Urgency:Safe to keep driving
Is it safe to keep driving?
Yes, for roughly 30 to 50 miles in most cars. Do not make a habit of it: the fuel pump is cooled by the fuel around it and running near empty shortens its life.
Likely causes
- Fuel is low
- Faulty fuel level sender showing a false reading
Typical repair cost (US)
Often nothing — see the causes above. The cost depends on what is actually wrong.
A typical range, not a quote. Actual cost depends on the car, the shop and the fault.
What to do now
- Refuel at the next opportunity.
- If the gauge reads wrongly after a fill-up, have the sender checked.