Drivers are only just discovering the use of a “handy” symbol on car dashboards. No matter how long you’ve been driving – you may not realise what it’s been telling you all along.
The conversation recently came up on Reddit after a social media user asked people what the purpose of it actually is. He was left a little confused after his girlfriend offered an idea for what it means – in the end he was baffled by the true purpose of it.
He wrote: “Does this symbol indicate when you should fill up? Girlfriend says you should fill up when you reach this symbol. I thought it just told you that that gauge indicates fuel, and which side the petrol cap is on.”
Since he asked the question, people offered all sorts of ideas, and they varied quite a lot. It definitely sparked a big conversation.
One person replied: “I mean, you’re both technically right. I would fill up if you’re that low on gas and yes, it does show which side the cap is on.”
Another added: “Indicator for which side the filler neck is on. As for ‘when to fuel up’, I disagree, for two reasons.”
A third replied: “That symbol just shows you which side the gas cap is on. You should not let your car get that low on gas because you could potentially run the fuel pump dry. I try to fill up when it hits 1/4 tank of gas.”
Meanwhile, a fourth also commented: “The picture of the gas pump is telling you it’s the fuel gauge. Where that is located on the gauge is just a design choice.
“The arrow, if there is one, points to the side of the car with the fuel door. Older cars typically don’t have that.”
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Many people have probably experienced having a forgetful moment trying to remember which side their petrol cap is on. This can cause a dilemma when you pull up to get petrol at the station.
Whether you forget where it is, or are using a hire car, there are all sorts of reasons why we can fall short of the answer when filling up. But, thanks to this handy symbol, there’s an easy way to help you know straight away.
Some drivers claim there is no right or wrong side to fill up. They say it doesn’t matter as long as the fuel line can reach the far side of your vehicle, but this isn’t always true when it comes to 4x4s or larger vehicles.
Scrapcarcomparison.co.uk says there’s a way you can work it out quickly – all you need to do is look at the fuel pump icon on your dashboard. If you don’t know what it looks like, look out for a bold triangular arrow pointing to the left or the right alongside the pump.
This will tell you which side your fuel cap is on. In some cars, the same pump icon may not have an arrow, but there is another clever trick you can use to work it out.
In some cars, the handle of the pump may secretly indicate which side your fuel cap is on. Therefore, if the handle is on the right, this means the fuel cap will be on the right hand side of your car.
However, where the fuel pump icon is positioned does not tell you anything about which side your cap is on. Cars can have it positioned on top or bottom, right or left on a dial, but this doesn’t show where the fuel cap is located on all cars.
A spokesperson for the comparison site told Insurance Edge: “Most of the modern cars will have the little arrow to the side of the pump, which is your quickest answer. Some of the older cars may not have the arrow but another good indication is the side of the pump handle on the fuel symbol – this may be the case in a few of the older cars.”
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