Low on gas = Burned out fuel pump?
 

A relative of mine told me that I should never let my gas gauge go below 1/4 tank because it will cause the fuel pump to burn out. Is this fact or fiction? I've heard a lot of rumors about cars in the past, so I don't believe everything I hear.

You give no clue as to what brand or model car you are talking about, but whatever it is I wouldn't worry about it.

Peter

There is nothing damaging about running the tank down low. The myth that it will "pickup the crap at the bottom of the tank" is a good one too......the pickup is always at the bottom of the tank!

The only time is can do damage is on older style pumps (CIS/Kjet vehicles and early EFI) is when the pump starts to pickup air, but you'd have to let the tank get pretty low to get to this point.

It's more likely you'll run out of gas before you burn out a pump... :D

Best Regards,
Jim

This really IS true, it happened to me TWICE on a POS GM 84 Oldsmobile. Twice, within two days after "running on fumes", I lost the fuel pump that was embedded in the gas tank. $300 each time to drop the tank and replace it. Yes, I DID learn to keep in at least 1/3 full.

I'm guessing that the POS, worthless turd of a pump was ingeniously designed to use fuel as cooling. This way, GM could use as little actual metal as possible in a crucial part. Probably saved GM 20 cents. It saved me a lot of money too-I never spent another dime on a GM car!