Engine sputter at high speeds
The engine will sputter at high speeds if it’s not getting enough gas.
Some of the causes why your engine is not getting enough fuel are:
- A clogged fuel filter
- Clogged fuel lines
- A failing gas pump
Another sign that will help you spot a malfunctioning fuel pump is when your car struggles to keep speeds higher than 55 mph.
When you are driving at a faster speed, your fuel pump needs to supply a constant amount of fuel.
If the fuel pump is not working properly, it’ll fail to keep up with the demand of a faster moving car. And there is when you’ll hear your vehicle to sputter.
Lower gas mileage and fuel economy
Gas mileage refers to how efficiently works the engine. In other words, gas mileage is the number of miles traveled by using one gallon of fuel.
So, if you suddenly increase the frequency of trips to the gas station, it’s an obvious sign that your fuel pump is starting to fail.
And we’ll know how it hurts a lower gas mileage to our wallets.
A valve within the fuel pump may not be opening, causing more fuel than necessary to pour into the engine system.
And excess fuel is not converted into more power. It’s wasted.
Car stalls and increased temperatures
Stalling can happen because of multiple problems within your car.
But if you’ve noticed your temperature gauge rising and then your vehicle stalls out suddenly, the problem is the fuel pump.
If your engine continues to stall while you notice a greater increase in the temperature of your car, it could indicate the pump is beyond repair.
And that will require a pump replacement. To have a better idea how serious is this expenditure, it’s estimated that the price range of a fuel pump replacement is between $220 and $1,062 depending on vehicle and age.
Car surges at normal speeds
Surging is a sudden powerful forward or upward movement. When you’re driving at normal speeds, surging feels like the gas pedal has been used.
This is a sign that your fuel pump may have wear and tear.
A bad fuel pump might move too much gas from the tank to the engine. This will cause your motor to surge and you’ll feel a sudden increase in speed even though you didn’t press down harder on the accelerator.
If this happens often, make certain to have it check before your vehicle stops working.
Difficulty at starting the engine
There are many problems that prevent engines from starting. It could be a bad ignition switch, a broken starter, a dead car battery, and also a fuel system issue.
The filter, pump, and injectors are the three critical components of the fuel system. And since these parts work together, dirt and debris need only clog one part to make the whole fuel system fail.
So, a clogged fuel filter that won’t allow gas to get to the engine, dirty fuel injectors, or a faulty gas pump may prevent your car from starting up.
Loss of power when driving uphill
Another sign of bad fuel pump is the loss of power when driving uphill.
Your car needs more fuel when carrying a heavy load, accelerating, or when driving uphill.
And the pump is the responsible to supply the fuel to the engine. When the gas pump is failing, it can’t keep up with the fuel demands or can’t regulate fuel pressure accurately to provide the appropriate amount of fuel to the engine.
In these situations, you’ll feel like your car has lost power and it’s unable to perform as expected.