As most experienced drivers already know, when the fuel tank indicator light comes on, it’s only but a gentle reminder to top up fuel. However, more often than not a lot of us have pushed the limits of our fuel tank for reasons best known to us.

Nevertheless, running out of fuel in the middle of a trip is one of the embarrassing moments that could happen to any driver.

In this article, Naijauto.com will discuss the issue of how farther can you drive when the low fuel light is on. Prior to that, we’ll talk about some factors that can influence the fuel consumption of your vehicle. Read on as we explore together.

The remaining miles depend on different cars

1. Why you must not drive on an empty tank

However, there is a very important driving precaution you must be aware of before you decide to drive your car on a near-empty fuel tank. Driving your vehicles with a near-empty fuel tank can damage important vehicle components especially your fuel tank. For your fuel pump to function optimally, it needs to be properly lubricated by the fuel in your fuel tank. A shortage of fuel in your fuel tank could spell failure for this very important component.

More so, contaminants and debris usually settle at the bottom of fuel tanks. Therefore, there is no wisdom in running your car with an almost empty fuel tank as that would unsettle these contaminants and get them into other vehicle components causing damage.

Worthy of mention amongst reasons you should not run your car with an almost empty fuel tank is that your catalytic converter becomes vulnerable to damage owing to an improper air-fuel mixture.

2. Low fuel light is on: How farther can you drive?

How much farther you can go after your low fuel indicator light comes on is dependent largely on the type of car you drive. Although there are a couple of other factors that could affect how much farther you might be able to drive before you actually run out of fuel. We'll discuss these other factors farther down this article.

The table below shows how farther some popular car models in Nigeria can go after the low fuel indicator light comes on. This information was sourced from owner's manual of these vehicles.

Video: Top 9 Cars with the Highest Fuel Economy Rating in 2019 (Besides Hybrids)

3. Factors that influence the fuel consumption

Aside from the type of car your drive, there are a couple of other factors that influence fuel consumption of your vehicle and also impact exactly how far you can drive with a near-empty fuel tank.

These factors include:

3.1 Driving style

Seasoned drivers know that the best way to reduce fuel consumption is to maintain a constant speed. Research has shown that the most fuel efficient speed to drive on especially for city driving is 40mph.

3.2 Driving route

City driving generally consumes more fuel than highway driving.

3.3 Road conditions

It is actually more fuel economical to drive on good and smooth roads than rugged terrains or roads plagued by potholes or bumps.

3.4 Tire pressure

It has been proven that under-inflated tires impact fuel consumption negatively.

4. Conclusion

Sometimes, it can become quite necessary for one to drive on empty. It is therefore really important to find out beforehand exactly how farther you might be able to drive on a near-empty tank. Arming yourself with this information that addresses the question of how farther can you drive can save you a lot of stress when you absolutely need to drive on an almost empty tank.

>>> You may also like to read:

• How is fuel consumption calculated?
• Does fast driving consume more fuel than slow driving?
• Top 8 most fuel-efficient cars in Nigeria

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