Big car mistake: This is why you should never empty your tank

High petrol prices, wasted time and no petrol station nearby: There are numerous reasons to put off refuelling as much as possible. We explain why you should never empty your tank in our article.

Damages over 1,000 euros: Why you should never drive with an almost empty tank

According to Murphy’s law, you urgently need to go somewhere exactly when your tank only allows a few kilometres of driving. Whether it’s for a shopping trip or a doctor’s appointment to the next town, when you only have a few kilometres of range left in your car, the hassle is huge.

• If you have completely emptied your tank, you run the risk of damaging the injection and fuel pump of your car. This is because if the fuel has completely dried up from the fuel system, you will have to feed fuel into the system again by pressing the ignition several times.

• However, the fuel also serves as a kind of lubricant for the fuel system. During the first ignition attempts, the fuel pump therefore lacks the necessary lubricant, which can damage it. In the worst case, the fuel pump can be destroyed. This damage will then cost you up to 1,000 euros.

• Compared to petrol engines, however, newer diesel engines are not as susceptible to damage. The German car manufacturers assure that there should be no damage to the diesel engine once you have completely emptied the tank.

• By the way, if you break down on the motorway with an empty tank, you will still collect a fine. This is because you are stopping or parking illegally. Depending on the variant, you will be fined 30 or 70 euros. If you even endanger other road users by doing so, you will earn yourself an additional point.