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If anything can make a driver averse to a trip to the gas station, it's gas prices tipping over the four dollar per gallon mark. But avoiding a fill-up might not be prudent. AAA Southern New England cautions drivers who attempt to stretch their gas tanks too far, that they could wind up stranded on the side of the road.
"Drivers who allow their cars to run out of fuel not only put themselves in a potentially dangerous situation, but also could see costly repair bills," says Fran Mayko of AAA Southern New England.
She adds that running an engine to the bottom of its gas tank can cause sediment to clog the fuel pump, filter or fuel injectors. When a minimum level of fuel isn't maintained, the electric fuel pump tank can overheat, the price of repair for which could cost $500 or more in parts and labor.
But running out of gas is not only an inconvenience: it can also put you and your passengers at risk, in that power steering and brakes can be lost when an engine dies. And no one wants to be stranded an unable to move the car while in the middle of a busy highway.
AAA suggests drivers maintain at least a quarter tank of fuel at all times.
Have you ever let your car get to the point where it's running on vapors? I haven't -- since college, that is. Let me know here.
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