When the fuel is about to be used up, the fuel light is on to remind us to replenish the fuel. Some may be in no hurry to refill and drive a few more miles while others choose to head for the nearest filling station immediately. In the article today, we will find out the best time to fill up your car without potential damages.

Background knowledge of a car’s fuel tank capacity
The fuel tank belongs to a part of the power system which consists of the flammable material such as oil. An average compact car can bear from 45 to 65 liters. The size of the tank varies among different body types, for instance, trucks and SUVs are equipped with larger tanks while Nano cars getting smaller ones.

An average compact car can bear from 45 to 65 liters

Some cars including long-distance cars and older models even come with an additional tank called reserve tank which contains as much as 15% of the capacity of the main tank.
Auto brands share the same ways to inform us of the fuel capacity, which is a line written on the cap of the fuel tank. Modern vehicles are designed with improvements which combine the reserve tanks with the primary one thanks to a signal turning the fuel light when the vehicle is running out of fuel.

Can we overfill our gas capacity?
Every gas tank is made bigger than the manufacturer-stated fuel capacity to make room for air at the top, which prevents vapor locking. Besides, fuel neck and inlet pipe are spare space which can carry 10 to 15 liters.

My advice is don’t consider it as a chance for you to fill more gas. You should be careful with overfilling because it will take up the necessary space for the air. Therefore, when getting warm, the oil which has no space to expand will exert pressure on the tank, then potentially damage the engine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igE14GMhr5Y
Video: Why Not to Overfill (Top Up) Your Car's Gas Tank

How far can you go when the fuel light turns on?
Already knowing your car’s fuel tank capacity, you should know what is the distance the car can survive when the fuel light turns red. Remember that the signal is just to inform us the fuel is now at the reserve level, which means you have 15% fuel tank capacity left in the chamber. Still, it is not recommended to risk emptying your tank because the sediment may spread into the system, which may lead to possible damage to the engine parts since more friction and overheat happens inside the engine when the fuel level gets low.

The signal is just to inform us the fuel is now at the reserve level