Is it harmful to run a car until the gas tank is empty?

Many drivers have the habit of driving until the gas tank is almost empty before looking for a place to fill up. There are many reasons given, such as not paying attention to the fuel gauge, the location of the gas station is not convenient, wanting to find a deserted gas station, etc. Not looking for a fuel station right away because they subjectively think that the car can still run dozens of kilometers after the fuel light turns on can cause many people to run out of gas in the middle of the road, or if they do manage to fill up, it will also damage the car if repeated many times.

How far can a car go after the fuel light comes on?

How far a vehicle can go after the fuel light comes on depends on many factors, such as the vehicle make, model, traffic conditions, driving style, tire condition, vehicle weight, etc. Therefore, it is impossible to give an exact figure.

There's no standard, but on most cars, the fuel light will come on when the fuel level in the tank is around 10-15%. You can find information about your car's fuel tank capacity in your owner's manual, in your car's specifications catalog, or simply Google it.

Medium-sized cars will have a fuel tank capacity of 40-45 liters and a reserve fuel level of 4-6 liters from the time the fuel indicator light comes on or the fuel gauge reaches level E. Thus, in normal traffic conditions, the car will go an additional 30-70 km.

When the fuel needle reaches the E mark, the car can still go about 30-70 km more. Photo: Shutterstock

Car manufacturers understand that many people wait until the fuel light comes on before filling up. Therefore, there are two fuel warning levels, a steady light and a flashing light, indicating that it is time to fill up and a low fuel tank warning, respectively.

To avoid running out of gas in the middle of the road or waiting until an "emergency" and then looking for a gas station and not having a gas station, a careful and experienced driver advises to look for a gas station when the tank is about 1/2 to 1/4 full.

What are the risks of cars that are regularly driven to near empty?

Many drivers do not immediately go to the gas station even though the fuel light is on, because they subjectively think that the car can still run a few dozen kilometers. However, in the long run, this will first damage the fuel pump. When there is not enough gas in the tank, the fuel pump will suck in air, so if this happens frequently, it will damage the fuel pump. The cost of replacing and repairing this part is not small.

Second, lack of gas in the tank also increases the risk of the vehicle stalling because the gas does not reach all cylinders, causing the engine to have to operate continuously under forced conditions, which will overheat abnormally.

Third, when the fuel gauge points to level E, condensation may occur in the fuel tank, causing water to be mixed with the gasoline, leading to the risk of vehicle damage.

Finally, the habit of driving when the car is low on gas will increase the risk of an accident if the car stalls in the middle of the road, especially on the highway.