longest driven w/ gas warning light on?

[tinder]

So coming home over the weekend from a desert road trip, I notice that my low gas warning light is on about 5 miles from the next gas station. When I got close to the offramp, I got distracted somehow and completely missed the exit. The next gas was unfortunately ~30 miles away. Needless to say, I wound up in panic mode, shutting off the radio, the A/C and fans, slowing to 55-60, travelling between tractor trailers, braking as little as possible, cursing every hill, staring at the fuel gauge every 10 sec, etc. etc. After 30 miles of excruciating suspense and probably a liter of sweat, I got to the gas station and filled up with a whopping 13.08 gallons. Looking through the manual while filling up, it doesn't say how much fuel is supposed left when the light comes on...so just curious, what's the farthest anybody here ever driving with their low gas warning light on?cheers!

[Mr. Poopypants]

13.2 gal capacity for a FWD. You were pretty darn close to being dry.

[AKLGT]

wow! nothing like pushing it! LOL. i think the most i ever had to pump was 12.2 gal last summer coming from fairbanks.

[Fialchar]

I drove it further than 5 miles, but the Vibe ran out of gas and I had to pull over and walk a mile to a gas station. running out of gas isn't too much fun (Especially when you have 3 other people with you )

[jake75]

I think my gas warniong light comes on when there is about 2.5 gal left so you've got a good 50 miles until you're a pedestrian.

[Mike-NC]

I have driven 38 miles with mine on. Don't remember the total gallons put in a fill up. Didn't take a extreme measures, left AC on, but I was sweating it!

[Psychobroker]

I figured the light comes on w/ 2 gals left, so ~50 miles depending on your driving, traffic, etc.

[goodvibe]

Either that or run it low every time and don't let debrit or water accumulate. Gas is pretty clean if you don't let it gunk up. I also use a mild fuel sytem cleaner/conditioner. No heavy solvents. Every time that you fill up, you stir the fuel so it's better to keep it clean. I would rather keep fuel clean and fresh than try to keep dirty fuel away from the pick-up. People with fuel problems from running low are the ones that are doing it for the first time after a long time of keeping the level up. It's a self fulfilling prophesy.

[ToolGuy]

The manual should state how many gallons are left when the light comes on, I have never looked. Do not run it out, you MAY burn up the fuel pump since it uses gas to cool it.

[AKLGT]

well, i've not run out of gas ever, but i'm sure i've had a few close calls. no thanks.

[pmh013]

27 excruciating kilometers ... on the highway. I usually never let it drop below a quarter tank, but I was going to the mecca of low fuel prices (10 cents cheaper than every where else!), so I risked it.I got lots of cheap gas that day!

[star_deceiver]

Thread revival... found with the new google search (thanks mkowdley!!!)59kms!! Not something I do everyday but that light has been on a few times over the past few months...

[omgLIFT]

when I had my 1zz Corolla I continued to drive around 45-50 miles once the gas light came on before I pulled over and got gas. If i'm driving to preserve gas i'll have cruise control on at 55mph but it's really difficult to keep that low of a speed esp. when everyone is flying buy you.

[mkowdley]

I'm not sure what my record is for distance driven with the Fuel Warning light on, but the OP does a pretty good job of capturing the stress and fear that you experience while doing it... haha made me laugh!

[omgLIFT]

(removed) yeah I can def. see where the op is coming from. I really need to stop waiting to fill when the light comes on to prevent this haha.

[RIT]

The gas in the tank acts as a coolant for the fuel pump, so running low increases the chances of burning out a fuel pump. DOn't ask me how I know, just trust me !!!

[B14CK_H4WK]

ive went back and forth from work 4 times with the light still on which is almost 60miles total, its prob more like 50 though. i got pretty close to the tank being empty, i was stopped on a hill and it started jumping a little bit and that's when i decided better get gas now. you can definitely go a long way once the light has come on. there's def over 2gal left when that light turns on

[BadBrew]

I did 79km highway with light on, I never looked in the manual though but I think my Vibe is still holding just about 10 liters of gas when the light comes on.So I guess I could have done 10-20 km more... but don't count on me to try this

[star_deceiver]

09-10 Vibes (not sure about the older models) and my old 05 Sunfire had a plastic basket around the fuel pump which, while the pump was running, keep the fuel pump submerged even when you're down to the dregs of the tank... in the case of the Sunfire, it is possible to literally suck every last drop out of the tank while keeping the pump fully submerged.And I don't believe the "sucking all the crap out of the bottom of the tank because you let the tank get low" myth... The fuel pump has a sponge-like suction bag that sits on the bottom of the tank under the pump. Anything heavier then gasoline will sink to the bottom weather the tank is full or not (pour a small bottle of water in and see what happens...). Fill up at a clean, reputable gas station and change your fuel filter every 50000 or so kms.

[Whelan]

The car also has a small reserve area of the tank for when the light comes on. The most I have done is 12.2 in an AWD 05 Matrix. So the 11.2 they told me in the manual was not the actual number. I have gone 30 miles on the light.