How far can you drive on empty?

Here's one for the "Semi-useless" file.

Ever run out of gas in a bad spot? Like 20 miles from the nearest gas station? We've (probably) all done it when we were young and dumb.
I ran out of gas a couple times when I was a teenager, then my brain started working and I haven't had it happen again. (The gas thing, not the brain working thing)
Running out of gas is a huge, no, a GIANT pain in the ass.

I often remember a friend from way back in the college days who would routinely run out of gas. What's weird is that the guy was probably in possession of a genius-level I.Q. I think he ran out twice in one week over a holiday break!

Most cars will give you fair warning, and you're safe for at least 50 miles when the light come on.
Here's a list of the best selling cars, and some driving-on-empty stats:
How far can you go?

I haven't run out of gas in many years, I am cautious because of how many times I ran out when I was younger. It is harder on cars now when you run out too, it's not like the sixties and seventies cars are around anymore,

We had one car that would run out when it hit a quarter tank. That was good, now I feel weird about having less than a quarter tank in the car.

a reply to: ColeYounger

My closest recent encounter with running out of gas was driving 9 hours to the in-laws in UP Michigan, arriving around 1am. Last gas station that was open at night was 150+ miles away.

I skipped it, knowing a couple well within fuel range were much cheaper, and I didn't want to risk a kids-wakeup stop that late with that many miles to go. Sure enough, all remaining stations were closed for the night. Light went on 45 miles from the in laws house. We hit 0 on the range 20 miles from them.

Made it the next morning to the gas station 1/2 mile away, sputtering in on fumes.

Word of warning: the more you run close to empty, the more you risk your fuel pump's life!

As of today, I've had my License for 4 years. I've never ran out of gas completely. My 2013 Chevy Spark (I don't recommend it but its got the job done for me so far, albeit barely) has a Gas tank logo that lights up I believe around 50 miles. Then, once my digital thing tells me I have 25 miles left, it starts flashing EMPTY. So I know if its flashing EMPTY i've got to high tail it to the gas station.

-Alee

I have not ran out of gas in my life, came purty close, but never ran out. (in my own vehicle)

I usually fill up before the light even comes on... this thread makes me think of Kramer.
(Remember that old Seinfeld episode?)

I'm sure your relationship with your car's gas light says something about your psychology.

I was driving back to Victoria from the Northern Territory once. My fuel gauge hit below empty as I drove though Horsham, just accross the Vic border.

I had no money, so obviously couldn't fill up. So I just drove to my grandparents house in Ballarat about 190km away (or about 120 miles)... I had to roll down a few hills and be incredibly sensitive with the accelerater, but I made it there in the end.

So yeah, 190km is the longest I've managed to travel after the pin on the fuel gauge drops below empty.

I never let the warning light come on,always fill up before that

My be a load of rubbish but I thought if you run out there is a chance the crap in your fuel tank gets in filters etc etc

Depends on the car gauge. I had a VW and when it hit the E you were done. I have a Mada RX8 and could not find a station for a while. Could have stopped at this one place late at night but there was rift raft in the parking lot and said naw, I was better off running out of gas, felt they would have robbed me. To my surprise, I went another 25 miles well below E and made it to a station. Probably best to look on specific car forums to find out the official E line.

a reply to: Whereismypassword

That's Diesel engines that stuff up if you run them completely empty... Petrol (or gas as you Americans call it) engines shouldn't be an issue.

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

I have a diesel mate,so thanks it's true so will keep her topped as normal

Generally 20 to 40 miles. My diesel truck will lie though, and is actually on empty around 1/4 tank. Found that out when I ran out trying to get to a gas station. That's the only time I've ever run out of fuel.

It's generally a good idea to fuel up around half a tank, considering that most modern fuel pumps are cooled by the fuel they're submerged in.

Now my play car has to be kept above a half a tank, because if I don't, the fuel demand is so high under WOT that the pump can suck the canister it sits in dry...

That's what happens when you play with E85 and 1000cc injectors...

First, take a look at your vehicle’s technical specifications. This can usually be found in the owner’s manual. Usually listed near the size of the gas tank is specifications for reserve fuel. In most vehicles, when the fuel level reaches the reserve fuel level, the gas warning light pops up. There’s no standard for how big the fuel tank reserve is, but most of the time it’s about 10-15 percent of the overall size of the tank. You can then use that information as well as your car’s average fuel consumption information to see how far you have to go. Let’s look at the case of the 2013 Toyota Corolla. Its gas tank holds 13.2 gallons, so 10 percent of that is about 1.3 gallons. If you multiply that with the car’s 29 mpg rating in combined driving conditions, you get 37.7, so you can likely get an additional 37 miles from your car after the warning comes on. more

If you go to Tanks on Empty, and type in your model/make..it will tell you how far you can go on average after the red light comes on..

and as another poster said..it is not good to run on empty because it could damage your fuel pump:

Hoff explains that by allowing a car to run on empty, dirt and contaminants are more likely to become suspended in the fuel and block the fuel filter. When fuel is extremely low, the fuel pump is no longer suspended in fuel and can overheat. In some cases, low fuel can even affect power steering and brakes. more

Thanks,
blend57

a reply to: blend57


And the older the car the more a problem it could become running bone dry

I fill up full on a 1/4 of a tank

a reply to: ColeYounger

Every Ford i have owned would conk out as soon as it hit the red , But one night when i was young with a badly injured leg on a road with no verge either side or money in my pocket .. this crappy little 998 cc Ford Fiesta that had more holes in the exhaust than a sieve and a bust headlight got me and my dog home more than 40 miles , to this day i do not know how as the next morning it would not start someone up-stairs was looking after me that night

I think it cost me $ 30 from a friend

a reply to: stonerwilliam

TIny engine in that fiesta mate,and low weight = high MPG when your being frugal with the pedal

a reply to: Whereismypassword

It did around 40 -50 normally but sounded like a v8 with the exhuast , But that night in question it did itself and me proud i crawled home at 50 mph past policemen on the road lol to this day i still cannot figure out how as it was in the red when i started the car and had 50 miles to go home , i think the power of prayer worked somehow

a reply to: stonerwilliam

Yeah you were lucky and travelling at the most economicall speed for MPG

Years back in the uk we had a petrol ration for a few weeks or so( might have been a strike of some sort and my company had fuel card laminates given to us by the NHS who we supply)

I had a petrol V6 then and for that short time I drove at about 55 mph everywhere

It's actually pretty amazing how much further you can go on a full tank when you drive ecomicaly

That's the main reason I purchased a diesel car,rather than filling up once every 6 days it became once every 10 days with same mileage

100km+, never tested it to the last drop.
1.9TDI/160PS/335Nm/around 5.5l reserve tank or so.

a reply to: Whereismypassword

I live in the uk i sort of remember that strike in 2001 maybe with a fuel blockage over the pound a litre price at the time ,Americans do not realise how easy they have it with the price .

I have always been a tight git when it comes to petrol and mpg and got some fantastic milage by being frugal to the extreme my friends and work buds used to lol at what i could squeeze out of a gallon of petrol in a old banger that i bought for a hundred quid for work / this stupid keyboard does not have the pound sign .

Best i ever had on fuel was a 1979 citroen visa 652 cc fill it up and forget about it for weeks sometimes just like a moped on petrol .

Now i am so tight i have a bus pass , what mileage i get on that