"Once the "gas light"(when you are low on gas) comes on in your vehicle, how many more miles can you drive?
2007-06-27 07:25:18 · 14 answers · asked by Marissa C 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
I drive a 2005 Scion tC. It has a 12.5 gallon tank. It gets 30 mpg highway and 23 mpg city. My light came on this morning on the way to work and I'm wondering how much further I can go without getting gas. I drive about 10-13 miles to work. I am still at work now, so should I get gas on the way home or wait until the morning on the way to work. It would help a ton if everytime my light came on I knew how much further I could go. Please Help!!
2007-06-27 08:18:55 · update #1
NEVER AS MANY AS YOU THINK.
2007-06-27 08:04:42 · answer #1 · answered by HyperGforce 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most low fuel lights are designed to come on when you have about 2 gallons remaining. Even if you run out of gas, the tank still has gas in it, the pump just can't pick it up. The actual miles you can drive with the light lit, depends on the size of your engine and also your driving habits. Also if you are driving in the city with a lot of stop and go traffic, the mileage will suffer. It is not a good thing to run your vehicle until that light comes on. Doing so allows your fuel pump to suck more of the dirt that settles in the bottom of your gas tank. This trash will find it's way to your engine's fuel injectors...not good!
2007-07-03 08:04:58 · answer #2 · answered by havetowait 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Typically you have a little reserve gas in the tank after the light comes on as well as in the fuel lines but the amount varies from tank to tank, and car to car, so its probably in your best interest to get some gas on the way home so that you are not stuck on the side of the road with out any gas. In some places the police can issue you a citation if you run out of gas because you put your self in danger or you impede the flow of traffic.
I try to never let my tank get below a half a tank, a habit left over from my time in the military, although sometimes its un avoidable and stresses me out. Its always better to make an error on the side of caution, get the gas on the way home.
2007-07-05 05:08:55 · answer #3 · answered by AlaskaJoe 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on a number of factors. Your car is relatively new so that what is contained in your manual is quite accurate still.
In practical terms, how many more miles can you drive depends on the size of the tank. Usually, the floater will measure about 5-10 gallons left on the tank before the warning light lits up. You can then compute how far you can still go.
However, it is not good to let your tank get drained before pumping in gas because the residue that is left in the tank will be pumped to the engine and that is definitely not good.
If I were you, I wont wait for the warning light to lit up before visiting your gas station. You never know when you need a little extra gas.
2007-07-03 19:44:58 · answer #4 · answered by Lex 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That usually depends on the vehicle. Three to five or maybe ten more miles or even more. My 2001 Dodge truck is good for about 35 miles after the light comes on. We'd like to think that the light warns us that there is about three gallons remaining. That would be nice to depend on that but how do we know that the switch that actuates the light is working properly? The best course of action is to get to a gas station as soon as possible when the light comes on.
2007-06-27 07:32:14 · answer #5 · answered by Arthur O 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can drive about 20 miles ,but your fuel pump needs gas over it to keep it cool so driving below 1/4 tank will cause you to replace the pump as well as sucking up water and dirt which will damage your injectors it's cheaper to keep $10 of gas in your tank than to pay for expensive repairs,bottom line ,you'll make it home ,but don't do it again.
2007-07-04 14:37:23 · answer #6 · answered by fual123 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a small Benz (C serries) and i have about two gallons left when the pumpkin orange light goes on. That translates into about 58 - 60 miles.
2007-06-27 07:37:16 · answer #7 · answered by irisheyes 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My parents town car will go around 40 miles after the fuel gauge says "0"
2007-06-27 07:37:22 · answer #8 · answered by scottaichele 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This varies from one car to another. You should check the owner's manual or call a local dealership, but it is usually about 25 miles.
2007-07-05 03:18:43 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A reserve of 2-3 gallon is common, but don't bet the ranch on it.
2007-06-27 07:33:22 · answer #10 · answered by ed 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
check your owners manual to see were the manufacture set the light to come and also depends how big your tank is my jeep comes on at 1.5 gallons left but my other car comes on at 2.0 gallons left
2007-06-27 07:48:28 · answer #11 · answered by chillwill4679 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