How Far Can Michigan Drivers Go After The Fuel Light Comes On?

I'll never forget the first time I ran out of gas (Yes I've done it more than once)

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I woke up late for work and in a hurry forgot to fill up my gas tank was running on fumes.

In my rush to get to work my car started stalling and had a hard accelerating.

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That's when I realized that I had run out of gas.

I was able to eventually get a friend to pick me up and I made it to work and back to my car later with a tank of gas to get me to the nearest gas station.

Why Is It Bad To Let Your Fuel Get Low?

Besides the obvious answer of running out of gas and getting stuck somewhere, there are several other reasons you should avoid letting this happen.

Letting your car run low on fuel or run out of fuel can cause several problems. Firstly, the fuel pump, which is located in the fuel tank, can be damaged. The fuel pump relies on the fuel to stay cool and lubricated. If the fuel level is too low, the pump can overheat, which can lead to premature failure.

Secondly, running low on fuel can cause the fuel pump to suck in air, leading to engine misfires. This happens when the engine isn't consistently getting the gas it needs, which can cause the vehicle to sputter and misfire. Over time, these misfires can damage the engine.

Thirdly, the fuel tank can collect debris and sediment over time. If the fuel level gets too low, there's an increased likelihood that the fuel pump will suck up this sediment and send it through the fuel system. This can clog the fuel filter and slow the flow of gas to the engine.

Lastly, running out of fuel can cause the vehicle to draw in air and debris from the tank to keep all the moving parts lubricated. If you have an older vehicle, the debris from the tank can go into the fuel lines leading to the engine, potentially causing serious problems

It's recommended to avoid letting your fuel level drop below ¼ tank to prevent these issues

As someone who had damage to their car from letting the fuel get too low, I wouldn't recommend trying this out. But If you want to press your luck this chart on the Insider shows how far you can drive your vehicle on empty.