How Far Can You Drive When the Fuel Gauge Light Turns Red?
3 Answers
When the fuel gauge light turns red, you can typically drive for 30 to 50 kilometers. The fuel gauge is used to indicate the amount of fuel remaining in the car's fuel tank. Its function is to alert the driver to refuel immediately when the fuel level falls below a specified value. Fuel gauges are categorized into pointer-type and digital-type based on their design. The method to read the fuel gauge is as follows: 1. When the illuminated bars reach the 'F' position, it indicates the tank is full; 2. The closer the illuminated bars are to the 'E' position, the less fuel remains, signaling the need for immediate refueling. The fuel gauge can be viewed on the central dashboard's trip computer screen, and the data can be toggled using the buttons on the right-hand stalk of the steering wheel.
I'm totally qualified to speak on this. Once on the highway, my low fuel warning light came on and scared me half to death. Most cars have about 8-12 liters left when the red light comes on. In the city, you might squeeze out 60 km at most, while on the highway at steady speed, you could barely make 80 km. But I seriously don't recommend playing this game! I've seen someone gamble on that distance only to stall halfway and fry their fuel pump - repairs started at four figures. The real solution? Get gas ASAP. When that light comes on, your car is literally screaming for help.
When the fuel warning light comes on, the tank is basically empty, with only about 5%-10% left. I've tested it with my 1.6L old buddy - in city traffic, it can barely manage 40km before stalling, and even on the highway, 70km is the absolute limit. Never trust those optimistic range estimates displayed by some cars - they're just feel-good numbers. My neighbor learned this the hard way recently. He kept driving for half an hour after the warning light came on, ended up sucking debris into the fuel pump which got completely destroyed. The tow truck plus new pump cost him nearly 3,000 yuan - a painful lesson indeed.
