How Far Can You Drive on Empty?

by Courtney Conley

We’ve all been there: that moment when you realize you’re almost out of gas but you’re not sure where the next gas station is. While you know that you can drive a little bit more, it’s unclear exactly how far you can make it before you’re completely out of gas, which not only would leave you stranded, but could also do some damage to your vehicle. And that’s pretty stressful!

Ideally, we’d always have plenty of time to fill up the tank before getting into a situation like this, but for various reasons, sometimes it’s unavoidable. So what can you do?

Most vehicles can travel another 2.5 miles once your low fuel light warning turns on. This will vary depending on your specific vehicle and the type of driving you’re doing (e.g., highway or rural roads). That’s about 30 miles or so until you run out of gas completely. Many vehicles have a feature that shows you how many miles are left until empty, which can be very helpful. You don’t want to solely rely on that feature, however, because it may not be completely accurate.

A car maintenance and repair company called Your Mechanic created a helpful chart showing how far popular vehicles can drive on empty. These are just rough estimates, and your mileage may vary based on several factors, such as the condition of your vehicle. Check out the chart below!

Gas Mileage Chart

Sometimes, driving on empty is unavoidable. It’s important to know how much farther you can drive if you ever find yourself in this situation. We hope this information helps you avoid running out of gas! For more driving tips and tricks, check out our website! Our online courses are a great way to learn more about how to be the best driver you can be.

We’ve all been there: that moment when you realize you’re almost out of gas but you’re not sure where the next gas station is. While you know that you can drive a little bit more, it’s unclear exactly how far you can make it before you’re completely out of gas, which not only would leave you stranded, but could also do some damage to your vehicle. And that’s pretty stressful!

Categories: Trip Planning, Driving Safety