Driving & Safety
Basic Emergency Checks Before a Long Drive
Twenty minutes the evening before a long drive catches most of the things that ruin one. This is a practical…
- Reading time
- 4 min
A fuel pump symbol meaning the tank has dropped to its reserve.
Can you continue driving?
Yes — no immediate risk
The fuel level has fallen into the reserve. Most cars hold roughly enough for another 50 km at this point, but the figure varies a great deal between models, and the gauge is at its least accurate near empty.
Refuel at the next reasonable opportunity rather than seeing how far it will go.
Running a tank to empty draws sediment from the bottom of it through the fuel system, and in a diesel it can let air into the fuel lines. Restarting a diesel that has run dry is often a workshop job, not a roadside one.
If the light comes on when the tank is clearly not low, or never comes on at all — both point at the level sender.
Driving & Safety
Twenty minutes the evening before a long drive catches most of the things that ruin one. This is a practical…
Dashboard symbols are largely standardised; these are the models with guides that mention this one.
