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How far can my car travel on empty?
I’m one of those drivers who doesn’t fuel their car until the tank is empty. When the gas light comes on I’ll even drive for a day before I head to the gas station. How far can my car drive on empty?
Talullah Blanco · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Sometimes driving on empty is a necessity! We’ve all done it once, twice, or maybe even a few times. If you do let your gas tank reach empty, it’s important to know how many miles you can drive on an empty tank. Depending on the type of car you have, you can drive anywhere from 30 miles to 50 miles on empty.
Keep your car’s gas tank 1/4 of the way full or fuller to avoid these risks:
- Overheating. When your gas tank gets too low the fuel filter is no longer covered in gas which can cause it to overheat and damage youroil pump.
- Stalling out. Driving on empty can cause your catalytic converter to stall out. This will damage your catalytic converter and you’ll need to repair or replace it.
- Getting stranded. Running out of gas and getting stranded on the side of the road is both a hassle and can be dangerous.
If driving on empty is a bad habit you can’t kick, consider getting a roadside assistance membership with
Jerry
. For less than $5 a month, the Jerry app provides roadside assistance including towing, jumpstarts, lockout service, and key replacement. View full answer
- Gregory R.
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