Fuel Filler Side Arrow

[EBSXR6]

https://jalopnik.com/the-inventor-of...-si-1829601068

The unsung hero/inventor of the fuel filler dashboard arrow is a designer named Jim Moylan, who worked for Ford. The idea came to Moylan in April of 1986, who had to fill up a Ford company car in the rain, and was frustrated when he got soaked because he picked the wrong side. He wrote up a memo with the idea, sent it off to his bosses, and that’s pretty much how it happened.

The bosses saw the value in the (pleasingly cheap-to-implement) idea, and in 1989, the Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer became the first cars to have the little fuel filler-location arrow.

[oldel]

I miss that these days as I'm always changing cars. Sadly not a feature on B series or beemers.
The last I saw it was in my EL

[Charliewool]

B series has a left pointing arrow next to the bowser on the fuel gauge

[EBSXR6]

Originally Posted by oldel

I miss that these days as I'm always changing cars. Sadly not a feature on B series or beemers.
The last I saw it was in my EL

My BF and FG have the arrow. Looking at pictures on the internet looks like it may have been a running change on the later Series AU Falcons.

[oldel]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

B series has a left pointing arrow next to the bowser on the fuel gauge

E: Just checked, you're right, b series still has it.
Well something or other I was driving one day didn't and I got caught out twice in 2 weeks. That's the point, I'm always changing cars and often get caught out, it's nice when cars do have this.

Could have been when I was used to the BA and swapped into something else on the op side, then into something else again back to the left.

[MITCHAY]

It actually says 'FUEL DOOR I>' on my car.

I didn't even notice it for a long time

[Charliewool]

Weren’t Aussie Fords always L/H side and Holden R/H side? And opposite to exhaust tailpipe?

[Citroënbender]

Personally not of a leaning to have my tailpipe filled, so haven’t noticed if it reliably correlates to the fuel flap location...

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

Weren’t Aussie Fords always L/H side and Holden R/H side? And opposite to exhaust tailpipe?

Must have been confusing to hide it behind the number plate on both.

[Mulva]

Some don't have the little arrow, it is which side the hose is on the bowser icon on the fuel gauge that indicates which side the filler is...but can't list examples right now of which makes/models did this. I was told it was deliberate, but for some it might have just been coincidence.

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

Weren’t Aussie Fords always L/H side and Holden R/H side? And opposite to exhaust tailpipe?

No, in the history of Holdens & Falcons in Australia, they've been all over he place.

Sure in recent years Commodore have been on the driver's side & Falcon on the LHS, but most older Holdens (50s & 60 etc) were also on the LHS.

As others have mentioned, many Fords & Holden were behind the number plate (centre rear), XD/XE/XF, HQ/HJ/HX/HX/WB sedans & coupes. XK/XL/XM/XP centre of the rear panel on sedans & hardtops.

Dr Terry

[Mulva]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

As others have mentioned, many Fords & Holden were behind the number plate (centre rear), XD/XE/XF, HQ/HJ/HX/HX/WB sedans & coupes. XK/XL/XM/XP centre of the rear panel on sedans & hardtops.

Dr Terry

1990, heading to the South East to go camping with mates. Boot fully loaded, back seat fully loaded to the roof, 3 of us sitting across the front bench seat.

Rear suspension was that saggy and/or we were carrying so much load that, when leaving town and trying to fill up at Eagle on the Hill, we couldn't get any fuel in it...every time we tried to even slowly put fuel in it would cut out like it does when tank is full (it only had just under half a tank). Had to remove a couple of tents (and eskis) from the boot to get the jack, then jack it up under the tow-bar tongue to get it level-enough for us to fill it.

