YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – Your gas light flicks on. How many miles you can drive on empty?
That will depend on several things: the make and model of your car, your driving habits, regular gas mileage, and if you’re driving something fuel-efficient.
But road safety experts say you may have more miles than you think.
They say that typically, that light will come on when your tank is below 10% to 15% of its capacity.
It should be safe to drive about 20 to 30 miles in a smaller car and up to 50 miles in a larger one.
A car with a 10-gallon gas tank might have one gallon remaining when the light comes on. A Ram truck will have around three to four gallons of gas left.
The weather could complicate things, too.
The cold weather can cut deeply into your car’s fuel economy, and if your gas light comes on when it is extremely cold, get to a gas station quickly.
If you haven’t taken good care of your car with regular oil changes or scheduled maintenance, you’ll get fewer miles per gallon, and again, get to a gas station quickly.
Remember: driving too long and too often with a tank that is almost empty will stress your fuel pump, and once that goes, your car is useless until you replace the pump.
