Gone are the days when cars had mechanical fuel pumps and carburetors 鈥� unless you drive a car made in the 1970s or '80s. When cars had carburetors, you could drive them until all the gas was gone, refuel, and drive again with no problem. However, most fuel-injected engines rely on in-tank electric pumps that use the gas to cool and lubricate their components. Driving your fuel-injected engine frequently on fumes could cause the pump to fail, leading to a very costly repair.
Rebecca Cook/Reuters/File
