ChapelHillMBFan

I'm a goofball. I ran out of gas today for the first time, having been driving for 20 years. I have no explanation other than I intended to get gas at lunch and ended up just thinking about work while I was out and that, when the MB gas gauge reads empty, the tank really is empty (every other car I've ever owned has about 2-3 gallons left when the gauge reads empty). After I put the 2 gallons in from the gas can I bought at the station, the car still ran rough and felt like it was running on only a few cylinders. I then filled it up with 21.06 gallons for $83 (I'm pretty sure the car has a 23 gallon tank, so I'm gonna say the car was pretty empty), and it smoothed out during the 2 mile or so drive home from the station. The check engine light was still on when I pulled in the garage, though. Could I have damaged the car by being a moron? And, can I get the check engine light off myself?

Thanks for any help.

Viet_Amg408

i have done that too
no worries, misfire because there was air in fuel system...once its clear it should be ok...no damage anything...

any generic obd2 scanner can clear the code..

get one from autoparts $50 dollars, it will comes in handy

SFBIGBODY415

Same thing happened to me but my car is there was 1.6 gal left. Car did same thing ran like it was barley breathing but once i filled it up all the way it drove fine and check engine light turned of itself after 5 min. We got lucky but it really messes up the fuel pump when car is low on fuel. I try to fill up when i am down to 3.5 gal.




UOTE=ChapelHillMBFan;5099212]I'm a goofball. I ran out of gas today for the first time, having been driving for 20 years. I have no explanation other than I intended to get gas at lunch and ended up just thinking about work while I was out and that, when the MB gas gauge reads empty, the tank really is empty (every other car I've ever owned has about 2-3 gallons left when the gauge reads empty). After I put the 2 gallons in from the gas can I bought at the station, the car still ran rough and felt like it was running on only a few cylinders. I then filled it up with 21.06 gallons for $83 (I'm pretty sure the car has a 23 gallon tank, so I'm gonna say the car was pretty empty), and it smoothed out during the 2 mile or so drive home from the station. The check engine light was still on when I pulled in the garage, though. Could I have damaged the car by being a moron? And, can I get the check engine light off myself?

Thanks for any help.[/QUOTE]

Sgt. Schultz

like was said you'll be fine

wow 1st time ever?

man, I've run out a few times at least - and either sputtered or literally coasted to the pump more than once 8-)

so you're in good company heh heh (that either makes you feel better or worse!)

not yet in the S600 tho... my gauge DOES have 3 gallons left in it when it hits empty, 100% for sure. I've gone like 50+ miles on the 0mi to empty in the trip computer, and the tank still didn't take the 23.whatever gallons

YMMV (ok baaaaaad pun!)

ChapelHillMBFan

Not EXACTLY the first time ever. When I was in high school, my older brother asked me to go out and fill his car up. He had a date that night and was running late and just getting in the shower. Being a good little brother, I said, "Sure." About 2 miles from our house, the car died. This being pre-cell phone days, I had to walk home. But, I don't count that since my genious older brother is the one who ran the car dry.

Thanks for the reassurances. The car ran fine today, and the check engine light turned itself off too.

marktan

+1 on the 0mi to empty and still having ~3 gallons left (thank god, or I'd find myself on the side of the road a lot more often!).
My wife will take her E500 and drive it to "0 mi", then since her car is low on gas, takes my S600 and leaves me with "0 mi"...which leaves me constantly filling up the cars. She calls it the magic gas tank because miraculously it always gets filled up!

02S430

that would annoy me especially if I was in a rush, but thats just me

Fraser

Blimey! Surprised by the number of you playing fuel light bingo!

turbocad6

man, I don't know what it is about this benz but I've ran out of gas a few times in mine already too and I never did in my previous cars... I think the warning light being part of the gauge itself is just not good enough to really notice most of the times, agree with whats said here though, air in the lines gives missfire codes and it will straighten itself out after refueling and the light will go off by itself, code will remain stored for random missfires until cleared and yes, there is a reserve after it reads 0, not quite 3 gallons though, maybe ~2 I think

Das Geld 2

According to the manual the orange is the reserve.

turbocad6

yeah, so I post this, then get in my car and drive home... how ironic is it that I actually ran out of gas AGAIN last night, not even 2 hours after posting about this very problem.... luckily I have good friends and had someone run out and bring me some fuel as I got stuck off the belt right in east newyork, not the best place to get stranded, that's for sure...

