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How Far Can a Ford Mustang Go with the Gas Light On?

How Far Can a Ford Mustang Go with the Gas Light On?

Ford mustang can go up to 81 miles when the gaslight flashes on the display screen. However, the warning sign flashes and indicates a low fuel level in the tank.

How Far Can a Ford Mustang Go with the Gas Light On? A Ford Mustang can go for around 38 to 81 miles with the gas light on, with a tank capacity of 13.7 to 23.2 US gal. Light appears when the tank has 2.8 to 4.5 gallons of fuel left. Driving with the gas light results in fuel contamination, wearing of combustion chambers, broken fuel injectors, and the short lifespan of the engine. 

Driving with a warning sign dries the container, reduces internal lubrication, and causes damage. Immediate tank refill can protect from engine failure and accidents.

How much distance can a Ford Mustang cover with the gas light On?

It is an American automobile, launched in 1964 by Ford, with two doors and can accommodate four people. The longest-produced vehicle is a pony car with a stylish appearance.

It has an average tank capacity of around 13.7 to 23.2 US gal, which varies according to the size of the car. However, the car can go for nearly 38 to 81 miles when the gas light turns on.

The number of empty miles changes according to the speed limits and stability of the road. It can cover a maximum distance of around 78 to 81 miles with the warning.

However, the minimum empty miles are nearly 36 to 38 miles. Its 1964 to 1968 variants have a tank capacity of about 17.2 to 17.6 US gal and can go 68 to 72 miles.

Its 1969 model has a fuel reservoir of 21.0 US gal and can cover 75 miles. 1970 Ford Mustang has one of the most spacious containers of 23.2 US gal, and the car can go for 81 miles with the gaslight.

1971 to 1973 has a reservoir of 21.2 to 21.5 US gal and covers around 76 to 79 miles. Its 1974 to 1976 variants can cover 61 to 63 miles with a container capacity of nearly 14.1 to 14.4 US gal.

However, 1977 to 1981 had smaller reservoirs of 13.0 to 13.7 US gal with 36 to 40 empty miles. Therefore, all 1982 to 2004 models have a container of around 16.0 to 16.8 US gal.

They can go for 62 to 69 miles when the warning sign turns on. 2005 to 2010 Mustang can cover 70 to 74 miles with a reservoir of 17.0 to 17.7 US gal.

All the latest versions from 2011 to 2022 have a tank capacity of around 16.6 to 17.1 US gal and can go for nearly 64 to 70 miles.

A chart of Ford Mustang models, their tank capacity, and the number of empty miles

Ford Mustang models (with years and trims) Tank capacity (In US gal) Number of empty miles
1964 to 1969 Ford Mustang 17.3 to 21.0 68 to 75
1970 Ford Mustang 23.2 81
1971 to 1973 Ford Mustang 21.2 to 21.5 76 to 79
1974 to 1976 Ford Mustang 14.1 to 14.4 61 to 63
1977 to 1981 Ford Mustang 13.0 to 13.7 36 to 40
1982 to 1996 Ford Mustang 16.0 to 16.8 62 to 66
1997 to 1999 Ford Mustang 16.2 to 16.5 61 to 66
2000 to 2003 Ford Mustang 16.5 to 16.6 62 to 66
2004 to 2008 Ford Mustang 16.9 to 17.7 67 to 74
2009 to 2011 Ford Mustang 16.8 to 17.0 67 to 70
2012 Ford Mustang 2DR Cpe Boss 16.9 67
2013 Ford Mustang 2DR Cpe GT 17.1 72
2014 Ford Mustang 2DR Conv GT 17.0 70
2015 Ford Mustang 2DR Fastback EcoBoost 17.1 72
2016 Ford Mustang EcoBoost premium 16.8 67
2017 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Fastback 17.0 70
2018 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Convertible 16.4 64
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt Fastback 16.7 68
2020 Ford Mustang Bullitt Fastback 16.6 67
2021 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Convertible 16.4 63
2022 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Fastback 16.8 69

How much gas is left in the Ford Mustang tank when the gas- light turns On?

The fuel level decreases to 3.8 to 4.5 US gal, provoking a warning sign on the dashboard screen. In addition, it indicates to the driver about the remaining miles and tank drying.

With the retaining gallons, you can calculate the safe driving distance. It depends on the car’s mileage on the highways and city roads.

A few models have larger containers due to design modifications. In these variants, the warning signal appears when the container has around 4.8 to 5 gallons of fuel.

On the Ford Mustang, the average safe miles are around 3 to 5. The light keeps blinking before these safe miles.

Then, it turns off and indicates that you can only drive about five miles. In such conditions, the fuel decreases far below the threshold and results in tank drying.

What is the ratio of empty miles over the years on a Ford Mustang?

The average miles have slightly decreased in the last 10 to 12 years due to the reduction in container size. This is because they became small from 1977 to 1988. Later, their size increased to 17 US gal.

However, in recent models, they have an average capacity of 16.0 to 16.7 US gal with average empty miles of 63 to 67 miles.

How to calculate the empty miles on a Ford Mustang?

It has different variants with an average mileage of around 16 to 18 mpg on the city roads. However, it facilitates 27 to 29 miles per gallon on the highways.

Its manual transmission provides 14 to 16 mph in the city and 24 to 26 mpg on highways.

However, the automatic transmission provides 15 to 17 mpg in the city and 26 mph on highways. In addition, the gaslight indicates that the container has around 10% to 15% of the fuel.

Take the lowest value, check it in the manual, multiply the number by miles per gallon of your car and calculate the remaining miles.

What are the drawbacks of driving a Ford Mustang with an empty tank?

Driving with a warning sign reduces the engine’s lifespan due to several internal damages. I have explained the following reasons that restrict driving with a gaslight.

Internal wear due to debris

Low fuel levels result in excessive airflow inside the container. As a result, dust particles and debris approach the fuel passages and clog them.

The contaminants mix with the fuel and change its quality. The clogged lines cannot supply fuel to the engine. It causes internal wearing of different parts, which affects the braking system.

The short lifespan of the engine

Due to several internal damages and insufficient power supply, the engine fails. In addition, low fuel economy and clogged filters produce sludge in the pump.

It cannot suck enough fuel for the standard engine efficiency and shortens its lifespan.

Broken fuel injectors

The debris and rust accumulate inside the injectors due to reduced fluid flow. The carbon traces contaminates them. They partially block the injectors and prevent their closure. It results in cylinder misfire and leakage.

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