‘Gimme A Break, Nissan:' Woman’s Car Says She Has Low Fuel. Then She Sees How Many Miles She Has Left on Her Current Tank

"Start saving for a fuel pump."

Photo by: @alexiswhite25 & Hambardzumyan

Nina Hernandez

By: Nina Hernandez

Jun 30, 2025 at 5:00am ET

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A woman’s innocent joke about her low fuel light sparked an internet discussion on safety and vehicle maintenance.

TikTok user Alexis White (@alexiswhite25) posted her thoughts in a June 15 video.

“My car just notified me that I have low fuel,” White says in the post. “You want to guess how many miles that I have left until empty? Seventy two. Homegirl, let me know when I’m down to like, 10, OK?”

In the caption, she writes, “I have like three more trips before I have to fill up. Gimme a break, Nissan.”

Her post has 1.1 million views as of this writing.

What Are the Risks of Driving on Low Fuel?

According to the car insurance company Progressive, it’s a bad idea to drive on a low tank for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, this can lead to you running out of gas and being stranded on the side of the road.

But that’s not all. It can also damage your fuel pump, which needs a certain level of gas (usually about a quarter of a tank) to keep running smoothly. Otherwise, air will get into the mechanism and that can cause it to overheat.

Additionally, driving without enough gas is bad for your vehicle’s engine and catalytic converter. That’s because low fuel can cause an engine knock that permanently damages the engine. When your engine misfires, fuel leaks into the catalytic converter, which can cause damage.

‘Be Careful’

Every car’s gas gauge is different. The number of miles left can also vary depending on driving style, road conditions, and weather. And you can’t be sure you’ll be within driving distance to a gas station if you wait until that light comes on.

So it’s generally accepted as best practice not to simply wait until your fuel light comes on to refill.

In the comments, viewers offered a mix of perspectives on White’s low fuel light strategy.

Some said they push the limit even further than she does. “Me, personally, I wait until I have to throw it into neutral and roll into the gas station,” joked one driver.

However, others said this could potentially damage her vehicle. “Start saving for a fuel pump, I guess,” suggested one viewer.

One person said this attitude is a potential safety hazard. “Be careful,” they wrote. “My car told me 39 miles and I ran out of gas. I had to hear my husband lecture me about how that number is an estimate based on terrain and average gas mileage. Nothing worse than being on the side of the road, watching my husband rescue me, and getting a lecture.”

Elsewhere in the comments, fellow Nissan owners backed this lecture up.

What do you think?

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Comments

“My Nissan will either let me know at 70 or 17,” wrote one person.

Motor1 reached out to White via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We’ll be sure to update this if she responds.