Feelings of anxiety will quickly creep in when you realize that you’re almost out of gas. Even worse is to realize there isn’t a gas station in sight. You either weren’t paying attention or you’re so close to your destination and didn’t want to stop. It doesn’t really matter how it happened, but your gas light is on now. Is there any way you can get the gas that’s left in the tank to last just a little bit longer?
How to Conserve Gas When on Empty
1. Locate the nearest gas station. As soon as you see that the gas light is on you need to figure out where the closest gas station is. The gas light in most vehicles will come on when there is 30 to 50 miles left until the tank will be empty. Now while this seems like quite a bit of gas, it isn’t if you’re on a long stretch of highway and it seems like a gas station might not be close. You should pull over, grab your phone and locate the nearest gas station. You should backtrack if the closest one is behind you. Would you rather be on the road a little longer or run out of gas? If you run out, you will lose a lot of time.
2. Roll up the windows when driving. Rolling your windows up will save gas. When driving at high speeds, the wind resistance is better if the windows are rolled up. This will improve the aerodynamics of your vehicle and reduce drag. If you aren’t driving at high speeds, it probably won’t matter of the windows are up or down.
3. Cut the AC when running out of gas. While the AC in your vehicle makes a drive more comfortable, turning it off when your gas light is on will make your gas last longer. The AC and heater can reduce the fuel economy by 25%. That’s a big difference when you’re trying to get to the nest gas station.
4. Stop using car accessories when gas is low. For the same reason that cutting the AC will help, turning off the stereo and electrical devices, like a charging phone, will improve fuel economy. The savings might be small, but it might be the difference between getting to the gas station or getting out to push your car.
5. Conserve power when you run out of gas. Try to avoid road conditions that will create resistance and require more power and gas from your vehicle. Avoid stopping and starting often or driving uphill. You will also use more gas when accelerating so coast as much as you can, keeping an even pace until you get to the gas station, and drive downhill routes if you can.
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Running out of gas is easy to avoid. You just need to keep your vehicle fueled and if you’re on a long trip plan your stops, so you’re always fueled up. As frustrating as it can be to run out of gas try not to panic. Get your car to the side of the road, put your hazard lights on and call Citywide Towing Service for fuel delivery roadside assistance.
