The fuel pump relay and getting this sorted is often a very significant piece of the puzzle in terms of how well your car or truck runs. The fuel pump relay is an on/off switch that opens and closes according to the ignition signal. If this goes out, the fuel system can go haywire and you’ll either lose power here and there or your car will just stop for no reason. An improperly functioning relay in highway driving, for instance, may lead to a reduction of fuel pressure and the sudden cessation of engine operation that could jeopardize the safety not only of innocent bystanders but also that other drivers out on our nation’s highways.
Fuel pump relays are designed to last 50,000 miles under normal usage according to the statistics but in heavy-duty vehicles or those frequently subjected harsh environments will be prone for early failures. Monetarily, the sustitutuion of a malfunctioning fuel pump relay can run you between $50 to $200 on average for parts depending upon vehicle and labor rates along with other significant repairs if not resolved in time. In the event of a failed relay, you should check for burnt wiring or other related issues that can decrease fuel system efficiency.
Some of the most common symptoms that trained mechanics agree upon are engine cranking but no start, or intermittent power. Fuel System Issues: Relay failures and the like contribute to one out of seven vehicle breakdowns on highways, as an analysis conducted by NHTSA indicates. Not fixing it could lead to more expensive problems as a failing relay can wear out the entire Fuel Pump system (which may be between $400 and $800), so scores are all-around good.
Car Guru Henry Ford once quipped, “the best way to make your car last is to keep little problems from getting big. That is especially so in the fuel system, where something as small and seemingly insignificant as a relay could send problems far and wide… A good practice especially for high mileage vehicles will be to check the relay and Fuel Pump as a regular maintenance process.