Have you ever told yourself you’d get gas tomorrow morning and then forgot to do just that? It happens. But if you’re in the habit of driving around with your gas light on and the gas gauge on “E,” KS Autocare wants you to know why that’s a bad idea.
Nobody Enjoys Getting Stranded
Probably the most emergent reason to avoid driving around with your gas light on is that you can very easily get stuck somewhere with no way to add fuel to your car’s tank. Many manufacturers say in the owner’s manual that there’s an estimate of anywhere from 25 to 50 miles you can still drive once the gas light comes on. But the reality is that is first of all an estimate and that there are factors that will affect how long that fuel will actually last. You’re not guaranteed even one more mile once the gas light turns on. It’s much safer overall to get gas much sooner.
You Can Easily Damage the Fuel System
The fuel system is also a lot more delicate than you might think it is. Driving around low on fuel doesn’t do it any favors at all. For starters, there’s everything in the tank. You’ve got a fuel pump that sits in the tank with the gas, which actually helps the fuel pump to run cooler. If there’s not a lot of gas in there, the pump can overheat and stop working. Next, the fuel filter can easily get overloaded and clogged by sediment that is much easier to pump out of the tank when there isn’t as much fuel. That can be a big problem for the fuel injectors, but it’s a worse problem for your car’s engine.
Or You Might Damage the Engine
Finally, the engine itself can sustain damage if you’re in the habit of driving around low on fuel. That’s because sediment can keep fuel from getting to the engine, which causes misfires. And if sediment does get into the engine, it’s going to cause big problems as it burns off. The other big problem is that if the fuel system isn’t able to consistently pull up fuel from the tank, it’s sending inaccurate amounts of gas to the engine, potentially starving it of the fuel it needs in order to run.
KS Autocare in Elgin, IL can help you with all of your auto service and repair needs. Call us today if you suspect that something isn’t quite right with your car and we’ll help you figure it out.
