What Causes Fuel Pumps to Fail? - aftermarketNews

What Causes Fuel Pumps to Fail?

Sponsored by Carter

Like most vehicle components, natural wear and tear is the unavoidable cause for parts replacement. 

Fuel pumps are often out of sight and out of mind for most shop visitors.

That’s because they are an as-needed repair and not typically a part of ongoing maintenance. Nevertheless, if you diagnose fuel pump failure, customers will want to know what caused it to go bad. You can provide additional service value to them by explaining the likely culprits. 

Causes of Fuel Pump Failure

Most customers understand the primary role of the fuel pump is to deliver fuel from the tank to the engine. But the causes of pump failure could be many. 

Here are some of the most common causes of fuel pump failure you can discuss with visitors to your shop.

1.     Contaminated or “bad” fuel

This is one of the things your customers can watch for. The snag, however, is that they won’t know their fuel is bad until problems appear. They may encounter this if they pump fuel that is saturated with rust or other particulates in the gas station’s storage tank. These particles can then clog the fuel filter and prematurely damage the sensors on the pump. 

Customers might also run bad fuel if they drive a seasonal vehicle or one that sits for extended periods. If they aren’t using a fuel stabilizer, moisture can develop in the fuel tank, leading to phase separation which can corrode the fuel pump’s sensors. This means it’s crucial to remind customers to buy quality fuel from trusted stations. 

2.     Fuel pump runs dry

Some people regularly drive their vehicles on or near “E”, which may be more common these days given the prices at the pump. But what they may not know is having little fuel in the tank threatens the fuel pump. It needs the fuel for lubrication. If too little fuel is present in the tank too often, the pump can dry out and overheat, causing failure. 

3.     Clogged fuel filters

As you know, the fuel filter prevents contaminants from entering the engine through the fuel line. But if the filter gets clogged (due to bad fuel or a dirty fuel tank), the pump will work overtime to push the necessary fuel to the engine. Customers may complain about engine backfires or stalling if the fuel filter is clogged, but if left unreplaced, the pump can overheat and corrode. This also places more emphasis on suggesting that your customers use quality fuel and always keep the tank at least ¼ full.  

4.     Electrical wear 

We mentioned that pushing bad fuel can damage the sensors, but it can also wear out the brushes and communicator on the pump. This will require more amperage to maintain fuel pressure. These extra amps can burn the connectors, leading to pump failure. 

Ensure to your customers you’ll check these connections when you replace the pump because a damaged connector can lead to a replacement pump failure, as well. 

By explaining the causes of fuel pump failure and how they match the symptoms your customers are experiencing, you’ll be able to help them understand the threats to their vehicles and be more mindful of their fuel system maintenance. 

Carter Engineered Quality® fuel pumps are designed to meet or exceed all OE specifications and are engineered for correct operation. Each Carter® fuel pump is 100% factory-tested, and purpose-built to meet the high demands of efficient fuel delivery for today’s advanced engines. 

Since 1909, Carter® has been an industry leader and premier manufacturer of fuel pumps, water pumps, assemblies and accessories, with warranties available for additional peace of mind. See full product lines at carterengineered.com.  

You May Also Like

Digital Enablement Strategies for Parts Manufacturers

The digitization of the parts industry has ushered in a new era of opportunities and challenges. Manufacturers are now confronted with increased competition, the necessity to acquire new skills and technologies, and adapting to rapidly evolving consumer expectations. However, this transformation also offers significant opportunities, such as a wider customer reach, direct customer engagement, and

The digitization of the parts industry has ushered in a new era of opportunities and challenges. Manufacturers are now confronted with increased competition, the necessity to acquire new skills and technologies, and adapting to rapidly evolving consumer expectations.

However, this transformation also offers significant opportunities, such as a wider customer reach, direct customer engagement, and refined data analytics. Harnessing these aspects is key to thriving in today's market.

OE CV Axle Trends for Today’s More Demanding Drivetrains

Today’s vehicle drivetrain systems are far more complex and powerful than ever before. So, you want to make sure you choose a replacement axle that matches the original OE design attributes to ensure proper performance and durability. Avoid installing an inferior axle based on price only, that may not perform properly or worse yet, fail

Engineering For Excellence – MEYLE HD Solves Tesla Noisy Control Arm Issues

By Stefan Bachmann, Head of Steering & Suspension, MEYLE HD The effort that goes into creating one of the world’s most technologically advanced electric vehicles is staggering, and the engineers at Tesla who developed the Model 3 and the Model Y should be proud. However, they also should tip their caps to the engineering team

Understanding Intermediate Shafts: What are they… and what do they do?

Intermediate shafts, often referred to as “stub shafts” or “inner shafts” act as the link that couples the CV axle to the transaxle or differential. They allow for the removal and installation of CV axle assemblies without the need to disturb or replace the transaxle or differential oil seal. Use of an intermediate shaft to

Protecting Your Vehicle in the Winter

Depending on where you live, autumn is an idyllic time of year with bright colors and mild temperatures.  If there is one downside though, it means that winter is on its way, which means frigid temperatures, snow, ice and difficult road conditions. The lifespans of cars and trucks are increasing all the time, so protecting

Other Posts

US Motor Works Releases New Products for September

US Motor Works has released new water pump applications and a high-pressure GDI fuel pump in September.

USMW Water pumps
Delphi Announces Part Number Expansion Across Product Range

The Sparta line additions cover 4.9 million VIO in the U.S. and nearly 347,000 VIO in Canada, the company says.

THE ROAD TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES: PROTECTION, MANUFACTURING SHIFTS, AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

The automotive industry is evolving at a rapid pace, consistently under pressure to cater to customer preferences and determine how to deliver final products at a time when demand is high and inventory cannot keep up. After years of manufacturing shutdowns, limited numbers of employees, and delays up and down the supply chain, automotive manufacturers

Helping Customers Understand the Signs of Fuel Pump Failure

Fuel pump failures are never a one-size-fits-all diagnosis.  Different symptoms indicate different problems and often, the pump will still function—albeit erratically—as it fails. Explaining this to customers isn’t always easy, especially because many of them may not know that the fuel pump has more than one role. Shop owners and technicians can help customers understand