How far can you go once your "Low Fuel" light comes on?

I don't have a low fuel light.

 

[chin311]

maybe 50-75 miles, havent pushed it to that extent yet

 

[WhiteKnight77]

Originally posted by: Taggart
BUT, don't do that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe in modern cars fuel cools the fuel pump. Some sources say always refill at a 1/4 tank, some as high as 1/2. Most of the time if I'm close to a cheap station I'll try to fill up at a half tank.

If you push it to the light, you're decreasing the life of your fuel pump!

You are very correct on this. I just love when people bring their cars in with a burned out fuel pump and want to know why. It has overheated one to many times and finally gave up the ghost. If you habitually let the low fuel light come on, expect a walk to a telephone for a wrecker. Pray it doesn't happen out on a crowded interstate somewhere.

 

[Harvey]

When you're on the highway, you can usually get to a point just outside the auto club's free tow range to the next gas station. In the city, you can go about to a point about a half block less than you need when you try to push it to your favorite station in your own neighborhood. :wine:

 

[Jzero]

2002 Civic. 14 gallon tank. Light comes on with 4 gallons left = no LESS than 120 miles.

 

[dman]

It's supposed to come on when there's only 2gallons left, but, I had some fuel tank issues w/ my car way back when and they replaced the tank. Ever since they've done that it comes on at 3Gal left. (Possibly they put a smaller tank in, but, I don't think so. Or possible that the sensor is higher up now?)

Well, You can tell how much gas is left when it comes on by pulling into a gas station shortly thereafer and doing a fillup. Then take the size of your gas tank - the gallons you just filled it up to and the difference is what was left in the tank.

Then if you used your trip odometer, you can figure out your gas mileage and figure out how far you could have gone before refilling.

Joy.

 

[Mallow]

My low fuel light comes on when I have 4 gallons left in my tank. Usually equals around 50-60 miles in my ford f-150

 

[Marauder-]

93 Camry - 75 hwy miles (maybe 35-40 city)

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
91 Accord

4 gallons left when the light comes on so about 100-120 miles.

Same in my 91 Accord. Although when it comes on, I make a beeline for the gas station anyway. Makes me paranoid to have that thing blazing away. That still gives me around 400 miles range on the freeway, even without pushing it into that extra 100-120 miles.

 

[vegetation]

20 miles or so. Once you get stranded by running out of gas, you'll never make the mistake of seeing how much farther you can go near empty.

 

[dman]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain

Originally posted by: NutBucket
91 Accord

4 gallons left when the light comes on so about 100-120 miles.

Same in my 91 Accord. Although when it comes on, I make a beeline for the gas station anyway. Makes me paranoid to have that thing blazing away. That still gives me around 400 miles range on the freeway, even without pushing it into that extra 100-120 miles.

Dang, you get close to 30MPG on your 91accord. 4cyl 5spd? Not bad!

 

[Jugernot]

I've gone like 76-80 miles in my dad's 99 GMC Sierra (5.3l). I thought I could make it home, but I thought wrong and almost didn't make it home. There was a stretch of like 100miles between gas stations and I just barely made it.

 

[Evadman]

20 miles on my Zuk. Comes on with 1 gal remaining.

 

[Talon02]

1972 Bronco, no low fuel light, no gas gauge either, so when the main tank runs out, i switch it to auxiliary and bam, 7.5 more gallons. If I run the auxiliary tank out, I have 5 gallons in the jeery can on the back, if I run that out, the engine has died anyway because it needed more oil to sustain life 100 miles ago.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: dman

Originally posted by: thomsbrain

Originally posted by: NutBucket
91 Accord

4 gallons left when the light comes on so about 100-120 miles.

Same in my 91 Accord. Although when it comes on, I make a beeline for the gas station anyway. Makes me paranoid to have that thing blazing away. That still gives me around 400 miles range on the freeway, even without pushing it into that extra 100-120 miles.

Dang, you get close to 30MPG on your 91accord. 4cyl 5spd? Not bad!

Well, the EPA gave it 29. I know my dad has managed 500 miles on a tank before. It shouldn't drop too much when I put in the Prelude motor, at least one the highway.

 

[Spac3d]

Originally posted by: Jugernot
I've gone like 76-80 miles in my dad's 99 GMC Sierra (5.3l). I thought I could make it home, but I thought wrong and almost didn't make it home. There was a stretch of like 100miles between gas stations and I just barely made it.

:Q I wouldn't have risked it if there was that much nothingness between the gas stations.

 

[etech]

Originally posted by: Taggart
BUT, don't do that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe in modern cars fuel cools the fuel pump. Some sources say always refill at a 1/4 tank, some as high as 1/2. Most of the time if I'm close to a cheap station I'll try to fill up at a half tank.

If you push it to the light, you're decreasing the life of your fuel pump!

I've heard that also. It's also bad in the winter to run on a low tank. Water will condense out of the air and cause some problems. If you keep the tank full the air doesn't get into your tank and therefore no condensation.

 

[bubbadu]

My jetta never had one... it was also a huge POS.

-Bubbadu