)

Because in other countries the driver is on the right side :dunno:


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## dannyc9997 (May 15, 2008)

LuvThatSam said:


> Because in other countries the driver is on the right side :dunno:


People in Japan drive on the left (driver on the right side of the car) though . Which makes this a very good question....

Also, remember those old GM cars with the fuel filler behind the license plate? What was the deal with that?? :dunno:


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

dannyc9997 said:


> People in Japan drive on the left (driver on the right side of the car) though . Which makes this a very good question....
> 
> Also, remember those old GM cars with the fuel filler behind the license plate? What was the deal with that?? :dunno:


Behind the license frame is not safe for a rear collision.


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## Coconutpete (Feb 7, 2008)

Because Ze Germans drive so fast they didn't want you standing on the side of the car they'd be passing you .........




At least that sounds like a good theory, doesn't it?


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

I might have to start a new thread in OT for greater visibility. I am stumped to their rationale.

from other forums, I found out that Mazda 3 and some Subaru have their's on the right as well.


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## spydrz (Oct 1, 2004)

With the filler on the passenger side, you can't open your door into the pump or one of those cement/steel bollards. Makes perfect sense to me, and makes for an easier fill-up with most other cars waiting to fill up on the other side.


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

Dunno.

Always wondered about this myself.

Of course, it does help at the gas pump, invariably I'm quicker through the pumps since I pull on to the left hand-facing pump while most people are waiting for the right hand facing pump...


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

spydrz said:


> With the filler on the passenger side, you can't open your door into the pump or one of those cement/steel bollards. Makes perfect sense to me, and makes for an *easier fill-up with most other cars waiting to fill up on the other side.[/*QUOTE]
> The hose is long enough to be carried over the trunk. I've done it before.


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## Ajax (Feb 1, 2002)

Dave 330i said:


> I might have to start a new thread in OT for greater visibility. I am stumped to their rationale.
> 
> from other forums, I found out that Mazda 3 and some Subaru have their's on the right as well.


There doesn't seem to be much consistency any more. I know the Chevy Malibu has its fuel door on the passenger side.


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## cwsqbm (Aug 4, 2004)

Its not all German vehicles - the VW Routan has the filler on the left side.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

cwsqbm said:


> Its not all German vehicles - the VW Routan has the filler on the left side.


Nice try. It is a Dodge/Chrysler van with a facelift. :yikes:


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

AJAX said:


> There doesn't seem to be much consistency any more. I know the Chevy Malibu has its fuel door on the passenger side.


The new Malibu is based on a GM midsize global front-drive platform, *which it shares with Saab and the German-made Opel.*
The Epsilon platform that underpins the new Malibu was developed with European markets in mind.


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## obmd1 (Jan 17, 2005)

Dunno... but filling up my 4runner on the driver's side is a major PIA.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

obmd1 said:


> Dunno... but filling up my 4runner on the driver's side is a major PIA.


Why is that? It seems to me that the filler being on the driver's side make sense because I don't have to walk around to the other side to fill the tank. It puzzles me why the EU cars are different. Maybe by walking to the other side you may find possible damage to the tires?


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## 6 Brit (Jan 19, 2009)

sucks I was so used to driving my BMW that when I got my truck I totally opened up the door (really hard) into the cement pole thing's

DOH!!

I can't remember what side the mini was on..??


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

6 Brit said:


> sucks I was so used to driving my BMW that when I got my truck I totally opened up the door (really hard) into the cement pole thing's
> 
> DOH!!
> 
> I can't remember what side the mini was on..??


Passenger side on ours.










Off side on our Vauxhall (Opel) van. I don't photo handy, so I snagged the one on Wikipedia. Our van is the cargo version but the fuel filler is in the same place.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

Andrew*Debbie;4316420]Passenger side on ours.

The mini was/is not a german car.

Wikipedia...

