Do you know what the arrow in the petrol symbol means? We explain it to you

It is true that motoring journalists tend to change cars fairly often and, although this has many positive aspects, we also run into several drawbacks. One of them is, without a doubt, knowing for certain which side the fuel tank is on, although this applies not only to our industry but also to anyone who has just acquired a new trusty companion or who rents cars regularly. Nevertheless, every single vehicle comes with a small aid that may have gone unnoticed by many of us.

As a general rule, we have to get out of the car to check which side the filler neck is on. This task will be tedious until we commit to memory -or get used to- which side to refuel our new car or temporary travelling companion on, but to solve this regardless of the situation we find ourselves in, we are going to reveal a small trick.

If we look carefully at the instrument cluster of our vehicle, we will notice the presence of countless pieces of data intended to dispel our ignorance about it. However, some of this information is more hidden than it should be, and one of them is, without a doubt, where the fuel tank is located.

Nowadays, many models already rely on digital displays to show the speed at which we are travelling, the engine speed or the amount of fuel we have left. But this clear technological advance does not affect this indicator, which is almost as classic as the car itself and which is always located at the fuel level.

It is a subtle little arrow located next to the petrol pump symbol, and it is not there by mere chance. To be more exact, this arrow has the job of indicating which side the filler neck is on, a clever and quick way to find out information of vital importance when refuelling more quickly and avoiding confusion.

This feature has been in cars since time immemorial and, although many drivers do not need this indicator, it is a great help when we get behind the wheel of a vehicle we do not know. Without a doubt, cars hide small secrets that can be very beneficial, however simple they may be, and the indicator showing where the filler neck is located is one of them.