An in-depth guide to get you back on the road in no time

You’re driving down a busy road. The sun is shining, your windows are down, and it’s the perfect afternoon… until you notice your car is acting weird and you’re running out of gas! It’s a common situation that can be extremely stressful if you don’t know what to do. Do you pull over? Do you call for help? What do you even do if you run out of gas? Luckily, getting help is easy, even if you aren’t near a gas station. Keep reading to figure out what happens (and what to do) when you run out of gas.

Things You Should Know

  • When your car runs out of gas, you lose control of your braking and steering. Soon after, your vehicle will stall because there isn't enough fuel to power your engine.
  • Once there's no gas available, your vehicle will abruptly stop, and the fuel gauge on your dashboard will read empty.
  • If you're running out of gas while driving, pull over to the right side of the road and turn on your hazard lights. Verify your location and request help from a roadside assistance service.
Section 2 of 4:

Signs of Low Fuel

  1. 1
    Braking and steering feels harder than usual. The ability to maneuver your car is directly connected to the engine running. Pull over immediately if you notice that it’s hard to brake or your steering feels uncontrollable.[2]
  2. 2
    Your engine stutters or your car stalls. Without enough fuel to support your engine, you may have difficulty starting your car or keeping it on.[3] This is especially dangerous if you’re driving on the highway, so make sure to pull over if you are running low on gas!
  3. 3
  4. Advertisement
Section 3 of 4:

Getting Help

  1. 1
    Find a safe parking spot until you can refill your gas tank. If you're driving on the highway, turn on your hazard lights to warn other drivers. Pull over to the right side of the road and park on the shoulder if possible.[5]
  2. 2
    Determine your location to receive help for your vehicle. Use your phone or car’s GPS to quickly identify your location.[7] If you don’t have service, look at road signs or nearby buildings to determine the general area of where you are.
  3. 3
    Request roadside assistance or call your car insurance company. If you have a roadside assistance membership (like AAA Road Service) or a program through your car insurance company, give them a call to request for help. They will bring you enough gas to get you to the nearest gas station or tow your car.[8]
    • If you don’t have insurance or a membership, most states have emergency highway response systems that provide assistance for free–find their phone number on your local department of traffic (DOT) website.[9]
    • If you don’t have cell service, flag down someone on the road. Ask them to bring you gas or make a phone call for you. Use your best judgment when approaching strangers, and be cautious if someone insists on giving you a free ride!
    • Alternatively, have a friend or family member bring you gas or call roadside assistance on your behalf. If all else fails, walk to a nearby gas station and bring gas back to your car.
  4. 4
    Refill your gas tank and restart your car. After refueling, you may have to pump your gas pedal a few times (with the car off) to get the new gas flowing to your engine. Insert your key into the ignition and turn it to the ‘on’ position (without starting your engine). Repeat 3-4 times before turning the key all the way to restart the car.[10]
  5. Advertisement
Section 4 of 4:

Will running out of gas damage your car?

  1. 1
    The fuel pump may overheat and lead to engine failure. The fuel pump is designed to pull gas from the bottom of your gas tank and deliver fuel to your engine. Gas acts as a lubricant and cooling agent for the fuel pump, so your fuel pump overheats when your gas tank is empty (and only air is passing through).[12]
  2. 2
    Low gas levels can lead to clogged fuel injectors. Attached to the bottom of the fuel pump is a fuel filter that removes debris from your gas.[16] Gas moves from the fuel pump to your car’s engine via fuel injectors. When gas levels are low, impurities are pushed through the filter, clogging the fuel injectors and preventing gas from reaching your engine.[17]
  3. Advertisement

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 5,895 times.
2 votes - 20%
Co-authors: 3
Updated: December 11, 2022
Views: 5,895
Advertisement