Left hand or right hand: which side is which
Use the driver seat as your reference point so you order the correct left hand or right hand part every time.
If you have ever looked at a car from the front or rear and chosen the wrong side, you are not alone. Left hand and right hand parts are named from the driver seat looking forward, not from where you are standing.
On Australian delivered vehicles, left hand, or LH, is the passenger side and it is also the kerb side. Right hand, or RH, is the driver side. This is the basic rule to use before you order any handed part.
How side naming works
When you sit in the driver seat and look forward, the side on your left is LH and the side on your right is RH. That is the reference point used for side naming.
This is why driver side and passenger side can swap between right hand drive and left hand drive vehicles. Left and right describe where the part sits on the vehicle itself, not where you are standing beside it.
Why people order the wrong side
Standing in front of the car reverses what you see, which is a common cause of wrong side orders. A part that looks like it is on your left from the front may actually be RH once you check the vehicle from the driver seat view.
The same confusion happens at the rear. A left hand tail light is on the passenger side even though it appears on your right when you stand behind the car. The naming does not flip for parts at the rear.
Other position words you may need
Left and right are only part of the description. Some products also use front and rear, inner and outer, or upper and lower to show exactly where the part fits.
- Front and rear are used for doors, window regulators, hubs and guard liners.
- Inner and outer are used where a tail light is split between the body and the boot lid or tailgate.
- Upper and lower are used for hinges and control arms.
Some parts are not handed at all. This includes most main grilles, bonnets, radiators and centre bumper pieces.
How to read side information on this site
On this site, the side appears in the product title and in the fitment panel on the product page. Check both before you order so you match the part to the correct side of the vehicle.
If the item is handed, treat LH and RH as vehicle positions, not as what you see from outside the car. That simple check helps avoid ordering the wrong part.
What to check before ordering
- Start from the driver seat looking forward.
- Work out whether the part is LH or RH on the vehicle.
- Check if the part also needs a front, rear, inner, outer, upper or lower description.
- Confirm whether the part is handed at all, because some parts are not.
- Check the product title and the fitment panel on the product page.
If you are still unsure, send your VIN through the contact page.