A failing/failed fuel pump will cause major performance and drivability issues with your vehicle. If your fuel to air ratio is off and the cylinders aren't getting enough fuel, then the pistons aren't firing and your engine is struggling to move the vehicle forward.
If your vehicle's fuel pump cannot get gas from the tank to the engine, you will have trouble starting your car. The car will struggle to start and run because the pump cannot push enough gas through. A worn pump loses its pressure and the engine is being starved of gasoline.
If the fuel pump fails completely — to the point of not being able to provide enough fuel for the engine to run, the vehicle will refuse to start. The engine will still crank when the key is turned, but it will be unable to start due to the lack of fuel.
If your fuel pump is bad, you probably can't drive your car. If it won't start, have it towed to a mechanic shop and get a new fuel pump installed. Try to start the vehicle after waiting for the engine to cool off for 8 hours. This may be enough time for the fuel lines to even out and the pump to reset.
The typical cost for a fuel pump replacement is around $900 to $1,100, depending on the vehicle, its age, and your region. Labor costs range from about $500 to $600, and parts for fuel pump replacement are about $400 to $500.
After 100,000 miles, the failure of the pump is likely enough that if you are replacing a major part in the fuel system nearby, it may be advantageous to replace it at the same time.
If your engine is sputtering or stalls in the middle of your drive, your fuel pump is likely the issue. The low pressure caused by a faulty fuel pump means that your engine isn't getting the fuel and air mixture it needs to initiate combustion and power the car.
Fuel pumps are not a regular maintenance item, so they generally are replaced only on an as-needed basis. Some owners replace them before they fail as preventive maintenance, but unless the pump is showing signs of failing, there is little reason to do so.
With the fuel pressure gauge attached, start the engine and let it idle. Disconnect the vacuum hose from the pressure regulator; the pressure should drop approximately 8 to 10 PSI. If it does not, suspect a problem with the regulator or its' vacuum supply.
The average fuel pump lasts for more than 100,000 miles and sometimes longer, so more than likely, you won't have to worry about it failing for quite a while. But the more miles your car accumulates, the more liable you are to run into a failed fuel pump.
How long does it take to replace a fuel pump? In most cases, around two to three hours. However, job times can vary widely depending on how easy it is to access the pump.
If your car's fuel pump has gone bad—but hasn't completely stopped working—you should still be able to start it by applying manual pressure, attaching a fuel pressure gauge, or making sure the engine receives consistent heat.
A: The only way the fuel pump could be draining the battery is if the fuel pump is running full time. And it would drain the battery within a few hours, not a week. A normal car battery has 48-64 ampere-hours of capacity, while a fuel pump draws, depending, 6-10 amps.
Can a fuel pump go out without warning? Absolutely! A car fuel pump will fail without warning more often than you may think. All things related to a car fuel pumps like the injectors, the pressure regulator, and the car fuel pump itself are the part that are most replaced with the fuel system.
Noise. Your fuel pump always makes a low humming sound, but usually, you can't hear it. If you hear a loud whining noise coming from your gas tank, the fuel pump is going bad. This is also a sign that the gas tank is dirty and contaminated.
Fuel Pressure Test Cost Estimates
The average cost for a Fuel Pressure Test is between $44 and $55 but can vary from car to car.
The fuel pump is really expensive as it is a really important part of the fuel system which performs major functions and is hard to remove and replace. Plus, it is the type of part that can get damaged due to various reasons such as metal bits in the fuel, water in the fuel lines, and poor quality fuel.
The most common reason a pump fails is wear on the pump from improper lubrication or over-use. The best way to explain a failed fuel pump due to wear and tear is to explain what other reasons may have lead to a failed pump: Most fuel pumps are lubricated by the fuel in the tank itself.
The fuel pump is responsible for supplying the engine with the precise amount of fuel at the appropriate moment as input for combustion to generate power. Your car will shut off while driving once the fuel pump stops working as the right amount of fuel is not supplied to the engine.
If the fuel pump relay has an issue while the vehicle is operating it will cut off power to the fuel pump, which will cause the engine to stall. A faulty relay may allow the vehicle to be restarted a short while later, while a completely failed relay will not.
While a failing fuel pump can deliver less fuel and fuel pressure than the DME (engine controller) expects for this less than ideal fuel supply to do any damage to the engine is while possible is very rare.
It's never safe to drive a car with a fuel leak. Fuel leaks are one of the top causes of vehicle fires. Gas is highly flammable, so it is highly likely that the gas could start a fire, either in the vehicle itself or from the fuel left behind from a leaking vehicle.