Signs of a Bad Fuel Pump – Step by Step Guide
The fuel pump is the heart of the vehicle, no doubt. Without it, fuel won’t reach the engine tank and won’t ignite. We all know it. Nothing new here. But what will be happened if you have a bad fuel pump in your car and you don’t know it at all? Serious trouble can catch you.
So, it is very important for you to have a well-performing fuel pump in your car. A fuel pump can last as long as your vehicle lasts and gets damaged when it becomes really old. But sometimes it gets damaged accidentally.
There are some signs that indicate when the fuel pump is damaged. This article will help you to get known with the signs of a bad fuel pump.
Signs That Indicates You Have A Bad Fuel Pump
There are several ways to identify whether you have a bad fuel pump in your vehicle or not. There are some definite signs of a bad fuel pump that will let you that your fuel pump is faulty. Some of the signs indicate fuel pump problems as well as other problems.
But there are some signs that specifically indicate a bad fuel pump. So, how do you know if your fuel filter is bad? Let’s check out the signs of a bad fuel pump below.
Read More: Start Your Car with Bad Fuel Pump
Difficult to Start Your Vehicle
You will face a lot of difficulty in starting your vehicle if the fuel pump is faulty. The fuel pump is to run continuously when the fuel is burning inside the tank. As a result, the fuel pump becomes weaker day by day.
Difficult to Start Your a Car
A weak fuel pump can still help to ignite or burn the fuel. But it will be very difficult for you to start the vehicle in this case. It happens because a weak fuel pump cannot generate enough pressure.
Moreover, it will take more cranks for a weak fuel pump to start the vehicle than usual. When it becomes serious, you will have to turn the key multiple times in order to start your vehicle.
Fuel Tank Makes Noise
The first thing you will notice in a bad fuel pump is the whining noise that it makes. If your fuel pump is older, it will definitely make a noticeable loud sound that is not hard to hear.
In most cases, a good fuel pump will make a humming sound when they are operating normally. But when an excessively loud sound comes, you can be sure there is a problem with your fuel pump.
Making Noise a Fuel Pump
However, loud whining sounds of a fuel pump also indicate other problems. A pump can make a loud noise when there is not enough fuel inside or if the fuel inside is contaminated.
So, you can look for other symptoms to know if your fuel pump is damaged or not.
Engine Stalls at High Temperature
Stalling means the engine of your vehicle suddenly stops for any major problem in the vehicle. But keep in mind that Stalling doesn’t always occur just because of a bad fuel pump. It may happen for other reasons as well.
High Temperature of a Fuel Pump
But if you see stalling is happening when the engine temperature rises, this is a sure sign of a bad fuel pump. Usually stalling caused by temperature occurs when there is a problem in the fuel pump motor.
If it happens one or two times then you can relax, there is nothing to worry about. But if it continues to happen then you have to replace the fuel pump because it indicates the pump’s deterioration.
A Sputtering Engine
Some symptoms of a bad fuel pump are not obvious. They might indicate other problems as well. Like, loud noise not only indicates a bad fuel pump but also indicates a lack of fuel inside the tank.
Sputtering Engine Facts of the Fuel Pump
But a sputtering engine is a sure sign that your fuel pump is damaged. When you drive normally, your engine may or may not sputter because of a bad fuel pump. But when you are driving at a higher speed, your vehicle engine will surely sputter if there is a bad fuel pump.
The sudden sputter occurs because the fuel pump cannot generate a constant flow of fuel at an ideal pressure. Hence when you are driving fast and suddenly the speed is reduced along with the engine sputters, be sure that you have a bad fuel pump.
Engine Speed Suddenly Changes
The speed of your vehicle will suddenly change if there is a problem in the fuel pump. It happens if there is an irregular resistance in the pump. It is generally known as engine surging.
Gas Millage Reduces
For a regular fuel pump, you always take a sufficient amount of fuel. If all of a sudden you have to take more fuel than you usually take, this means you have a problem in the fuel pump.
A vehicle engine needs a particular amount of fuel to burn and operate. If there is excess fuel in the engine, the engine will not use the fuel. Unfortunately, the excess fuel cannot be saved either. It’s just wasted.
However, if there is a problem in the valve of your vehicle’s fuel pump, then excess fuel will surely enter the engine. Thus your vehicle’s mileage will noticeably reduce.
This problem can be solved by a temporary fuel pump fix with the valve. But this won’t last long and you will need a new fuel pump in this case.
Power Loss under Stress
Your vehicle can be under stress when it is carrying heavy loads or when you are driving it uphill. Anyways, when the vehicle is under such stress, you can face power loss suddenly. This is a clear indication of a bad fuel pump.
In times of such stress, the engine tends to get more power or in other words more pressure and continuous faster burning of fuel. But if the fuel pump is in a bad condition, it cannot provide such power or frequent fuel ignition.
A bad fuel pump can no longer regulate the pressure of the fuel accurately. So, it fails to provide a sufficient amount of pressure to the engine. Hence you face power loss.
Engine Won’t Start
One of the most important signs of a bad fuel pump is that the engine of your car will not start at all. This is called the no-start condition. When your vehicle’s fuel pump is completely damaged, you will face this situation.
It is the situation when the fuel pump is unable to provide fuel to the engine of the vehicle at all. Or at least not enough fuel to start the engine.
Hence, when you turn the key, the engine will still crank and you will hear it too. But as there is no fuel supply, it will not start.
However, the no-start condition can happen for other reasons as well. So, it is recommended that you diagnose the vehicle fully to see if the reason is a bad fuel pump or not.
How Long Do Fuel Pumps Usually Last?
Fuel pumps are built to be quite long-lasting. But a common question may peep into your mind that generally, how long do fuel pumps last? There are some records that show fuel pumps last for 200,000 miles or so.
How Long Do Fuel Pumps Last
This usually doesn’t happen with all vehicles. In general, a fuel pump can last up to 100,000 miles. So there is no reason to change a fuel pump before it reaches 100,000 miles. The problem with fuel pumps usually occurs after reaching 100,000 miles.
But this is different for different vehicles. Like, one can go 140,000 miles and then fail. Another can go 180,000 miles. It varies. But all the vehicles come with fuel pumps that last at least 100,000 miles.
When You Should Replace Your Fuel Pump
Fuel pumps are placed in a difficult position in your vehicle. They are built with tough properties and they don’t need replacement until it’s absolutely necessary.
Replace Your Fuel Pump
So, if you are asking “when should I change fuel pump?” there is a simple answer and that is you should replace a fuel pump when the pump is totally damaged. You have already seen how to identify a damaged fuel pump above, right?
So, if you find any of the problems above in your vehicle you can check the fuel pump. If there is a problem in the pump, then you better replace it.
Final Speech
To wrap it up, there are several signs of a bad fuel pump as you can see. Whenever you notice any of these signs, you better work fast to temporarily fix the fuel pump or you can simply replace the fuel pump if you want.
However, be careful about the fuel pump. A bad fuel pump can cause serious troubles.
Hopefully, this article was helpful to you. Have a safe driving with your loveable car!