I know that there is a reserve past where it shows empty at the very bottom of the gauge because one night I drove home and as I got home I saw that I was at completely empty, figured I'd gas up in the morning but the next morning I completely forgot and just jumped on the highway to work, made it ~25 miles before dieing... obviously much of this is my own fault but it would be nice if there was a better warning than just that little glowing bar on the gauge, it just blends in with the orange of the gauge needles and really doesn't alert well... this was the 4th time for me and the only time I had to actually call for help...

DRTYLNDY

Wow Turbocad6, maybe you should just start adding "getting gas" as part of the weekly routine.
HMMMM maybe I shouldn't comment, I should be good I have at least 3/4 yesterday.

zam2000

I just envy the part where you paid $83 for 21 gallons. For the last few week, I couldn't fill up the gas tank of my car, always 1 or 2 gallon short.

Reason: most gas station now cap $100 on credit card gas purchase, and it now takes more than that to completely fill the tank.

bigben320e

Whew...I don't feel so bad. I filled up both my CLS and R500 for $120 in GA.

MRAMG1

Although I am glad for all of you that ran out with no apparent damage, just a little word of caution for you guys.

The fuel pump uses gasoline as both a lubricant on its vanes, and a coolant. When you run out, things get hot fast. Granted your car wont stay on very long but, I lost a pump in my race car once because I ran out on the track. After we filled her up, I couldn't get more than 30psi out of her. Prior, I was running around 60.

Just FYI

DRTYLNDY

I have been saying this for years as well to my friends. My buddy years and years ago lost a fuel pump in a Z28 because he ran out of gas. The gas is the lubricant. Weird but true.

cmpcpro

Wow, I would be pissed about this too. I would take my key back, if she wants to run her car out of gas let her, but not mine.. Maybe I am the only one here who does this, but I fill my car up at the half way point. I don't have to drop $85 at once on a fill up and I don't ever have to worry if I will have enough gas to make it to my destination. When running late to something it really is a nice thing to not have to worry about fill ups.

marktan

+1 on hitting the "limit" just shy of a full tank. Had to re-insert the card for a 2nd transaction to top her off.

02S430

I try to do this at 3/4 but usually dont remember

By dieselc014 at 2012-03-16

turbocad6

ha, just filled up again last night... took 22.997 gallons, $97 should have taken a pic

I don't know why I just hate stopping to get gas... if I think I can make my next trip without gassing up then I'd just rather not waste the time atm... filling up a half tank at a time means double the fuel stops in the long run, I try to get as much out of each fuel up as I can I guess

jackasswhy

I fill once a week regardless of how much is left

grassfarmer

I have been having the same issue. no cigar! Nada. zip. just crankinf and cranking- I really bred to go somewhere. I live in the middle of nowhere- Oregon Coast. Nearest MB dealer...3-4 hrs. Tried pushing air through with hose. Nada. Triple checked security. This is a drag. The car hasn't given me a single problem, until.....
BTW. I got a code reader on Amazon for $5 and the android app was $4 and change. Love it. Works in all my cars. Think the appp is called Torque. Heavily recommend. Better than my buddies $300( he says) it only does 'merican cars. Mine does any car with a reader port( all since '96/ maybe ' 86. Any help is badly needed. Thanks
Jeremy

tusabes

Are you sure you don't have a bad crank position sensor ? That's the most common reason for crank but no start

wallyp

The fuel pump puts out full flow/full pressure any time that it is running. The full flow goes to the rails on the engine, and the fuel pressure regulator bleeds off as much fuel as necessary to maintain the exact fuel pressure required for the injection, returning the excess to the tank. So, as soon as the pump starts running, any air is purged as the excess fuel is returned to the tank.

Yes, you can have small amounts of air trapped in the injectors after running out of fuel, but it will be bled off pretty quickly.

You have another problem...

ibeforreal

Crank Shaft Position Sensor. One of the least expensive and easy to replace parts.