[wodahs]

even with the arrow set up (ok i know these are older than when the arrow was introduced) it still be confusing
what about in the case of 50's tail lights with hidden gas filler necks

Originally Posted by Charliewool

Weren’t Aussie Fords always L/H side and Holden R/H side? And opposite to exhaust tailpipe?

and then what happened when the v8 had twin tail pipes one each side

[Charliewool]

Originally Posted by wodahs

even with the arrow set up (ok i know these are older than when the arrow was introduced) it still be confusing
what about in the case of 50's tail lights with hidden gas filler necks



and then what happened when the v8 had twin tail pipes one each side

Jags had a filler on each side...
Actually, I remember early Mini’s too.
Must of been a pommie thing?... Lotus was another

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by wodahs

what about in the case of 50's tail lights with hidden gas filler necks

I sorta stole that idea back in the early 80s rebuilding my van.

[Tommie]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

Jags had a filler on each side...
Actually, I remember early Mini’s too.
Must of been a pommie thing?... Lotus was another

The 70s Jags had twin tanks rather than just a single one.... so English at the time I guess..

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Tommie

The 70s Jags had twin tanks rather than just a single one.... so English at the time I guess..

Jags looked good placed there. Didn't Corvettes have a single centre one behind back window as well and Fiat X19s ?? or was that just the engine.

[wodahs]

and then on some they hide them so well youd never find them

[Mulva]

Thread reminds me of that scene in Coupe de Ville with Louie Louie by The Kingsmen playing in the background.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pco8y_Hh8I

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

Jags had a filler on each side...
Actually, I remember early Mini’s too.
Must of been a pommie thing?... Lotus was another

Jags had 2 tanks, therefore 2 fillers. Minis only had one filler except Cooper Ss which had twin tanks.

AFAIK the Lotus Cortinas didn't get 2 fillers, but the Aussie GT500 had an extra alloys with 2 fillers, especially designed for Bathurst.

Dr Terry

[Ben73]

I feel like too many cars have it on the left. Those pumps seem to fill up more often. Probably like 80% of cars I have driven have had it on the left.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Ben73

I feel like too many cars have it on the left. Those pumps seem to fill up more often. Probably like 80% of cars I have driven have had it on the left.

Having said that hoses are long enough to reach over / around perhaps 80% of the cars yet people with the smallest of cars or utes with empty trays are still happy to line up rather than use an empty bowser the 'wrong' way.

If there is a line and no one is around I'll whisk the car around and use the pump if it means it saves time.

[M&Ms]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

Weren’t Aussie Fords always L/H side and Holden R/H side? And opposite to exhaust tailpipe?

And Ford's have been single flash unlock, double flash when locking; Holden the opposite.

[Sabantien]

I never think to look for the arrow, and even in my own car I sometimes forget which side it's on. I have a really weird way of remembering it too.

I have a memory in my head of fueling up my girlfriend's car, and having to make sure I didn't whack the bollard next to the bowser with the door, so that's the side it's on in her car, and mine is opposite.

I could just remember it's on my passenger side on my car, but no, my brain does this weird complicated thing instead.

[Tassie f100]

If you can’t remember which side try releasing the fuel flap before you get to the servo and have a look in the mirror,the flap usually pops out far enough to see it.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

If you can’t remember which side try releasing the fuel flap before you get to the servo and have a look in the mirror,the flap usually pops out far enough to see it.

Tassie, Definitely a first world problem.

Probably the worst placement was the HQ-HZ Holden wagon, left side but so low, speed of filling up was dependent on LHS parked uphill facing the bowser. Painfully slow.

[Rallye Sport]

The Cortina always gets me being on the right, the opposite of my daily.
I pull up to the bowser looking cool in my shiny classic only to get out, swear at it like an ameteur and have to change sides

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Tassie, Definitely a first world problem.

Probably the worst placement was the HQ-HZ Holden wagon, left side but so low, speed of filling up was dependent on LHS parked uphill facing the bowser. Painfully slow.

Geez Rok,I thought you were going to tell me you can’t see your truck filler caps in the mirror.Even with the XF I guess the same problem seeing it doesn’t have a flap.

[roKWiz]

Yeh you're right, can't even see the tanks on 2 of the trucks which are hidden behind full side skirts.
Have to tilt the cab to fill the motorhome tanks. Sneaky hidden filler.

[minheim]

On the right (driver) side for the ZG Escape. Handy for a lazy guy not having to walk too far when filling up.