OT: Urban myth de-bunked; fuel filler location

Submitted: Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 16:20

ThreadID: 54602 Views:2444 Replies:6 FollowUps:3

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Member - Roachie (SA)

I recall reading on this or another forum, that if you were unsure what side of a (unfamiliar) vehicle the fuel filler cap/door was on, all you had to do was look at the little symbol on the dash, where the fuel gauge is......the symbol is of a bowser and it has a filler hose on one side or the other. The theory was that the symbol would show the side of the car that the actual filler is on.

BULLCHIT!!!

Mr Toyota's Aurion (bank provided car which i rarely drive), shows the symbol as having the filler on the drivers side.....so that's the way I pulled into the servo today. NUP....get out and the damn filler is on the passengers side. Had to do a round-and-round-the-bowser dance (cos they no longer make hoses long enough to reach across to the "wrong" side of a car.

Ok; rant over!!! haha

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Reply By: age - Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 16:25

Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 16:25

Roachie

I thought that most newer cars (especially Toyotas) actually have a little arrow symbol beside the bowser icon to indicate the side the filler is on - my 100 series and work Corollas certainly do.

be interesting if you look at the Aurion again and see if there is an arrow.

Cheers

A

AnswerID: 287641

Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 16:32

Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 16:32

Hopefully I NEVER have to drive the bloody thing again. Waaayyyyy too many blind spots ; the drivers mirror is like the passengers (convex and dangerous) ; floor mounted "handbrake" (actually it's a foot-operated parking brake....ggrrrrr).

Anyway, I'll never be buying one.....

FollowupID: 552906

Reply By: Member - Hughesy (NSW) - Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 16:50

Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 16:50

Come on Roachie there is a much less scientific and easier way ;)) As you get close to the servo, pull the fuel cover release and look in your mirrors..
.
Mind you the new bomberdoors stuff that theory. We had a new one for work and I got to the servo to fuel up for the first time and I looked and looked and looked and couldn't find any button or lever (other people at the servo would have thought I was have a epaletic fit in the car). Had to get the manual out (don't tell anyone). Its released by pushing on the fuel cover plate while the key is in the ignition. God help me if the manual wasn't in the glove box!!

AnswerID: 287645

Follow Up By: Member - Brad S (SA) - Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 21:19

Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 21:19

That is an interesting point about the bomberdoors...if it is correct...I don't know, I neither own one, nor drive one...but I'm lead to believe it is illegal in all states except SA to leave to keys in the ignition while not driving the vehicle. In SA you must be within 5 metres of the vehicle.
A colleague had his Prado nicked one morning on the way to work. He stopped right out side the door of a small servo, ducked in bought his regular newspaper and ice coffee and turned around to see his vehicle being driven off. The insurance company nearly didn't pay out because he had left the keys in the ignition...lucky he lives in SA and he was within 5 metres.

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Reply By: DIO - Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 18:47

Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 18:47

Thank goodness there's still something on a vehicle that requires a little initiative on the part of the driver.

AnswerID: 287661

Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 19:27

Friday, Feb 15, 2008 at 19:27

Hey Bill,

Are country bowsers made different to city ones???

I generally pull into which ever side of the bowser that is vacant at the time and have never experienced a problem in reaching the other side of the Jack. (Actually, did once at Goolwa but that was because of the angle of entry that was presented to me)

I just make sure the back is sort of level with the bowser and I find the hose reaches around to the other side.

Bill

I'm diagonally parked in a parallel Universe!

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AnswerID: 287672

Reply By: Member - Jim - Sunday, Feb 17, 2008 at 18:21

Sunday, Feb 17, 2008 at 18:21

With respect to the fuel flap on a VE commodore, you don't need the key to be in the ignition, just the car has to be unlocked, the flap locks with the doors.

Regards,
Jim

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Follow Up By: Member - Hughesy (NSW) - Sunday, Feb 17, 2008 at 19:38

Sunday, Feb 17, 2008 at 19:38

Thanks for that Jim. I haven't driven that car for over 12 months , and now that you've said it that is correct. Jeez it had me buggered for 5 minutes.

FollowupID: 553282