How many miles do you really have when your gas gauge light comes on?

[Analog]

Mine says range=25 miles, but I think its much more. I never have run it dry though...

2009 CR-V :awe:

 

[quakefiend420]

about 40-50 miles in my Z

20 on my VTR

the harleys don't have a fuel gauge, much less a light

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Every car is different. Put a one gallon gas can in your car and run it dry. Nothing beats empirical testing.

 

[DesiPower]

~35 Camry Hybrid

 

[lxskllr]

Mine's supposed to be 3 gallons, but I've never run it dry. When the idiot light comes on, I get gas within 30 miles. That gives me a little room for error. Jeep Cherokee

 

[Analog]

Every car is different. Put a one gallon gas can in your car and run it dry. Nothing beats empirical testing.

Heh, not worth damaging the fuel pump..

 

[F1N3ST]

I've only run below 1/8th of a tank twice in my car, and both times I've gotten gas ASAP. Stopped in the ghetto once D:, was all white with my moderately nice car, like 5 scary black people getting gas, and some gangster lookin arab guy teller.

Wasn't a fun experience.

 

[destrekor]

is our favorite fella still banned? was it a permaban? haven't seen him in awhile

 

[lxskllr]

Heh, not worth damaging the fuel pump..

It won't hurt the fuel pump doing it once.

 

[bctbct]

When the gps and dash disagree its an uncomfortble feeling on the highway.

I can personally attest that my brother drove 5 miles beyond the computer calculated 0.

 

[JEDI]

Mine says range=25 miles, but I think its much more. I never have run it dry though...

2009 CR-V :awe:

1.5 gal= 50miles

mazda3 automatic

btw- i wish they had a car forum... oh wait...

 

[FoBoT]

i don't really know, unless i let it run out, how would i know for sure

 

[JulesMaximus]

When my fuel light starts blinking I probably have about a gallon of gas or so left in the tank. When it goes solid I really have only 20 miles or so before I'm stranded on the side of the road.

 

[Turin39789]

I've only run below 1/8th of a tank twice in my car, and both times I've gotten gas ASAP. Stopped in the ghetto once D:, was all white with my moderately nice car, like 5 scary black people getting gas, and some gangster lookin arab guy teller.

Wasn't a fun experience.

Why was it not fun? What did they do, take your money and sell you gas in return?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

How much do you want to bet that the list of folks who have never run out of gas matches up perfectly with the list of folks who have never changed a tire.

 

[El Guaraguao]

We need a woman driver to answer this question.

 

[Gothgar]

but the car needs it, IT NEEDS IT BAD, GIVE IT GAS!!!

 

[brblx]

How much do you want to bet that the list of folks who have never run out of gas matches up perfectly with the list of folks who have never changed a tire.

are you implying that because someone is not dumb enough to run a car bone dry, they are then somehow too dumb to be able to manipulate a scissor jack and a lug wrench?

logic fail.

besides the fact that only an idiot runs his car out of gas to find this out, it's typically pretty bad for the fuel pump, which relies on being surrounded by gas to cool itself. although some (but not all) setups will hold a small amount of gas hostage to keep the pump motor cool.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

are you implying that because someone is not dumb enough to run a car bone dry, they are then somehow too dumb to be able to manipulate a scissor jack and a lug wrench?

logic fail.

besides the fact that only an idiot runs his car out of gas to find this out, it's typically pretty bad for the fuel pump, which relies on being surrounded by gas to cool itself. although some (but not all) setups will hold a small amount of gas hostage to keep the pump motor cool.

No, I'm implying they're young, inexperienced and incapable of dealing with the world except when surrounded by complex machinery.

 

[kevbot]

I used to have a '97 Dodge Dakota with the 3.9L V6. I drove to Denver from Kansas City and tried to see how far it would go. It had a 22 gallon tank. Anyway, the low fuel warning came on and i went about 60 miles after, with the ding ding dings and lights on the dash. When I finally stopped for fuel, it took 17.xx gallons. 5 gallon reserve.

I have driven my Saturn Ion with a 13 gallon tank past the warnings, and put in about 11.5 gallons.

YMMV obviously, but modern cars seem to have quite the generous error range WRT remaining fuel capacity.

 

[duragezic]

The owners manual says it comes on when 2.2 gallons remain. Depending the time of year, I get 23 to 30mpg, so 45-65 miles.

I don't run it low very often. It's only been a few times where I thought I had less than 15 miles remaining. Just never in a situation where I can't easily get gas.

A lot of people in high school always ran around on empty. Then go to the gas station to put in like $3 (granted this was 6-8 years ago). Not like I had much money in HS but dang!

 

[JulesMaximus]

are you implying that because someone is not dumb enough to run a car bone dry, they are then somehow too dumb to be able to manipulate a scissor jack and a lug wrench?

logic fail.

besides the fact that only an idiot runs his car out of gas to find this out, it's typically pretty bad for the fuel pump, which relies on being surrounded by gas to cool itself. although some (but not all) setups will hold a small amount of gas hostage to keep the pump motor cool.

I haven't run any car I own out of gas in probably the last 20 years but I have run out of gas once or twice when I was in my teens and just starting to drive.

I did run out of gas on my motorcycle a couple months ago though. When your tank only holds 4.5 gallons of gasoline you really should pay close attention to those fuel warning lights.

I have close to 10,000 miles on this bike and I've owned it since it was new. I usually never let it get down to the point that the light is blinking, but honestly, I really thought I could make it a few more miles...I was wrong.

 

[Howard]

No, I'm implying they're young, inexperienced and incapable of dealing with the world except when surrounded by complex machinery.

I've never run out of gas and I've changed tires before...

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

I would think the reserve is at least 2 gallons.

 

[bobdole369]

pt cruiser, roughly 50-55 miles from the first ding.