You won’t be able to fire up your car, truck, or utility vehicle if the fuel pump has died. In fact, you may not be able to get your automobile started if the fuel pump is malfunctioning. CAR FIX explains that the reason why is that the fuel pump is the fuel system part that transfers the diesel fuel or gasoline from the tank to the engine. One sign of a dying fuel pump is difficulty getting your automobile started. Here are the other signs that there is a problem with your vehicle’s fuel pump.
Hiccupping at High Speeds
The fuel pump may still function enough to get your car started but it may not be drawing enough fuel out of the tank for your vehicle to sustain high speeds. When this happens, your automobile will hiccup and sputter the faster you go. This is because the pump is not able to put enough fuel in the engine for it to run smoothly at the higher speed.
Stress-Induced Power Loss
The same is true when your vehicle requires extra power. Examples of times when your automobile needs more fuel in the engine to produce more power include times when you are driving up steep roads; times when you have overloaded your car, truck, or utility vehicle; and times when you are towing a trailer behind your automobile. If you do not have enough fuel in the engine to accommodate this stress, the engine will lose power and sputter.
Overheating Constantly
The fuel pump uses the diesel fuel or gasoline that it draws out of the tank as a coolant to prevent the fuel pump motor from overheating. If it is unable to draw diesel fuel or gasoline out of the tank, the motor will overheat. When this happens, your engine will overheat, as well.
Poor Fuel Economy
Anytime your engine is faced with inefficient operation such as sputtering at high speeds, you will notice a reduction in your fuel economy. This is because the engine is using up as much fuel as possible to sustain power.
Reduced Fuel Pressure
Finally, a dying fuel pump will reduce the fuel pressure generated in your engine. You can check your owner’s manual to see what your fuel pressure rating should be. If the pressure is below this rating, your fuel pump is going bad.
Call CAR FIX in Cookeville, Crossville, or Oak Ridge, TN, today to schedule an appointment for a fuel pump inspection.
