By Frank LingAlthough summer is just around the corner this old school advice can be a life saverduring long cold snaps, snow, or heavy rains. Keeping your tank full may be simple advice, but it has some very practical benefits.
Keeping your tank full during bad weather conditions may save your life by providing the necessary power to keep important functions running in your car if you are stuck in traffic.
This may not be so critical during summer, but being alert and changing your filling habits along with the seasons is a smart thing to do.
Keeping the Moisture Down
If you live in a cold area where the mornings register in the low teens on the thermometer, this means there is a good chance of your gas tank accumulating moisture through condensation.
This happens once you drive your car from the warm garage into the outside cold. The opposite situation is also true—from driving outside to parking inside the garage.
If the gas tank is half-full or less, the remaining surface area is a prime location where water can form. Water in the gas tank can mean trouble for your engine’s performance and affect smooth running.
Keeping Things Warm
When flash snowstorms or blizzards appear, the likelihood of being stranded in traffic, roads or on the highway increases and can be dangerous. If you don’t have a full tank of gas, you may not have enough fuel to run the heater, lights, or other emergency equipment from a running engine.
Having a full tank is a smart move when you anticipate a trip that could mean being on the road for an extended length of time.
Emergency Situations
You may not experience an emergency during bad weather, but you may be called upon to use your car or truck to help others in a bind. The request could come from family members or friends, but one thing seems certain; these calls will usually come when the gas stations are closed.
If you have a full tank or a tank close to full, you’ll be prepared to help no matter when the calls come in.
Basically a full tank provides an extra cushion of safety against bad weather when you’re on the road.
Source:
Bankrate.com