Keep Your Fuel Tank Topped Up

The blog this week is about avoiding driving around too often with very little fuel in your tank in your Volvo or Toyota, or any vehicle for that matter. Running a car has become a major expense, especially with the ever-increasing fuel prices. Everyone wants to save money on a monthly basis, maybe for that annual holiday or your children’s university fund or for home improvements. Maybe it is to counteract the constant increases in your weekly food shops or increased utility bills. Read on to find out more:

In most cars, the fuel warning light comes on when you get down to between 10 and 15% left in the tank. This can be around a 30-50 mile buffer. New cars often tell you they’re empty before they actually are, so you fill up in time and avoid damaging the vehicle. If the warning light starts flashing, you’ve probably got less than 10% left in the tank. It’s not ideal but, again, it’s not a total disaster to drive your vehicle on a rare occasion with very little fuel. Some older cars have a reserve tank with a little bit of extra fuel in it for emergencies. If you’re unsure, check your handbook or look online. Or even call your local independent garage and ask them. Driving a car with an empty, or nearly empty tank, can cause damage over time. The fuel at the bottom of the tank tends to collect debris and contaminants. If you repeatedly run this through your system, it can eventually damage your fuel filter, pump and engine. This will eventually cost you money to repair that you would not necessarily have had to spend if you hadn’t adopted the behaviour of driving your car regularly like this.  In the short-term, totally running out of fuel can lead to the fuel pump running dry and result in some costly repairs. And if you run out of fuel in the middle of the road, you’ll need towing this could cost between £150-£300 depending on where you breakdown. Fuel is at a very high price at the moment, and we don’t all have the luxury of keeping our tanks topped up. We have written many blogs over the years on how to save money on your motoring costs and on how to be fuel efficient. Below is a reminder of some of the ways you can get your fuel to last that little bit longer:

Top Tips for fuel efficiency -  

• Maintain a steady driving pace, within the speed limit, and avoid accelerating where possible
• Remove unnecessary weight from your car
• Remove roof racks – they cause drag meaning the engine is working harder and using more fuel
• Don’t leave your car warming up on the drive during the winter/cold months this wastes fuel
• Avoid sudden braking or changes in direction, as they can waste fuel
• Stay in the left-hand lane so you can pull onto the hard shoulder if your car dies
• Be aware of how the car feels – if it judders and splutters as you accelerate, you’re running dry and need to pull over where it’s safe and legal to do so
• Turn off any electronic accessories and unplug anything charging – use the fuel purely to keep your car moving
• Turn off the heaters and the AC
• Check your tyre pressures – as under-inflated tyres can increase the amount fuel required. Happy Safe Motoring Folks!

ACC UK Limited
Farnborough, Hampshire
Serving surrounding areas across North Hampshire and Surrey

Call us today on 01252 370701 to book in your MOT, service or repair

Here at ACC UK Ltd, Winners of The Motor Trader Independent Garage of The Year 2015, 2019 & 2020, GRA – Outstanding Automotive Service Excellence 2025, GRA – Outstanding Customer Service – Automotive Sector UK 2026, Motor Trader Indies Garage of the Year Award 2025, The IGA Big Awards 2022, The Inspire Customer Service Excellence 2016 Award, The Eagle Radio Customer Focus 2017 Business Award, The Workshop Magazine Workshop Manager of the Year 2017 Award, The LiveWire Excellence In Vehicle Servicing 2019 Award and The Aftermarket Excellence Award for Best Website 2019, The Eagle Radio Biz Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 & the SME News Magazine Most Trusted Car Servicing Provider 2020, we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience for a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Give us a call and let us quote you for your next service or repair on your Volvo or Toyota. We service all areas around Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Farnham, Guildford, Frimley, Camberley, Hook, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Hampshire and Surrey. We offer free collection and drop off services. We also have a fleet of courtesy cars to allow you to get on with your schedule whilst your Volvo or Toyota is with us. Happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota servicing, repair and MOT specialists based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire