How much further can you travel when your car's fuel warning light comes on
Many drivers are guilty of ignoring the 'dreaded low fuel' light and chance our luck until the last minute.
There's nothing worse than seeing the dreaded 'low fuel' warning light flash up when you're midway through a journey, especially when you're already running late.
Knowing that you'll now have to make a detour to the petrol station is frustrating and a thought that might make you question if you could get away with not fuelling up immediately.
Many might want to ignore it and chance their luck at continuing on with their drive, but is this actually safe to do?
A study has revealed just how far certain cars are able to travel on low fuel - and it might be a further distance than you think.
It can be risky taking to the roads when the fuel warning light is illuminated, but researchers at Compare the Market have analysed some of the most popular fuel-efficient cars to find out the number of miles they can go.
Motoring news
The price comparison site surveyed 2,000 UK drivers to reveal how many miles they think they have left when the fuel light is on, then compared it to how many they actually have remaining.
Around 36% of the drivers surveyed had ran out of fuel whilst on a car journey, while most people also tend to wait an average of six days to fill up their vehicle after the warning light comes on.
Car insurance expert Julie Daniels said: "Running an engine with little to no petrol can cause severe mechanical damage to your car, so motorists should always keep an eye on fuel levels. If you do find yourself driving with your fuel light on, avoid driving at high speeds, turn electronics (such as your radio and air conditioning) off, and fill up as soon as you pass a fuel station."
According to Compare the Market, the 10 most fuel efficient cars are:
Average miles left after fuel light comes on
How many miles drivers think they have left
1
Toyota
Prius
99.26
15.50
2
Mercedes-benz
E-Class
85.01
25.50
3
Land rover
Range Rover
72.87
35.50
4
Honda
CR-V
68.53
5.50
5
Jaguar
F-pace
67.88
5.50
6
Volvo
V40
66.79
20.50
7
Jaguar
XE
63.76
5.50
8
Volvo
C30
61.78
20.50
9
BMW
3 series
58.14
15.50
10
Audi
A3
57.96
15.50
Julie said that there are a few ways that drivers can be more efficient and help their fuel go further.
These include driving smoothly, keeping to a safe speed, and keeping your tyres pumped up, as well as not idling your engine.
Breakdown cover does include help when you run out of fuel, but drivers are encouraged to never ignore their car's fuel warning light.
If it's ignored, motorists can get stranded in unsafe locations, and the lack of fuel can damage the car.
Earlier this week we reported how a motoring expert with decades of experience in the industry told how smart switch in your car can make your engine last twice as long.
Mechanic Scotty Kilmer said that a modern feature in vehicles should be 'switched off' if you want your engine to last for far longer.
In fact, he went to so far as to call the technology the 'dumbest' thing that has been invented in years.
He suggests that you need to disable the auto start/stop settings on cars if you want your engine to keep purring for longer.
In a YouTube video on his site, Scotty said that by doing this you could "double the life of your engine".
Automatic stop/start is something many cars now have and it's said to inprove fuel economy and reduce emissions which is surely a good thing?