Your car’s fuel pump may give you signs that it’s going bad before it dies completely. Auto Solutions is going to list the signs below. The fuel pump, on average, lasts over 100,000 miles. If you’re driving a high-mileage automobile and you notice any of the following symptoms, it’s possible that your fuel pump has gone bad.
High-Speed Sputtering
The fuel pump is responsible for transferring the fuel from the tank to the engine. If the fuel pump is unable to do this, your engine will sputter and your acceleration will lag. You will notice the sputtering in particular when you are driving at high speeds because the engine requires more fuel to maintain those speeds.
High-Speed Surging
You may also end up having a surging engine when you are driving at higher speeds. This is an indication that the fuel pump is malfunctioning and sending too much fuel into the combustion chamber. It could be that the pump is stuck in the open position and, consequently, you have fuel flooding the engine.
Low Fuel Pressure
You can test your fuel pressure to see if it is low. If it is, this is a sign that your fuel pump is not operating correctly. Use of fuel pressure gauge and enlist the help of a friend for the test. Check your owner’s manual to see the range in which your fuel pressure should test.
Overheating Engine
One thing that can happen to a dying fuel pump is it can overheat. When it overheats, your engine overheats. Once the engine has overheated, it will also stall. What starts this problem is the fuel pump motor uses the fuel it draws out of the tank to keep it cool. The less fuel it draws the hotter it gets.
Poor Fuel Economy
As your vehicle struggles to run without enough fuel or while it is being flooded by fuel, your fuel economy will suffer. In either condition, you will notice a reduction in your fuel economy. In some cases, this reduction can be significant.
Stress Power Loss
Your automobile will also lose power when it is under the stress of driving up a steep road or when it is towing things. The engine requires more fuel to maintain power under these conditions.
Cannot Start Engine
Finally, if you ignore any of the signs listed above or you don’t receive them, your fuel pump may die completely and you won’t be able to get your engine started. This is because the engine has no fuel being transferred into it from the tank.
Call Auto Solutions in Orlando, FL, today if you suspect your car’s fuel pump is going bad.
