How far can you drive with low gas warning light on? (1 Viewer)

[Clunky]

On my recent road trip I made the stressful discovery that it is possible to drive pretty far with the low gas warning light on and the gauge showing below empty.

I'm not one to "push the limits" on items like this, but looking at my route on the map I was certain there would be many opportunities to fill up along the way. I started looking for gas stations when I had about 1/3 of a tank left. We ended up on 70 West between Fruita and Crescent Junction. The stress started setting in when I saw a sign that said "no services next 40 miles" and my low fuel light was already on!

I turned off the AC and drove about 70 MPH instead of the posted speed limit of 80. There was quite a bit of uphill driving along the way. The needle was pretty far below empty when I finally pulled into the first available gas station in Thompson 40 miles later, so I was really curious how many gallons it would take to fill the tank.

The verdict was 23.3 gallons. Since the tank holds 25.4 gallons, I still had a small margin of range left after driving for about 30 minutes with the needle on or below empty.

Moral of the story:

1) I'm going to carry extra gas on these trips from now on.
2) It's easy to compound bad decisions. I should have pulled over and studied if it made more sense to backtrack for gas than to proceed.

 

[Azca]

I have approximately 3 gallons left when my light goes on. So I can go 35 to 40 miles but, I hope to never actually find out!

 

[Dimples]

I have 6 gallons left after my light comes on in my 91

 

[murf]

there is no exact consistency from vehicle to vehicle. Even within the same model. I would say between 3-5 gallons.

many years ago my wife and I got caught coming back from CA in our 93 Altima and the gas light came on many miles from Casa Grande. We were very surprised how far we were able to go with the light on before we finally hit the first available gas station. It had to have been on the very last fumes....

 

[OffRoad Rage]

I could have sworn when I bought my first FJC that somewhere in print it stated the light was triggered when the fuel level got to 2.6 U.S. gallons remaining. Of course 11 years later I can't find that in any of my searches but there was a lot of literature available when they debuted.

With a range of MPG from 12 to 16.5 that equals a cruising range of 31.2 to 42.9 miles. Using this guide - higher end on the highway, lower in town - I've never been close to having an issue in over 160K miles. Except for the time on the way back from Moab that the power was out in Kayenta and had to cruise toward Tuba City before finding a station with power (somewhere around mile 38 ish).

 

[Living in the Past]

What I've done in the past is run it in town until the light goes on and then full it until your sure it's full. The difference from the rated capacity is how many gallons are left. If you do this a couple of times and know what mileage your getting should a good idea where your at with your vehicle. Our 04 4Runner and 2010 Sequoia are both about five gallons. Haven't been able to get the light to come on in the FJ62. Possibly the light is burned out.

 

[-Spike-]

I have gotten over 50 miles on the light (at a pretty consistent 10mpg), and at fill-up found that I supposedly had a gallon or so left. That was a stressful overnight outing. Being offroad, the sensor may have triggered the light sooner than it would have on level ground, so I don't rely on that number. I generally assume I have 30 miles to find gas in a pinch, and certainly don't push near that if I can help it. I do, however, usually wait for the light to go on in any vehicle if gas is readily available, for various reasons- not the least of which is that I'm lazy.

The design of the sensor makes it impossible to get the kind of accuracy you would need to be able to say with certainty that 80 series trucks have X number of miles or gallons left when the light comes on. It's not even accurate enough to be able to say that on a particular vehicle, let alone the entire series. The gas moves around in the tank, so certain parameters must be met so that the light doesn't blink with every movement. Those parameters change with road and driving conditions. You could map an approximate remaining fuel amount when the light comes on, but you would probably have to allow a +/- of about a gallon. That 'spec' wouldn't necessarily be true for someone else's 80.

On my wife's Pilot, I can consistently put several gallons of gas in the tank at fillup over what the supposed capacity is, over and over on road trips. That's on top of the fact that there has to be some gas in the tank to begin with. I have to trickle it in there, and I have no idea where it's going, but it can be done, which leads me to believe even that stat is questionable. I have fortunately never run the 80 out of gas, so never had the opportunity to find the actual capacity, but since I've never managed to put over 25 gallons in I assume the published capacity is more accurate than my wife's Honda's is.

 

[jclarke450]

You'll want to slap me for saying this, but my answer is

Until it runs out!

Seriously though with toyota they seem to be very conservative. I know our 200 had a full 5 gallons left when the digital display said I had 0 miles remaining. 80 seems to be 5 gallons also. My gx470 is more than 3 but less than 5. 100s I've had were always at least 3 gallons.

 

[Azca]

I also have about 5 gallons when the needle hits E but my light does not come on until the needle is well under the E, 3 gallons as stated above. I have never left less than 2.5 gallons in the tank.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I pushed it really far once. @LandCruiserPhil was there. Gassed up in Moab and if I remember correctly it took 23.5 gallons to fill. I brought way more water than I needed and should have brought more fuel for that trip.

 

[peacesells63]

I just got back from a 3200 mile Montana trip in my 80 pulling a small travel trailer, I kept an extra 5 gallons with me, but never had to tap into it. On the way back, I went from Blackfoot, Idaho to the south end of Provo on one tank. 42 miles with the fuel light solid on, and I still had 1.7 gallons left somehow.

 

[Funner]

My 80 comes on around 6 gallons.
My company car is a 2015 Ford Escape. Like Jason's 200, I have driven 5-10 miles while the electronic fuel display says my range is zero and it didn't stop running. IIRC I had close to a gallon in the tank when I filled up.