There are two types of people in the world: Those who see the petrol warning light and think, "I know my car," and keep going, and those who jump to the nearest station at the sight of that dreadful light. If you're the former, you may be damaging your vehicle and setting yourself up for costly repairs. Many of us think the petrol warning light is a friendly reminder to fuel up but it actually is as urgent as any other dashboard warning light. When the warning light goes on, it means your engine is running on 10-15% of its capacity. While this may not sound too bad, it also means 10% of the lubrication provided by petrol, which could lead to problems much pricier than a refuel. When running on empty, your car's engine can misfire - as it isn't getting enough lubricant, it sucks in air which causes it to vibrate or hesitate. When your fuel is running low, your fuel pump isn't getting enough of the lubricant it needs to keep cool and runs the risk of overheating. This will lead to premature failure of the pump. Furthermore, debris and any dirt particles that accumulate in the fuel tank sink to the fuel pump filter, which blocks and eventually damages it.
What starts as a nagging warning light can turn into a hefty bill really quickly. Plus the embarrassment of standing by the side of the road and waiting for a tow-truck or a friend to bring you fuel should be enough to have you attend to that light the minute it pops up.
