How Far Can You Drive on Empty and Should You?

I can only remember tempting the fates and trying to make it to the gas station on fumes just once. I ended up stuck at the side of the freeway, in winter, in the dark. Not fun, or smart.

Despite most modern vehicles having a 'countdown' display telling you how many miles you can travel before you are out of gas, I am much less brave than in my youth once that gas light comes on. According to the folks at YourMechanic.com I am right to be cautious.

The distance-to-empty reading is an estimation based on your driving habits. If you do a lot of highway driving, the estimate will be based on those miles which won't be helpful in city traffic.

Driving down to fumes can also damage your vehicle as 'schmutz' at the bottom of your tank can get sucked up into your fuel pump.

It's best never to let your vehicle's fuel tank get too low, but if you must tempt the fates, here is link to a chart estimating the amount of fuel left when your light comes on for most major vehicles.