Driving on empty

[Hotrod25]

What happens if you drive your car on E too many times? I have a friend who will let her car go all the way to the low fuel light (dinger) each time before she fills up. I told her I thought it could ruin her fuel pump and that she is also getting all the junk from the bottom of her tank in her engine. Is this true and what else could go wrong?

 

[jason]

Well your fuel pump for one sits in the fuel. It is cooled by the fuel, and it can cause a shorter life span on the fuel pump. You may also have a great chance of the fuel pump taking up dirty fuel from the bottom of the tank and causing it to clog the filter and injectors.

 

[vroombaby]

I have never actually done this before but I have heard of stories were the pump will fail and die out early. I once did this on accident with the lawn mower and my husband just about flipped his gasket.

 

[FenderBender]

I don't know if I believe that it shortens the life of your fuel pump or engine because I drive on empty all the time. I have had my truck for almost 10 years and I have never had a problem with my fuel pump once.

 

[Pete]

I've never done that before just because I'd hate to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. I've read where some cars or trucks are really finicky and run the risk of burning out the fuel pump if there isn't enough gasoline to keep it working properly. I just know I don't want to chance it.

 

[Calvin]

I automatically fill up when my car gets 3/4 empty. Sometimes I'll fill it up when it gets halfway empty if I know I won't be around a suitable service station. I didn't know you could hurt your car if you let it stay too empty too often.

 

[Blitzer]

Just like dirty fuel can hurt the pump, it isn't good for the lines either. The gunk that the fuel carries through them from the bottom of the tank can build up eventually.

 

[Spokane]

I look at it like the components of the vehicle that have to do with gas going through the car work better on a full tank. Or at the least with enough gas in it to keep the "low gas" light from going on.

 

[Opal]

I'm with Blitzer here. The trash in the bottom of the fuel tank gets in your lines and then they have to be flushed. It happened to me once and that was enough. I just fill up at 1/4 now to prevent that.