The car, whose first generation was designed by Frank Stephenson,[1] is drawing inspiration from the original Mini, which was manufactured by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 to 2000. The name of the car's brand, MINI, is all-capitalized to distinguish it from its predecessor.[2]

2003 Mini Cooper S and Mk III classic Mini.The development of the first generation had been done between 1995 and 2001 by Rover Group in Gaydon, United Kingdom and BMW AG in Munich, Germany and was accompanied by continual contention between Rover and BMW. Especially the positioning of the car was contended. Rover wanted an economy car, whilst BMW supported a small sporting car and finally prevailed. In 1999 BMW assumed control over the whole project after BMW's CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder had left the company.[3] When BMW divested itself of Rover in 2000, BMW decided to keep the Mini project and to build the car, which was originally to be built at Rover's Longbridge plant,[3] the former production plant of the traditional Mini, at BMW's Oxford plant in Cowley, Oxford, United Kingdom, in what was historically the Pressed Steel Company body plant. [4]


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

even in the early days, the beetle filler location...
similar location on a 911


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

Dave 330i said:


> Andrew*Debbie;4316420]Passenger side on ours.
> 
> The mini was/is not a german car.
> 
> ...


...and just for the record, my '67 Austin Cooper S Mk I 1275 has...two gas tanks on either side.


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## 6 Brit (Jan 19, 2009)

wingspan said:


> ...and just for the record, my '67 Austin Cooper S Mk I 1275 has...two gas tanks on either side.


my dads diesel truck has 2 15 gallon tanks, one on each side


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## Michael Schott (Dec 7, 2007)

My wife's Japanese built Mazda 5 has the filler door on the passenger side. The Ford Taurus has the door on the passenger side, the Chrysler PT Cruiser has it on the passenger side. I don't think there's much standardization on this.

Thanks, Mike.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

Michael Schott said:


> My wife's Japanese built Mazda 5 has the filler door on the passenger side. The Ford Taurus has the door on the passenger side, the Chrysler PT Cruiser has it on the passenger side. I don't think there's much standardization on this.
> 
> Thanks, Mike.


The germans have theirs on the passenger side. That's pretty consistent.


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Dave 330i said:


> Andrew*Debbie;4316420]Passenger side on ours.
> 
> The mini was/is not a german car.


 Post was in direct response to 6_Brit asking about the MINI.

Rover was out of the picture when BMW designed the R56. The car is a mix of English, French and German engineering. If you drive an R56 it is obvious some of the electronics are shared with the e90. Body and final assembly are in England but the parts come from all over Europe. It doesn't feel like an English car. Doesn't feel like a BMW either.


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## fully loaded (Jun 24, 2009)

Since arriving Stateside in 2002 I've had a Ford Taurus - passenger side, Saturn Ion - passenger side, Chevy Equinox - passenger side, and now the Bimmer - passenger side. Before coming I had an Alfa Romeo 155 - driver side (which being on the right would be passenger side over here), Mercedes C180 - driver side (on the right again). Cars before that were a variety of both sides that I can no longer remember.


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## z06bigbird (Aug 25, 2008)

Safety organizations have been trying to convince the manufacts (for years) to put the gas filler on the pass side in the US of A. (Less likely to start a fire in the event of another vehicle side swiping you.)

Vehicles that run on propane are required to have the filler, fuel pressure regulator, and fuel lines on the passenger side in the U.S. Federal legislation requires that for safety purposes. Vehicles with any of this stuff on the driver side will not pass inspection.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

z06bigbird said:


> Safety organizations have been trying to convince the manufacts (for years) to put the gas filler on the pass side in the US of A. * (Less likely to start a fire in the event of another vehicle side swiping you.)*
> Vehicles that run on propane are required to have the filler, fuel pressure regulator, and fuel lines on the passenger side in the U.S. Federal legislation requires that for safety purposes. Vehicles with any of this stuff on the driver side will not pass inspection.


You are more likely to be side swiped on one side, the driver's side?


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## TeamM3 (Dec 24, 2002)

at least they finally wised up and started putting an indicator on the dash 


judging by several years of observation at Costco gas stations there are more cars in the US with the location on the left rather than the right :dunno: 



.


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## dannyc9997 (May 15, 2008)

Dave 330i said:


> You are more likely to be side swiped on one side, the driver's side?


That doesnt make too much sense to me either. I suppose most driving is done on 2 lane streets but still people are pulling out from the right all the time. If anything Id think your more likely to be hit (or hit something) on the other side because its harder to judge.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

TeamM3 said:


> at least they finally wised up and started putting an indicator on the dash
> 
> judging by several years of observation at Costco gas stations there are more cars in the US with the location on the left rather than the right :dunno: .


With exceptions, perhaps US and EU using common chassis, in general, American cars have gas fillers on the driver's side while EU cars have fillers on the passenger sides.


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