What are the Symptoms of a Bad Fuel Pump

Your vehicle is dependent on its fuel pump in order to operate. Without it, your vehicle’s internal combustion engine will not be able to receive the fuel that it requires.

What Does the Car Fuel Pump Do

Your vehicle’s fuel tank is located on the far side of the car from the internal combustion engine, so the fuel pump is needed to provide a constant flow of gasoline to the engine. In most modern vehicles the fuel pump is located in the tank itself and is electric. If you can already spot failing fuel pump symptoms, chances are your vehicle’s engine is not performing to its optimal efficiency as a result.

The Most Common Bad Fuel Pump Symptoms

The most obvious signs of a bad fuel pump are your vehicle won’t start, or it starts but does not run for very long before eventually stalling out. Your vehicle will act as though it is out of gas, even though the fuel tank is full. As the fuel pump attempts to feed the engine fuel, your vehicle may make bucking noises but will not spark up.

So, how can you check if a fuel pump is bad or on the verge of going back? If you do suspect that you have symptoms of a bad fuel pump, you can listen to it to see if it is operating. Electric fuel pumps can be heard when you turn the ignition to the second position, so if you do not hear any sound coming from your fuel tank with the key turned, your fuel pump may have failed or the motor may have burnt out. Also, if you notice that the fuel pump is making an excessive whining noise, it may be a sign that the part is on the verge of failing.

Symptoms of a Weak Electric Fuel Pump

Two common symptoms of a failing fuel pump that your vehicle may experience are engine misfire at higher speeds or difficulty climbing hills. These symptoms signs of a fuel pump going bad show that your engine is not getting enough fuel. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you may want to perform a fuel pump pressure test.

In order to perform a fuel pump pressure test, you will require a fuel pressure gauge. By inserting the gauge in the Schrader valve (usually located in the engine compartment), you will be able to determine if your engine is receiving adequate pressure of fuel from the vehicle's tank. The required pressure reading will be different for vehicle specific applications. Most repair garages have one of these gauges on hand to perform this test.

What Causes Fuel Pump Problems?

Your fuel pump may fail or become a faulty fuel pump for a number of reasons. Rust, debris and, dirt may enter into the vehicle’s fuel system, and may potentially be clogging the fuel filter or the fuel strainer. This does not allow enough fuel to pass through to the fuel pump which overheats the parts, causing damage. The second cause of fuel pump failure is damage to internal parts caused by small particles of dirt entering into the fuel pump. The fuel strainer and fuel filter were unable to keep these particles from entering into the fuel. Another major cause of a faulty fuel pump or failure is letting your gas level get too low. When the level of fuel is low, the fuel pump has to work much harder, becomes overworked, does not cool down properly, and as a result can be damaged. You should never let your fuel reach less than a quarter of a tank.

Avoid Persistent Fuel Pump Issues with AutoShack

AutoShack carries a wide selection of fuel pump module assemblies. Module Assemblies are great because they replace the entire assembly, not just the fuel pump. Chances are high that if a part of your fuel pump fails, other parts can fail in the future. By replacing the entire assembly, you will eliminate this possibility.

If you notice any of these bad fuel pump symptoms, have the problem diagnosed and repaired before it causes damage to other parts on your vehicle.