Fuel Delivery

Disclaimer: TowCars.com is a nationwide towing information and referral service. We don’t tow, dispatch, or store vehicles, and we aren’t responsible for the work, prices, or conduct of any towing company. If you send us a request, we pass it to independent providers who set their own prices and terms. See our disclosure.

Fuel delivery is a roadside service that brings enough gasoline or diesel to get your vehicle to the nearest station. It is meant to get you moving, not to fill the tank. If you ran out on a highway or in a place where walking to a station isn’t safe or practical, it is usually quicker and safer than leaving the car.

When you need fuel delivery

• The fuel gauge was on empty and the engine sputtered and stopped.
• You are stranded on a highway shoulder, ramp or rural road.
• You can’t safely walk to a station or carry a fuel can.

If the gauge doesn’t show empty, the problem may be something else, such as a failed fuel pump. In that case fuel won’t help, and you may need a tow. Describe what happened so the provider can judge.

Gasoline, diesel and electric vehicles

Tell the provider exactly which fuel your vehicle uses. Putting gasoline in a diesel engine, or diesel in a gasoline engine, can cause serious damage. If you already misfueled, don’t start the engine and ask for a tow instead. Electric vehicles that run out of charge can’t be helped with fuel; most will need a tow to a charger, and many should be moved on a flatbed. See our EV and hybrid towing guide.

Some diesel vehicles need to have air bled from the fuel system after running dry, and some cars take a few tries to restart. If the car still won’t start after fuel is added, ask whether the provider can tow it.

If you ran out on a highway

A car that stalls in a traffic lane is the most dangerous kind of breakdown. If you can, steer to the right shoulder while the car is still rolling. If you are stuck in a lane and it is unsafe to stay inside, get out away from traffic and move behind a barrier, then call 911 so traffic can be managed. Don’t try to walk along a freeway to find fuel. Once you are safe, request fuel delivery and give the direction of travel and the nearest exit or mile marker.

What affects the cost

Fuel delivery is usually priced as a service call, with the fuel itself charged separately or included. Time of day, distance to you and your location (for example, a busy highway versus a parking lot) can all affect the price. Roadside plans often include fuel delivery but may charge for the fuel. See our tow truck cost guide for how memberships and insurance usually apply.

What to have ready

• Exact location, direction of travel and the nearest exit or mile marker.
• Year, make, model and fuel type (regular gasoline, premium, diesel).
• Whether the car ran out of fuel or stopped for another reason.
• How you plan to pay for the fuel.

Safety tips

• Coast as far off the road as you can when the engine starts to sputter.
• Turn on hazards, and on a highway wait away from the car and traffic.
• Don’t smoke or use open flames near the fuel.
• After refueling, go straight to a station and fill up; a small delivery won’t take you far.

If you are in Los Angeles County, the free Metro Freeway Service Patrol may be able to help on covered freeways during service hours.

Frequently asked questions

Out of fuel? Tell us where you are and what you drive, and we’ll pass your request to independent providers nearby.