Why does my ford escort run out of gas at a 1/4 of a tank?

I own a 1992 ford escort lx 1.9L automatic. When I drive my car it's hard to always keep it filled up being a college student, however, if I let the fuel gauge drop below a 1/4 of a tank all sorta of crazy stuff happens. First of all and most important my car dies! It will sound like it's being starved of gas and bog out. Also if I make right turns then it stalls, I've done a lot of research trying to solve this problem and have come across some stuff but nothing solid.

This issue can be caused by various reasons ranging from a faulty fuel pump, a broken sensor or a leak. We recommend bringing your vehicle to your reputable and qualified mechanic for an in-depth diagnosis.

Raul T.
Kia Social Team

Go to your nearest O-Reilly Auto Parts store. They sell an OBD1 Code Reader that is Ford Specific called the Innova Equus 3145 (hanging on the wall behind their counter). It's roughly $30. Scan/retrieve the codes your car has stored (not all codes illuminate the Check Engine light). Start there. If you go throwing parts at the car without knowing what is the actual problem you'll be spending a lot of money unnecessarily.

Your fuel pump is probably on its way out.Fuel also cools the pump down so when you run it really low on gas the pump will heat up and cause driveability issues. The fuel level float assembly that's attached to the fuel sending unit, which also holds the fuel pump, might be goin bad too along with the fuel pump. Its best to change them both while you've got everything out of the tank.

I'd take it to a reliable mechanic who can get a good look at what's going on with your car. Sounds to me like it might be a fuel pump issue, but I can't say for certain.