The low fuel light illuminated shows that you’re beginning to run low on gas and should refill your car soon. Most drivers ignore the warning light flashes, saying they have some fuel remaining, about a quarter tank.
But the main question is, how many miles is a quarter tank of gas?
There are several reasons why driving empty is not a good idea. First, how do you manage the uncertainty about your potential limits?
We have several videos online of people determining the extent to which they can travel when their car indicates that they have precisely 0 miles before empty, but they carried out the test so you wouldn’t have to.
The fuel cylinder is essential to your car’s fuel system since it ensures that your engine receives the gas it needs.
Here, you will know why you shouldn’t allow your car’s gasoline level to drop too low, the effects of low fuel level on your car, and the extents to which various brands can go at a quarter tank.
Let’s start!
How Many Miles Is a Quarter Tank of Gas?
With the reserve, 1/4 will be about 4-5. That should allow you to cover about 120 — 150 miles. However, don’t push your luck. Ensure you always have your tank at least half full.
Everybody is aware of the importance of maintaining fuel in your car. However, you might be curious about how much gas your gasoline tank should always contain. Some authorities suggest that you should always keep gasoline above one-fourth of the tank.
This advice was previously given due to silt building up at the base of a gasoline tank. However, using diesel fuel or gasoline recently makes it easier to go below 1/4 tank of gas by keeping the gas pump in the current gas cylinder excellent.
Also Read: Fuel Induction Service (Everything to Know)
How Many Miles Can You Cover With a Quarter Tank of Gas?
Depending on the type of car, about 25% of the petrol tank will give you a range of 100 to 200 miles. Passenger automobiles typically have a 600-700 mile single-tank range; therefore, traveling 200 miles on the gauge’s final quarter is relatively easy.
The engine typically uses more fuel the more extensive the gas tank is, although that is only sometimes the situation. Next, we’ll talk about the number of miles certain cars can go, which you can contrast with a vehicle that is most like your own.
Toyota Tundra
The V8 engine in the Toyota Tundra has been dramatically upgraded despite its reputation as a huge gas guzzler. The vehicle now has a 22.5-gallon fuel tank as standard equipment.
According to the EPA, the combined highway and city mpg ratings are 20 mpg, 22 mpg, and 24 mpg, respectively. In addition, the Tundra can travel 120–140 miles with just 1/4 tank’s worth of petrol before it stalls out.
Ford Mustang
For such a massive V8, the 2022 Ford Mustang’s fuel tank is only 15.5 gallons, which is relatively minor. However, with 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway, the sports car achieves a combined 24 mpg.
Provided you use the gas pedal very cautiously, the quarter tank’s remaining fuel will allow you to travel another 100 miles.
Toyota Prius
With only 11.4 liters of gasoline capacity, the 2017 Toyota Prius is a highly efficient hybrid. The EPA predicts excellent fuel efficiency at 53 mpg on the highway, 58 mpg in the city, and 56 mpg overall.
One-fourth of the tank, or 2.85 gallons, means that the Prius can cover at least 160 miles on gas alone, and an extra 25 miles can be covered by electricity. You could theoretically travel 200 miles with a quarter of the tank.
Ford F-150
A 23-gallon fuel tank is available for the 3.3L V6 engine Ford F-150. For a full-size truck, the fuel economy is acceptable at 24 mpg on the highway, 20 mpg in the city, and 23 mpg on the drive combined.
The tank 1/4 holds 5.75 gallons; therefore, if you’re traveling either on a highway or in conjunction with a city driving, you can obtain at least 130 miles of range, but more practically 150 miles.
The 5.0L V8 is a different story. Even though it has a 23-gallon fuel tank, it uses more fuel and only gets 21 mpg on the combined journey. So you can go at most 130 miles on one-fourth of the tank.
Honda Accord
A 14.8-gallon fuel tank is sufficient for the practical Japanese sedan in the 2022 Accord non-hybrid. The following are the ratings for gas mileage: 32 mpg combined, 29 mpg in the city, and 35 mpg on the highway. Due to the tank’s quarter being 3.7 gallons, you can travel 120–150 miles before running low on gas.
How Long Does a Quarter of Tank Last?
Despite the lower gas mileage, the duration of one-fourth of a tank is more significant in a city in terms of time. When you go at 80 mph, you cross a wide range in a limited amount of time; thus, you will run out of petrol after one and a half hours.
