You’ve probably seen it hundreds of times without giving it much thought. Sitting quietly beside the familiar fuel-pump symbol on many dashboards is a tiny arrow. It doesn’t flash, beep, or demand your attention. It simply points—and once you understand what it means, it can save you from one of those small but annoying moments at the gas station.

Imagine driving a rental car, borrowing a friend’s vehicle, or simply forgetting where the fuel door is located. You arrive at the pump and suddenly wonder which side you should pull up on. Instead of opening the door to check or taking a guess, look at the fuel-pump symbol on the dashboard. On vehicles equipped with this indicator, the tiny arrow provides the answer instantly. It’s an incredibly simple feature, yet plenty of drivers may never have been told what it means. Continue below to discover exactly what that little arrow is telling you.

The trick couldn’t be simpler: if the arrow points left, the fuel filler door is on the left side of the vehicle. If it points right, the filler door is on the right. That means no guessing, no getting out of the car to look, and fewer awkward moments when you discover you’ve parked on the wrong side of the fuel pump. Not every vehicle uses the same dashboard design, but when this arrow is present, it provides a quick visual clue.

The feature becomes particularly useful when you’re driving an unfamiliar vehicle. You might know exactly where the fuel door is on the car you’ve owned for years, but that muscle memory won’t necessarily help when you rent a car on vacation or borrow someone else’s. Instead of searching through the owner’s manual or trying to remember which side you saw earlier, one glance at the dashboard can give you the information you need.

What makes the little arrow so clever is how unobtrusive it is. It doesn’t interrupt you or require complicated instructions. Most of the time, you probably won’t even notice it. But when your fuel level drops and you approach a station, suddenly that tiny symbol becomes remarkably useful. It’s a good example of thoughtful design: providing information precisely when the driver needs it without adding unnecessary distraction.

Modern vehicles are filled with symbols that communicate useful information, from tire-pressure warnings to temperature indicators. Yet this tiny arrow may be among the easiest to overlook. Once you know its meaning, however, you’ll probably check it whenever you’re driving an unfamiliar car.

So next time you approach a fuel pump, glance at your dashboard first—the tiny arrow may already be pointing you in the right direction.