1) Figure out where you’re at – Safely pull over to the side of the road and use your vehicle’s navigation system or smartphone to locate the nearest gas station. There are many map apps and other apps to help locate gas stations and other important business establishments. The American Automobile Association (AAA) has a great app available.
2) Turn off the air conditioner – You should turn off the A/C as soon as possible. It relieves the engine of additional load which saves fuel. When the A/C system is running it puts an additional load on the alternator which in turn, uses more fuel to power the engine.
3) Roll up all of your windows – I know we just told you to turn off your air conditioner. The reason you close all your windows is to reduce wind resistance and drag. If you’re going to complain it’s too hot with the windows up and A/C turned off, how hot and tired are you going to be when pushing your car to the nearest gas station?
Keep your windows rolled up to reduce wind resistance. We know, we know, but yes: You have to turn off the A/C and keep the windows rolled up. You should’ve thought of that before your tank got low.
4) Slow down immediately if possible – Studies have shown the optimal speed of 35 to 45 mph for a vehicle to be the most fuel-efficient. If you’re on a highway or interstate you must abide by traffic laws. Remember the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady will win the race. Don’t speed up in an attempt to get to the gas station quicker. The faster you go or quicker you accelerate burns more fuel at a quicker rate.
5) Turn off any accessories – This one coincides with number two above. The fuel savings may be small, but turning off your stereo and unplugging any electrical devices (charging phones, iPods, tablets) could make the difference of a couple of thousand feet to the nearest fuel pump.
6) Coast using the lay of the land – This does not mean shutting the engine completely off. It means if you find yourself going downhill, shift the car into neutral to give your engine a little break. By shifting your vehicle into neutral, you’ll still have use of your power steering making it easier to maneuver and handle the vehicle.
There is no standard in the industry mandating automakers to provide you with a certain amount of mileage before your car runs out of gas. The golden rule is once your low-level fuel light illuminates, you have roughly about 40 miles before you’re stranded on the side of the road.
If you’re the type of person that loves to live on the edge by seeing just how far you can push your vehicle to empty. Try doing this to narrow down your estimate of how far you can drive after your low gas light comes on: