I have seen multiple posts where people warned about running out of fuel implying that this could cause damage. What damage can this cause?

 

Modern fuel pumps are lubricated by the gas as it pumps. Scotty Kilmer on YouTube has a good video on this topic. I like his channel a lot. Not MINI specific, but still learn a lot.

 

Can also hurt your catalytic converter.

 

One time...be ok...maybe..
I suggest not doing it...period.safety issue...car starts to studder..you get hit by a truck...killed...or robbed/raped/murdered on the side of the road...maybe get Kidnapped by the person giving you a ride...held in a basement jail cell for 30 years....maybe killed when you open the door of your broken down car...smeared over a few hundred feet of highway...ruining some other suckers day...maybe just be late for a job interview... Or loose your job cause you were late!!
Miss anything?! Lol...
Modern fuel pumps are fuel cooled...so the pump runs hot...can shot en its life... And with the cost of hpfp on gen2 direct injected motor, that is very $$.
Then add you might have some crap that has settled to the bottom on the tank that will get sucked up and maybe plug/clog a filter...no good...only bad things happen when stuck on the side of the road as cars/trucks buzz by ....and running out of fuel is avoidable....so why risk it?

 

+1


Take it from an old pilot. It is better to burn off the top half and not need the bottom half than to burn it all and really need some more right now. Just get in the habit of refueling somewhere between 1/2 and 1/4 tank and never worry about it again.

 

to everything Zippy said.