For your car to run, it needs fuel. Without it, your car won’t move, unless it is an electric car powered by a battery. Nonetheless, when the car runs out of fuel while on the road, you will find yourself slowing down until you reach a complete stop. The logical thing to do to remedy this problem is to refuel the vehicle.
While the solution seems easy, it can be inconvenient. If you always run out of fuel in the middle of the road, you’re likely to get delayed to where you are headed. Sure, fuel delivery services can help get you out of that situation but running out of fuel could also have a negative effect on your car. It can damage some parts of your vehicle. That is the main reason why you should avoid running out of fuel.
Parts That Get Damaged Due To Lack Of Fuel
Sometimes, drivers can get lazy to refuel their vehicles. They think that they can still make it even if their low fuel light alarm is lighting up. Sometimes, they get to the gas station and refuel just in time. However, there is also a higher chance that they get stalled on the road. When that happens several parts of the car get damaged. Such parts would include the following:
Fuel Tank
When you drive with low fuel and run out of it, one of the main parts that get damaged is the fuel tank. Gasoline can form a gas crust and when you tend to always run on low fuel or run out of fuel, the gas crust gets stuck to the fuel tank.
Although this can still burn and provide energy for your vehicle, it can also slowly corrode them. When you expose your gas tank base to this frequently, it can slowly deteriorate and may cause leaks.
Fuel Pump
The fuel pump is another part that gets damaged when you tend to run out of fuel frequently. The fuel is not only used by the car as a source of energy. It is also used by your car to help lubricate and cool other car parts like the fuel pump. With low fuel, the pump can easily get overworked and overheated. Maintaining a good level of fuel in your gas tank prevents damage to both the fuel tank and fuel pump.
Fuel Injection
Fuel injection is a very important part of the fuel pumping system. It is responsible for transporting fuel from the tank to the burning tank. When you run on low fuel, the pump tries to get whatever is left in the tank. Those that are left are usually filled with debris and dirt. This could get stuck in the fuel injector and cause it to clog. Your car might not show immediate signs that the injector is clogged until it is too late.
Additionally, the particles on the crust could also stick to the filter. When this happens, the fuel will not be able to reach the engine where it should be burned. Even if you’ve already filled your tank with gas, it could feel like your engine is not getting enough of it. If you try to start your car it won’t start.
It is common for cars to fail to start when you’ve just refilled them after running out of fuel. This is because there might be air in the fuel lines. Switching your car key to On then Off a few times can help flush out the air. This is called priming the fuel pump. However, if your car still doesn’t start after priming, the fuel injector might already be clogged. This needs to be inspected and cleaned in the shop.
The Engine
The engine uses fuel as a source of power but as the fuel pump, it also uses it for other purposes like as a lubricant and coolant. With enough fuel, even if it burns the fuel, it still won’t overheat. On the other hand, running out of fuel will make the engine prone to overheating and that could cause damage to it.
Braking System
When your car is out of gas, it can feel more difficult to use the brakes. This is because the brake pedals utilize hydraulics so that the brake pads can be controlled. If there is no fuel, the brake pedal will still work but on its own. It doesn’t have the help from the hydraulics that is why it feels more challenging to push the brake pedal when you’re out of gas.
