What to do when you run out of fuel | Driving Insights | AbbeyAutoline (2024)

FAQs

What to do if I run out of fuel? ›

Make yourself known

Switch your hazard lights on straight away and if it's dark or foggy, leave your side lights on too. Take your Warning Triangle and, if it is safe to do so, put it a minimum of 45 metres behind the vehicle to allow oncoming traffic as much time as possible to manoeuvre around you.

What happens when you run out of petrol? When you run out of petrol, your car doesn't just stop dead. Before this, your car will likely show signs of fuel starvation, which can include the engine coughing and sputtering, intermittent power surges, and maybe even engine backfires.

Drive evenly.

Avoid hard acceleration and braking whenever possible. In our tests, frequent bursts of acceleration and braking reduced an older Toyota Camry's mileage by 2 to 3 mpg. Once up to speed, maintain a steady pace. The harder you accelerate, the more fuel you use.

Call for Roadside Assistance

If you are not a member of a 24-hour roadside emergency assistance program, contact a friend or family member to take you to the nearest gas station to buy a container of gas or to have them bring you one.

The primary reason you shouldn't run your car low on gas is that it can cause different engine parts to overheat. Running out of fuel negatively affects several important components, such as the fuel pump, engine, and catalytic converter.

If you don't have roadside assistance, then you could also call a friend or family member to deliver gas for you. When it is unsafe where your vehicle is stopped, call the police, and notify them of your situation. If You Choose to Walk – It's always better to wait inside your vehicle on the highway.

If your gas supply's gone off unexpectedly, call the Gas Emergency Services on 0800 111 999. You can also check our loss of supply incidents to see if there's an issue in your area.

When you completely run out of gas, your car shuts down as if you took the key out of the ignition while driving. That shutdown poses a serious risk for many reasons. Not only can it cause you to become distracted, but a change this sudden can cause mental panic and dangerous driving.

NAPA says you should be able to count on somewhere between 30 and 50 miles, with most cars having between two to three gallons of fuel left once the warning lights. Experts warn that you shouldn't make a habit of running that close to empty, though.

How long can you run without fuel? ›

Less than 75 minutes: No fuel needed. 1:15 to 3 hours: 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour. 3+ hours: 30 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour (This is highly individualized; prolonged activity may require more fuel to maximize performance).

Optimal efficiency can be expected while cruising at a steady speed and with the transmission in the highest gear (see Choice of gear, below). The optimal speed varies with the type of vehicle, although it is usually reported to be between 35 and 50 mph (56 and 80 km/h).

The following rule will help prevent running out of fuel: One-third to get out. One-third to get back. One-third in reserve for emergencies.

Prime the fuel system by turning the ignition on (Run position) for 30 seconds, but do not start the engine. This allows the pump to prime the system. Turn the ignition off, and then crank it for 15 seconds. If it does not start, repeat the first task and this one until it starts (cycle the key).

If there's no more fuel in the tank, there's nothing for the pump to draw out; thus, the pump gets dry. This means that if you run out of gas, you have no way of starting up your car again until you get some more fuel in it.