Why You Shouldn't Drive On an Empty Gas Tank (2024)

Driving on an empty tank is never a good idea. Even though the answer to the question ‘how many miles can you drive on empty?’ is 30 miles or more for most cars, there is a chance that your car could shut down sooner.

How Long Can You Drive On an Empty Tank?

If you’ve been searching to find out how long you can drive on an empty tank, you should know that driving on an empty tank can actually be bad for your car. The reasons that you should not drive on an empty tank include:

• It can damage your vehicle’s fuel pump
• Your fuel filter may be damaged
• You may get stranded
• You could get into an accident

It Can Damage Your Vehicle’s Fuel Pump

One of the most serious potential consequences of driving when the “empty” light is on is fuel pump damage. Your vehicle’s fuel pump is the mechanism that sends the fuel from the gas tank to the engine. The gas being transported by your vehicle’s fuel pump is actually responsible for lubricating the pump as it passes through.

If your vehicle’s fuel tank is empty and no fuel is passing through, the pump may overheat. If the fuel pump overheats, it may fail completely. This could lead to expensive repairs that could’ve been easily avoided.

Your Fuel Filter May Be Damaged

Driving a car with an empty fuel tank could also lead to a damaged fuel filter. While replacing a damaged fuel filter is not as expensive as repairing a damaged fuel pump, it will still result in a bill that could’ve been avoided. Your vehicle’s fuel filter is responsible for removing sediment from the fuel before it reaches the engine.

Sediment usually settles on the bottom of the fuel tank, which means that the last portion of fuel in the tank is likely to be chock-full of it. This can lead to your fuel filter becoming clogged. It may even become completely blocked.

You May Get Stranded

Even if your vehicle’s fuel filter and fuel pump do not get damaged, you could still end up getting stranded. Many newer vehicles display the number of miles the car can drive before running out of fuel. However, these displays can be inaccurate. Older vehicles often have only a gauge, which can also be inaccurate.

Some drivers try to calculate exactly how many more miles they can drive before filling up so that they can delay getting gas for as long as possible. However, it is impossible to do this accurately if your fuel gauge is inaccurate. If you run out of fuel, you could end up getting stranded by the side of the road. Not only is this inconvenient, it can even be dangerous.

You Could Get into an Accident

One circ*mstance that many drivers fail to consider when driving on an empty fuel tank is getting into an accident. If the engine runs out of fuel and shuts off, the steering may stop working.

This is especially common with older vehicles. Even if the steering does not shut off completely, the power steering pump may stop working. This will make steering the vehicle much harder. If your vehicle’s engine shuts off when you are out on the road, this could lead to an accident.

Make an appointment at United Tire today

If your vehicle needs a service, make an appointment at United Tire today. We are a group of individually-owned businesses with many locations in the Philadelphia area. Our expert technicians can help diagnose and treat many common automotive problems.

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