0:00
Your car cranks but it won't start. Or
0:01
maybe it does start but sputters and
0:03
dies. Yep. Those could be signs your
0:05
fuel pump's giving out. Hey, I'm Tom
0:08
from Car Justify. I'm here to break it
0:10
down nice and easy. Just like we're
0:12
chatting in your garage over a cup of
0:14
coffee. All right, so if your fuel
0:16
pump's on its way out, your engine's
0:18
basically starving. It's not getting the
0:20
fuel pressure it needs to run smooth or
0:22
at all. I'll walk you through the most
0:24
common symptoms, and by the end of this,
0:26
you'll have a pretty solid idea whether
0:28
that pump's the problem. First one, your
0:31
car won't start. Classic. You're turning
0:34
the key, engine's cranking, but
0:36
nothing's happening. If your battery is
0:37
good, and you've got spark, but still no
0:39
start, think fuel pump. No fuel, no
0:42
fire. This happened to a buddy of mine
0:44
last month. He was convinced it was his
0:46
starter. Turns out the pump wasn't even
0:48
priming. Speaking of priming, turn your
0:51
key to the on position, but don't start
0:53
it. Listen for a quiet hum or whine from
0:56
the back seat or near the gas tank.
0:58
That's the pump doing its job. If it's
1:00
dead silent, might be dead pump. Now, it
1:03
could also be a relay or a fuse. So,
1:05
don't go yanking out parts just yet.
1:07
Check those first. Next symptom, engine
1:10
sputters or stalls, especially at high
1:12
speeds or underload. You're driving
1:14
along, everything seems fine, then bam,
1:17
it coughs, loses power, maybe even dies.
1:20
That's the pump struggling to keep up.
1:22
It might work okay at idle, but once the
1:24
demand increases, it just can't deliver.
1:27
Now, here's one that trips people up.
1:29
Loss of power when going uphill or
1:31
towing. If your ride suddenly feels like
1:34
it's dragging a trailer full of bricks,
1:35
even when it's not, fuel delivery could
1:38
be the issue. The pump's supposed to
1:40
maintain consistent pressure, and when
1:42
it can't, your engine falls flat on its
1:44
face. Another telltale sign, engine
1:47
surging. You're cruising along, and the
1:49
RPMs randomly jump or drop like the
1:51
car's got a mind of its own. That surge
1:54
usually means the fuel pump is
1:55
delivering inconsistent pressure, like
1:57
it's working, but barely hanging on.
2:00
Let's not forget poor fuel economy. A
2:02
weak pump can mess with the fuel air
2:04
ratio and the engine compensates by
2:06
burning more gas than it should. If
2:09
you're suddenly visiting the gas station
2:10
way more often and nothing else has
2:12
changed, it might be your pump doing a
2:14
lousy job. And here's a bonus one. Your
2:16
engine misfires or jerks under
2:18
acceleration. That stutter you feel when
2:20
you hit the gas, that hesitation. Yeah,
2:23
could be lack of fuel pressure. Happens
2:24
a lot in older cars or high mileage
2:26
pumps. All right, let's wrap it up real
2:28
quick. Signs of a bad fuel pump include
2:31
hard starts or no start, engine
2:32
sputtering or stalling, surging, loss of
2:35
power under stress, misfires, and
2:36
sometimes crummy fuel economy. Not all
2:39
of these mean the pump's 100% bad. But
2:41
if you've got a couple of them together,
2:43
it's worth testing the fuel pressure or
2:45
scanning for codes with an OBD scanner.
2:47
Don't worry, it's easier than it sounds,
2:49
and I've got videos coming up to walk
2:51
you through testing and replacing it
2:52
step by step. So, if this helped, hit
2:55
that like button. Maybe subscribe if
2:57
you're into saving money on car repairs.
2:59
Drop a comment if your car is acting up.
3:01
I'll help you figure it out.
