Man Says This is the Real Reason Some Cars Have the Gas Tank on the Driver's Side. Is His Viral Claim True?

‘Apparently, this idea dates way back.'

Photo by: Unsplash.com

By: Alexandra Samuels

Jun 10, 2025 at 11:00am ET

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If you’ve ever wondered why some cars have their gas caps on the passenger side while others have them on the driver’s side, you’re not alone. One content creator on TikTok claims it’s all about traditional gender roles—but not everyone agrees.

In a now-viral video, Kleib (@bigkleib34) offered his take: if your gas tank’s on the passenger side, you might be driving a “chick car.”

“Sorry, bud,” he laughed.

His video has garnered over 2.1 million views as of Monday, inspiring considerable pushback from users who said his explanation was more sensational than factual.

What did he say?

According to Kleib, gas tank placement dates back to a time when “men were chivalrous and pumped their lady’s gas.”

“Apparently, this idea dates way back,” he noted.

Kleib claimed that a man’s car would have the filler door on the driver’s side so he could easily hop out and fill it. Meanwhile, a woman’s car would have it on the passenger side—allowing the man, riding shotgun, to do the honors for her.

“If your gas tank is on the passenger side, sorry, bud, you got a chick car,” he said.

So… Is Any of That True?

Not really.

The actual reason some cars have fuel doors on different sides has more to do with engineering, design logistics, and safety than chivalry.

In countries like the United States, where people drive on the right side of the road, positioning the gas cap on the passenger side helps keep drivers out of traffic if they ever need to refuel from a gas can on the shoulder, as drivers are more likely to pull over on the right side.

Some manufacturers also find it more efficient to design cars with filler doors on a specific side based on the layout of other components, like the exhaust system, or because it simplifies production lines.

On the flip side, some argue that driver-side placement is more convenient when pulling into a pump, especially in countries where most gas station layouts favor that design. There’s no universal standard; different automakers make different decisions based on internal priorities, safety regulations, and the markets they serve.

So, no, your gas cap placement doesn’t indicate anything about your car’s masculinity or femininity. It simply reflects that your car was built by engineers trying to make everything fit. If you’re ever unsure where your fuel door is, just check the dashboard. Most automakers include a small arrow next to the fuel gauge pointing to the side of the car where the gas cap is located.

Some viewers fall for it

A few people who watched Kleib’s video took the bait by defending their car’s gender.

“So the Porsche GT3 is a girls car,” one commenter wrote.

“Aint no way a Kia Soul is a dude car,” another said.

“Me driving an Acura (driver’s side) looking at my husband who drives a WRX (passenger’s side),” a third viewer wrote.

Other commenters stepped in to set the record straight: The side your car’s gas cap it on has nothing to do with masculinity or femininity.

“German cars the gas tank is on the passenger’s side so you don’t ding your driver’s side door when you fill up,” one man wrote. “Now you’ve been educated.”

“It’s entirely dependent on what side of the road the country that the car was made for drives on,” another said. “Nice try though.”

What do you think?

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“European cars have it on the passenger’s side and American cars have it on the driver’s side,” a third person added. (This is true.)

Motor1 has reached out to Kleib via TikTok comment.We’ll update this post if he responds.