Is your car having acceleration problems? Has there been an occasion when your car simply sputtered and died while on the road? If your answer is yes, then you may want to check your car for fuel pump failure.
Fuel pump failure is a very common problem in cars. The fuel pump is the component of your car that moves fuel from the fuel tank to the carburetor or fuel injectors. Unless you are really observant of your car, a pump failure can be really hard to notice. A car with a fuel pump failure sometimes acts like it is out of gas when you have just refueled. Other signs include a change in the sound of your pump and engine. If you are unlucky, your car could just die and not restart without any warning signs at all.
There are many causes of fuel pump failure. One of these is running your car for extended periods of time when you are almost completely out of fuel. This causes the fuel pump to run dry, which eventually damages the pump. Another reason for pump failure is clogging of the fuel filter, which causes undue stress to the pump. Fuel contamination can also cause a fuel pump to malfunction. Contaminants like water, sludge and bacteria can block your car’s filter and impair the pump.
If your fuel pump is defective, the best option would be to replace it with a new one. However, you have to be absolutely sure that your pump is not working before you replace it. Most fuel pumps work one to two seconds after you start your car. The pump pressurizes the system in that span of time. If your pump fails to operate after two seconds, then it could be having problems. Replacing a fuel pump, especially an electronic type, can be very difficult because the pump is located in the fuel tank.
You can replace a fuel pump yourself, although be sure that you know what you are doing before disassembling the parts. The best way to replace a fuel pump is to take your car to a repair shop where professionals can do it for you.