Is running with the low fuel light constantly bad?

[tripleM]

My Mazda3's low fuel light comes on around the 308 miles range constantly.
The tank is listed @ 15 gal. capacity.

When I refuel, it's usually takes ~ 11.5-12 gals.

Read that the fuel pump might go bad if I do this over time.
Does this sound accurate & why?

 

[Donald]

The electric fuel pump is immersed in fuel and is cooled by fuel being pumped through it. So I think those that say a fuel pump may be damaged by running the fuel tank low are not correct.

 

[ConfederateTyrant]

I believe more harm would come from running a tank completely dry rather than running it with 2-3 gallons in it.

 

[wander2039]

I bet that 15 gallon tank is actually 16 or so btw. Our Escape has a 15 gallon tank but somehow I managed to put 15.5 gallons in it last time.... a little to long with the low fuel light.

 

[tripleM]

So the consensus is refuel soon but it's not a problem with 2-3 gallons left?

 

[Quest]

When fuel low light comes on, you shall have at least 1~2 gal left as a form of emergency reserve (all cars are designed to be that way, meaning that even though your fuel tank is spec'ed for 15Gal total, you shall see the light comes on at around 12~13Gal mark.

Refill immediately upon first detection of low fuel light. Failure to do so due to silly forgetfulness or pure ignorance will cost you a fuel pump (yes, electric fuel pumps on all EFI engines rely on gasoline for lubrication and cooling).

Also: unless you are stuck on a highway between 2 filling stations, otherwise, I wouldn't recommend pushing your luck when the fuel low light comes on. I've seen gals/guys with driveability issues after they ran their tank dry a couple of times (fuel rail pressure registered lower than spec'ed) and subsequently cost them a brand new fuel pump.

 

[Rickey]

I once ran my '85 Camaro dry. This was the 2.8 EFI version. In fact I limped it into the station by rocking the boat so to speak with the steering, thereby "sloshing" enough little gulps of fuel into the fuel pickup to get me there. The in tank fuel pump failed on the way home! Interestingly it had sucked a portion of the strainer into the guts of the pump. Could this have been a coincidence? I really don't know. I will never attempt to run one dry again though. I was no fun to replace the fuel pump.
Rickey.

 

[zrxkawboy]

As previously posted, the pump is immersed in fuel. To me, it makes sense that more fuel in the tank would keep the pump cooler. I fill our cars before they hit the 1/4 mark.

Jeff

 

[tom slick]

I burned out the light from driving it too much on empty. the pump was just fine though.

 

[Tosh]

I believe during the summer especially, if there's only a small amount of fuel left, then it will heat up sooner from the outside temp and not cool the pump as well. (Perhaps some FP60 helps with lubricity?) Also, having the tank empty leaves lots of surface area inside the tank for condensation to form.

 

[MN Driver]

I wonder if my light has burned out, I didn't think there was one until I just realized that when I test drove another one it had the fuel light come on while driving it. I wonder if the tachometer dash doesn't have one and the non-tachometer dash does, could be a loose wire too I suppose.

I've run mine on empty more than a few times, once 100 miles beyond the final 'E mark' because I didn't have any cash on hand and no card with me. When I did end up filling it I still had a gallon left in there. 465 miles that time off of 12.2 gallons, 38 mpg.

 

[Trav]

Running a car with an in tank pump is bad for the pump,when immersed in gas the pump RPMS remain fairly low but when sucking even a little air they over rev and damage the small bearings,almost like spinning a bearing with compressed air.I set my personal "empty" level at an eighth of a tank on the gauge.

 

[Dark Jedi]

I mostly dont let my tank get below 1/4 tank. I gues mostly I have heard if you run it way low all the crud that might be in the tank may clog your fuel filter because its more concentrated the lower the fuel level. if true or not I will not chance it as the fuel filter in my truck you either have to drop the tank or pull the bed of the truck to access it.

but I would never chance running till the lite comes on. because some vehicles gauge might be way off. had a rental that I had a lil under a quarter tank and ran out of gas. so I odnt trust gauges or lites.

 

[Donald]

Dark Jedi - I doubt there is a lot of crud in the fuel tank. I have dropped the tank twice in my 1993 Suburban to replace the fuel pump and the fuel and tank look spanky clean. The old strainer attached to the bottom of the fuel pump looked pretty clean also.

 

[Cutehumor]

I can't figure it out sometimes. my fuel light comes on, I go straight to the gas station. I can only get 8.7 gallons in to the brim. out of a supposed 12 gallon tank

 

[tom slick]

in my own experience neither I or any of my family have ever replaced a fuel pump in any car we've owned for any reason. We are all notorious low fuel level drivers.
although it makes a little sense in therory, I haven't experienced, nor heard real proof that driving with a low tank shortens the fuel pump's life. keep in mind that fuel constantly flows through the pump, especially the typical gerotor pump that most vehicles use.

 

[eljefino]

Ran out of gas in my cutlass ciera with electric fuel pump and nothing bad ever happened to me.

Incidentally, the needle went down to "E" as I used fuel then started climbing back up to 1/8 tank!

 

[UncleS2]

I don't know about your Mazda, can only speak from my experience with the Neon. Owner's manual specs 12.5 gallon gas tank, the way I fill up it's probably a solid 13 gal.

I've owned & driven this car since the last day of July in '97. For a period of several years I routinely drove 400+ miles on a tank, & refilled with over 11 gallons, with the low fuel light on for the last 50-70 miles. To this day I rarely fill up before the low fuel light comes on.

As far as I can remember, I've never run it out of gas.

It now has almost 199,000 miles, on the factory in-tank fuel pump & fuel filter. Until someone can prove differently to me, I'm gonna say that *my* car has suffered no ill effects from this. Your car may vary.

 

[Bill in Utah]

With my 05 Corolla the gas light comes on around 450-475 miles.

I normally go as far as another 50 miles with it on before getting fuel.

When it comes time to fill up I've always had atleast a gallon left in the tank.

So far in 65k miles, no problems or noises.

Now, in my truck.. When its hot outside, if I continue driving with the light on the pump does start making a little buzz. But no problems in 50k+ miles.. (yet?)

Take care, Bill

 

[tripleM]

So we are split down the middle between the crud/overheat crowd & the nothing's gonna happen crowd.

Hmmm...