Due to the comparatively modest speeds of about 25 to 35 mpg, you can travel for about three hours before your petrol runs out, even though driving in cities can be up to 50% less efficient than driving on the open road.
How Does The Gas Gauge Work?
The fuel gauge may surprise you because the designers purposely erroneously read the meter to psychologically simplify things for the drivers.
When you are refueling, or the tank is almost empty, the gauge is inaccurate and travels at a changeable pace based on the fuel remaining inside the tank. So I’ll divide the gasoline track into several parts, beginning with when the tank is full, to let you fully comprehend what’s happening.
Full Tank
Typically, the gauge will reach its maximum level when the tank is full. But are you aware that even a few gallons will have the same effect as one gallon in cars with more giant tanks?
When you arrive home from the fuel station, your tank wouldn’t be complete if the gasoline indicator accurately indicated the tank’s capacity. The makers concluded that the gauge was accurate; owners would mistakenly believe that the car was using more fuel than it was.
The meter will continue to read the entire segment for a while, allowing you to appreciate your fuel purchase.
Empty Tank
We all have experienced this: we’ve underestimated the distance to the next fuel station, and the slowly filling fuel gauge reaches its lowest point.
However, the car continues to move for a great distance, and you wind up arriving at the petrol station even though you weren’t supposed to.
You can refuel at the closest station thanks to an integrated safety system. Since tank size and mpg are often correlated, every car has a 20 to 50-mile range.
Remember that a sizable fuel volume is kept inside the pipes that connect the injectors, and the fuel gauge sensor never considers the fuel pump.
Gauge Movement
The gauge inaccurately depicts the fuel level at empty, complete, and all points in between. In addition, most drivers note that the gasoline indicator increases speed in the second half and decreases as it approaches the halfway mark.
Some argue that it’s just an unfounded suspicion, yet it’s accurate. Nearly twice as quickly can go from 3/4 to empty as from complete to 3/4 filled.
According to my theory, the indicator is only correct at a tank’s halfway point since it runs too quickly in the second half and slowly in the first.
If the gauge reads quarter tank, everyone would be prompted to stop at the fueling station and fill up, but if you’re on a lengthy drive and have nowhere to stop, it will be sufficient to go to the next fuel station.
What Is 1/4 of a Tank of Gas?
The first bracket below the half-tank is the 1/4 mark, which is 45 degrees from the dial’s center. The 1/4 and 1/8th tank marks are located from the bottom.
Some automakers label the 1/4 down with a distinctive color, while others indent the 1/8 and downward with a unique color to indicate low fuel.
3 to 5 gallons of petrol are often present in one-fourth of the fuel tank.
The Effects of Letting Your Fuel Get Too Low
Your car’s fuel tank stores either diesel or gasoline, which the fuel lines then use to feed the engine. It is an essential component of the more extensive fuel system for the car.
Unfortunately, gasoline tanks were frequently made of metal in older, pre-1990 vehicles, thus inclined to rust with time.
If the gasoline pump transmits any silt from the gasoline tank into the engine, that might be an issue. This rusty sediment may result in problems with the gasoline pump, but it may also clog fuel lines, damage the engine and clog the fuel filter.
Fortunately, more recent gasoline tanks are highly dense polyethylene, preventing rust from forming. Unfortunately, silt can still enter your gasoline tank. It can generally be due to poor fuel. However, the likelihood of this occurring is relatively low.
Allowing your gasoline level to drop below a quarter tank raises another issue: it can affect the gas pump. The gasoline pump is found inside the engine of modern cars, where the gasoline keeps the engine cool.
The gasoline pump begins to take in air when the gasoline level drops below it, which increases heat production.
If the gasoline pump overheats, it may wear out more quickly than usual or stop working altogether. This wasn’t an issue previously because the fuel pump’s cooling system wasn’t dependent on the fuel and was outside the fuel tank. Additionally, replacing it was less expensive because it was already broken.
The following are a few indicators to watch out for: If you routinely operate a vehicle with a low gasoline tank, they could be signs of fuel system issues.
Fuel Pump
An automobile’s fuel pump transfers gasoline from the gas tank into the engine. It serves this purpose and ensures that the gasoline maintains pressure while traveling in the machine.
Modern cars have a fuel pump inside the tank. Issues can arise when the gasoline pump either become worn out due to excessive use or for extended periods or becomes clogged with sediment from the gas tank. You should get one hundred thousand miles out of a gas pump, if not more.
