Should I Drive With The Gas Light On?

Every driver on the road has faced a similar dilemma - it was a long day at work. You started early and finished late. You have a million things on your mind, everything from the family to traffic snarls to political strife at home and abroad. And then you hear that ding - your gas light has activated, letting you know that your tank is low and it is time for a fill-up. The absolute last thing you feel like doing is stopping and getting gas, so you decide to drive the rest of the way home and worry about it tomorrow. But is it really OK to drive your car when the gas light is on? Argonaut Garage explains.

You Could Run Out Of Gas

Driving with the gas light on provides for one very real risk - running out of gas. Can you imagine the regret of not stopping for gas when your car sputters to the side of the road? At that point, you are in tow truck territory or you had better hope you’ve packed your walking shoes. Not to mention that running out of gas isn’t very good for your car (more on this in a moment). So before you find yourself in this awkward situation, just stop for gas - no matter how badly you don’t want to.

You Could Damage Your Fuel Line

This one is more about the health of your vehicle than the embarrassment of running out of gas. Your car’s fuel pump is designed to be submerged in gasoline, so when you drive on empty - especially chronically - malfunctions and misfires can occur. As any auto technician can tell you, replacing or repairing a fuel pump can be exhaustive and expensive, so you can avoid this damage by simply getting gas when you need to. If you are a chronic “drive on E” guy or gal and you are worried that you may have caused damage to your fuel system over the years, bring it in, and let us take a look. We will quickly be able to find and diagnose any problems your fuel system might have.Driving on empty every so often probably won’t do much harm, and if you stop in time, you won’t find yourself broken down. But don’t be fooled - driving on empty too often or pushing it too far is not good for your vehicle. Argonaut Garage in Berkeley, CA, simple urges you to get gas when your car needs it.