A major newspaper report is suggesting that your car could could breakdown at top speeds if you fail to fill-up your petrol tank when refuelling.

The Daily Express has warned of incidences of a major safety warning caused by cars continually running on low fuel - an issue which can cause fuel pumps to clog and could lead to dangerous situations on the motorway.

In the report motorists are being warned not to run their engine ‘on fumes’ as that increases the risk of oil deposits and bad quality fuel falling to the bottom of the fuel tank and when the engine runs low they are more likely to be pumped around the vehicle. A clogged engine has potentially devastating effects on your motor and costs of anything from £200 to £500.

Whereas diesel motors have an engine system which shuts the car down before it completely runs out of fuel, petrol engines do not and this can cause real damage to the car.

“Consistently driving your car on low fuel can cause a number of internal issues for your vehicle over time,” says a statement on AutoProtect’s website.

“Petrol in an empty fuel tank can collect debris that has built up over time and when this is pumped through your vehicle it can clog up various components such as your fuel pump and filter.

"A low tank can also lead to the vehicle pumping air, which may also cause issues for your fuel pump and other components that require fuel to function.”

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