Signs of a Bad Fuel Pump
The gasoline pump should never need to be replaced if you’re lucky, as some automobiles can continue for a long time without this crucial piece of equipment failing.
A gas pump may occasionally wear out, so you must change it. There are a few indicators that your gas pump requires replacement:
- It a difficult to start the car: fuel not getting to the engine is the cause of this.
- Hesitation while operating a vehicle on the highway. In this instance, fuel is getting to the engine; however, the flow is restricted somehow. A faulty gasoline pump could bring on this issue.
- I am decreasing fuel efficiency. A malfunctioning release valve in the gas pump typically brings on this issue.
- A fuel pump issue may also be indicated by overheating. This results in the engine needing to work more than usual to draw in the gasoline required. As a result, the car could stall out, or the motor could completely die if it heats up too much.
Fuel Filter
Before the fuel reaches the engine, it is filtered by a part called the fuel filter. Unfortunately, despite having its filter, a gasoline pump occasionally fails to capture all the particles.
A temporary solution to help remove any of these last particles that slip through is the gasoline filter between the engine and the gas pump.
However, the gasoline filter may occasionally clog and require replacement. Typically, a gasoline filter should last 2yrs of driving or 30,000 miles.
Signs of a Bad Fuel Filter
Like the gasoline pump, a gasoline filter can malfunction if filled with particles from the gasoline in the tank.
Because it is outside the fuel tank, the filter is simpler to access and repair. The following are some indications that the gasoline filter is wearing out or failing:
- When your car is idling, the engine vibrates.
- Because the fuel flow from the tank doesn’t reach the engine, your car won’t start.
- Difficulty starting your car as a result of a partially clogged gasoline filter.
- Your car experiences problems as you are driving along the road.
- While you’re moving, your car stalls.
Your gasoline filter and fuel pump can be safeguarded by keeping your fuel tank at least one-fourth (1/4) full. Then, use the service of our skilled mechanics to replace the gasoline pump or fuel filter if you experience any issues.
Also Read: Fuel Pump Fuse Location (How to Locate the Fuel Pump Fuse)
Frequently Asked Questions – How Many Miles Is a Quarter Tank of Gas?
What does 1/4 of a tank look like?
You have one-fourth (1/4) of a tank of gas, which means you likely need to get gas soon, according to the line closest to the bottom of the gauge. You should immediately buy gas because the level is below one-fourth (1/4), which is close to 1/8 of a tank.
How far can I drive on half a tank?
Every car has an entirely different response. In most cars, the tank should contain at most 2.5 gallons if the gas light comes on. As a result, you can travel 30 and 60 miles depending on your mileage per gallon.
Is it wrong to have less than a quarter tank of gas?
Experts in auto maintenance advise against letting your gasoline level fall below 14. This is due to a few factors: It might make you stranded. Your car’s engine will shut off if your gas runs out, leaving you stranded wherever and whenever it happens.
How far can I go on Empty?
Typically, the empty gasoline tank warning light will turn on when your fuel tank is between 10% and 15% full. Thus, if your automobile has a 300-mile range, you can go another 30 to 45 miles once the empty tank sign turns on.
Why should you always keep a 1/4 tank of gas in your car?
Your fuel pump and filter can be safeguarded by maintaining at least one-fourth of the tank full of fuel. The fuel pump inside the tank pumps fuel to the engine from the tank. In addition, a fuel filter is generally installed between the engine and the gasoline tank to safeguard the gas system.
Does overfilling your gas tank hurt your car?
If the fuel tank is topped off too much, liquid gas may reach the carbon filter or charcoal canister, which is only intended for vapor. Your car’s performance can be impacted by fuel in the system, which will cause the engine to perform poorly and be damaged.
What happens if you add too much gas?
Overfilling the tank frequently can cause a Check Engine light to come on, preventing your automobile from passing an emissions test and costing hundreds or more to fix. As a result, the vapor recovery system has developed into an intricate (and pricey) sub-system in a contemporary US market car.
Conclusion – How Many Miles Is a Quarter Tank of Gas?
Depending on the type of car, one-fourth of the petrol tank will give you a range of 100–200 miles. Passenger automobiles typically have a 600-700 mile single-tank range; therefore, it’s not hard to travel 200 miles on the remaining quarter of the gauge.
Keep the gauge from dropping much lower than 1/4 if you want to maximize your fuel savings because the fuel pump and system could contaminate the impurities gathered at the tank’s bottom.