Hey Scotty!
I have a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT and the other day I decided to take an impromptu little trip to Columbus, Ohio; about 80 miles one way from home. I got to my destination, parked, and went in; but when I came out my car would not start. My car has both a low fuel light and "range estimate" and neither were showing "low fuel" when I parked as I had as estimated 60 or so miles left. In the past I know the system works cause I often run it down to when the light shows, but parked in a level parking lot it stuttered and ran very rough for a few seconds before dying. I took a gamble and filled a gas can up an put it in the tank; she fired right up! So do I have a leak or is this an engineered thing?
You'd know if you have a leak. Gas smell is potent, even with just a small amount. Don't drive your car that low anymore, you can burn out the fuel pump running it dry. Pick a mileage and get gas at that point, don't trust the light, especially on an old car. I ran out of gas in my 22 year old Ranger a month ago and the light never came on. The mileage was where I usually get gas with 3-4 gallons left, but I forgot I did a lot of idling on that tank and stop and go traffic. Your girlfriend won't like you for running out of gas on a highway between two on-ramps and she has to rescue you. I know from experience. Haha.
Also ran out of gas a couple weeks ago in my 1979 Pontiac in the middle of the night. I had 1/8 of a tank and was feet from the gas station, but got trapped at a light on a serious incline. The engine became fuel starved from the incline and tank slosh and the car died. I had to have a police officer push me up to the gas pump with his cruiser. Girlfriend wasn't happy about that one either. Keep your tank above 1/4 at all times! 😆
No, it's a brain thing. Yours. Letting any fuel injected engine get below about 1/4 tank is asking for trouble. Your 19 year old car has had hundreds of tanks of who knows where it cam from fuel. Letting it get low allows any accumulated crud to block you fuel pump. You got lucky this time. If you can, I'd advise removing and cleaning the gas tank and changing your fuel filter, at least once a year. Unless you like walking.
