Gas tank locator
How many times have you pulled into a gas station in a rental car and been hit by the sudden realisation that you have no idea which side the gas tank is on?
Guessing wrong is more than annoying – you either have to execute a fancy maneuver or try to pull the hose all the way around to the other side of the car.
Even if you’ve logged many years behind the wheel, driving cars that were yours, borrowed, or rented, as well as (the worst) rented moving trucks, you may be blown away to learn that there’s a tiny arrow next to most gas gauges that shows which side it’s on.
The feature has been standard on new cars for almost a decade, so the next time you’re about to get gas in a new car, check the dashboard feature.
Grab handle
Above each car door, you’ll usually find a handle. You’ve probably always assumed that the purpose of those is to give you something to hold while the driver takes corners a little faster than you prefer.
But these handles are actually very useful to someone with limited mobility trying to get in or out of the car, according to cars.com.
A wheelchair user or anyone lacking leg strength can hold on for stability while maneuvering into a comfortable position. They work similarly to bathroom grab bars.
Road condition indicators
Gas cap location isn’t the only cool thing you’ll find if you keep an eye on the dashboard of a new car. The next time you’re driving in cold weather, you may notice an odd dashboard light that looks like a road with a snowflake on it.
It’s meant as a warning that the temperature outside is low enough for roads to freeze, according to mycardoeswhat.org, a website created by the National Safety Council and the University of Iowa.
Stability control
Driving on wet or icy roads, you might occasionally see a dash light flash that shows a tiny car skidding around. That’s an indicator that your stability control feature is engaged briefly to keep you on the straight and narrow (literally).
All cars sold in the United States since 2011 have been required to have stability control, according to mycardoeswhat.org.
Sensors can tell if the car is turning too far (getting ready to spin out) or not turning far enough (with a possibility of plowing off the road), and it engages the brakes on one or more wheels to control the turn.
If you see a button in your car that lets you turn off stability or traction control, ignore it. The only time you would need to turn the feature off is when you’re trying to get the vehicle unstuck from deep snow, according to mycardoeswhat.org.
Tyre pressure monitor
Since 2008, all new cars have been made with sensors that monitor your tyre pressure and let you know if you’re low on air by turning on a dashboard light that usually looks like a cross-section of a tyre with an exclamation point in it.
On some newer cars, the indicator even tells you which tyre is going flat. Check your car’s manual to find the optimal tyre pressure for your vehicle.
Front fog lights
Designed to illuminate the road closely around the vehicle while driving in low-visibility conditions, fog lights are an extra set of small illuminators below the headlights and tail lights.
Almost all vehicles have them in the back, but not all do in the front, where they’re most helpful to the driver. They give the driver more visual reference during foggy or snowy conditions when the road ahead is hard to see.
