This is probably one of the most nerve-racking experience for new drivers having their low gas light on especially while on the road. If you’ve never encountered such, you’ll probably be asking yourself how much longer your engine will be running when you see the low gas light turn on. Will you still be able to make it to your destination or reach the next gas station?
There are some things you need to understand with your fuel pump.
A fuel pump moves the fuel from the tank to the engine. The motor inside the pump is run by DC power which spins a turbine creating a pulling force into the pump body before it passes on a one-way valve and going towards the fuel lines then lastly the injectors.
The low gas light works together with the fuel pump. The fuel sending unit in the gas tank has an arm that is connected to a float. As your fuel level drops from use, the float that is located on top of the fuel will lower the arm and the resistor that controls your fuel gauge moves which causes the fuel light to turn on as it reached the pre-programmed level.
How far you can go just as the fuel gas light turns on depends on the model of your vehicle and remember that there’s no one size fits all.
- Ford Focus, 41 miles
- BMW 3 Series, 44 miles
- Audi 3, 43 miles
- Ford Fiesta, 37 miles
- Toyota Prius, 76 miles
- Honda Accord, 70 miles
- Chrysler 300, 70 miles
If you see signs suggesting that you’re about to run on empty, make sure that you pull over to a safe spot, call a friend or a relative that can bring a jerry can of fuel. It’s also advisable not to risk running your car when you’re running out of fuel.
If something like this already happened to you before, make sure not to be caught up in this situation again. It’s not good for your engine. Doing this often will prevent your car from starting.