What Does That Arrow Thingy Mean On Your Gas Gauge?

You have seen it. You may have noticed it and didn't think about it. You may have even thought about Googling it. Now you don't have too.

I am talking about the arrow next to your gas gauge. You may have missed it. What does it mean?

Fun fact, the arrow indicates which side of the car the fuel filler / gas tank is on. If the arrow points to the left, the car's filler cap is on the left. If the arrow points right, your filler cap is on your on your right. Simple right? So, how did this come about?

The inventor of the fuel filler dashboard arrow is a designer named Jim Moylan. He happened to be a engineer who worked for The Ford Motor company. The idea came to him in 1986. Moylan was filling up his car in the rain, when he got soaked because he picked the wrong side of the car to face the gas pump.

On the way home, he realized that a marker could be placed on the dashboard next to the gas gauge so drivers could pull up the correct side of the car to the gas pump and NOT get soaked or hassle with turning the car to other side of the car to the gas pump.

He brought the idea to Ford and they ran with it. Today, they are in nearly all newer model cars built in the last 10 years.

Automotive industry experts suggest that only one in ten drivers know about the gas tank indicator arrow. Now, you are one of them. Congrats!

All My Best,

The JimShow