didn't make it to a service station? we are here to help!

Running out of fuel is bad news for your engine, whether you drive a petrol or diesel car.

Even before you get to the point of having zero fuel in your tank, damage can start to happen. The fuel at the very bottom of the tank could have sediment in it – something that usually occurs in older cars – which can damage the fuel lines, block the fuel filter and even damage the engine itself.

At the point of having zero fuel in your tank, your fuel pump will start to draw in air. This can result in the pump getting too hot, overheating, and eventually wearing out. It gets worse for diesel engines too.

When a diesel engine draws in air instead of fuel, both the fuel pump and fuel injectors can become damaged. This is because diesel fuel is used to lubricate the moving parts these components have.

As well as this, when you run out of fuel in a diesel engine you might need to bleed the system to get rid of the air before you can top it up again with diesel, which is a job for a specialist.

If you have a petrol engine, running out of fuel isn’t great, but isn’t quite as bad as if you have a diesel engine.

When you run out of fuel, the engine will start to draw in more air. A petrol engine works by using a mixture of petrol and air anyway and is therefore ‘used’ to having some amount of air in it. This is why, in some cases, you can top up your tank with more petrol, and drive away as normal.

The most dangerous position is to be stranded in fast moving traffic, so if you think you’re in the danger zone or your car is starting to splutter, take the inside or slow lane so you can get off the road urgently. Try to navigate your car to the hard shoulder or the side of the road. If the engine is spluttering, it will soon stop completely, so steer it out of the stream of other moving vehicles.

Switch your hazard lights on straight away and if it’s dark or foggy, leave your side lights on too. Take your Warning Triangle and, if it is safe to do so, put it a minimum of 45 metres behind the vehicle to allow oncoming traffic as much time as possible to manoeuvre around you. If you have one, put on a reflective jacket or arm band.