What does a fuel pump do?

Most modern vehicles that use a combustion engine will require a fuel pump. Cars either have electric pumps mounted within the fuel tank or mechanically worked pumps that are located closer to the engine. The pump's main purpose is to send the fuel from the tank to the engine.

Firstly, fuel in your tank is drawn up by the fuel pump and sent through a pipe that runs to the engine. If your fuel pump is electric, it’s operated by a small motor that draws the fuel sitting in your gas tank up through a line. In older vehicles with mechanical fuel pumps, the pump moves as your camshaft spins and fuel is drawn through using suction. Air is then injected into the fuel to create a mixture. Once that mixture is in the cylinder a spark is added to the fuel. The energy released by this process powers the crankshaft, thus allowing your engine to power your car.

This process is essential in the smooth running of your vehicle, therefore a faulty fuel pump will cause major performance and drivability issues with your vehicle.

Hyundai

The Hyundai Motor Company (or Hyundai Motors) is a South Korean multination automotive manufacturer, founded in 1967, with current divisions that include Kia Motors and Genesis Motor.

How popular is Hyundai in the United Kingdom?

Since arriving in the UK market, Hyundai has made a steady and consistent rise in sales, to the point where there are now over 850k of their cars on our roads today.

Well-priced luxury cars with a fantastic warranty

Predominantly producing an extensive range of smart looking hatchback cars of quality and price to compete with Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen, perhaps their rising sales figures can be partly put down to holding one of the best warranties for a new car in the business.

Their 5-year, unlimited-mileage warranty offers the peace of mind any new car owner would be thrilled to receive, given that most marques only offer 3 years with around 60k miles of cover.

Hyundai doesn’t solely offer a range of varying hatchback models; the current full line-up features tourers, coupes and of course, as the leading trend in today’s market, a selection of SUV models of varying sizes, trims and price tags.

Hyundai electric hybrid technology

Hyundai, as have most marques during the growth of new fuel technologies, has shown a strong entry into all electric and hybrid motoring. The brand’s Ioniq Hybrid model proved more efficient than Toyota’s Prius, the world’s first mainstream and possibly the most popular hybrid car on the road today.

Motorsport: Hyundai’s subcompact rally car

Entering motorsport in the late 1990s, Hyundai unveiled its Accent WRC (world rally car) to compete in the World Rally Championship. It achieved its first top-10 result in the 2000 Rally Argentina and continued to finish well throughout the season, but not quite well enough to compete with the top 3 or 4 teams.

In 2014, Hyundai made a return to world rallying after a 10-year absence, with the introduction of their i20 WRC; a rally car based on the i20 subcompact and was unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.

How often does a fuel pump need replacing?

Fuel pumps are not part of a regular maintenance schedule and only need to be replaced when they fail. As your fuel pump begins to wear out you may begin to experience issues when starting your car and when driving (see above symptoms). Most fuel pumps should last at least 100,000 miles.

If you think your fuel pump may be failing you should book it in for a replacement as soon as possible. Putting off a fuel pump repair could cause more problems in the long run and could end up costing you more money down the line.

What happens when we do a fuel pump replacement on your car?

Our certified mechanics will:

• Use diagnostic equipment to read the ECU for possible fuel system related fault codes.

• Inspect the fuel supply system and the fuel pump.

• Replace the fuel pump if necessary.

• Inspect other related components and advise if any need to be replaced (like the fuel filter).

• Test drive the car and check for any leaks.

What causes a fuel pump to break?

Like with many car parts, due to continuous use, the fuel pump can wear out over time and eventually fail. Depending on whether the car has a mechanical or an electronic fuel pump a number of issues can arise.

Another cause of fuel pump failure is contamination, which can be caused by dirt and debris entering the system when refuelling or from using poor quality fuel. Driving frequently with a low fuel level can also accelerate wear on the fuel pump, due to dirt at the bottom of the fuel tank being drawn into the pump.

What are the symptoms of a bad fuel pump?

Usually, there a few signs you can look for:

• Trouble starting your car could indicate issues with the fuel pump.

• A rough or unsteady engine.

• If your car is leaking fuel.

• If the 'Check Engine' warning light illuminates.

• If the car has poor acceleration.

• A hissing noise coming from near the fuel tank.

How often should you replace your fuel pump?

Fuel pumps are not part of a regular maintenance schedule and only need to be replaced when they fail. As your fuel pump begins to wear out you may begin to experience issues when starting your car and when driving (see above symptoms). Most fuel pumps should last at least 100,000 miles.

What happens during a fuel pump replacement?

Our certified mechanics will:

• Use diagnostic equipment to read the ECU for possible fuel system related fault codes.

• Inspect the fuel supply system and the fuel pump.

• Replace the fuel pump if necessary.

• Inspect other related components and advise if any need to be replaced (like the fuel filter).

• Test drive the car and check for any leaks.

What is the average life of a fuel pump?

The lifespan of car parts vary from car to car and from driver to driver, however most fuel pumps should last at least 100,000 miles.

Can you drive with a bad fuel pump?

A bad fuel pump could cause unexpected drops in power or even cause your car to come to a complete stop. Therefore if you think your fuel pump may be failing you should avoid driving your car and book it in for a replacement as soon as possible.

What happens if you don't change a broken fuel pump?

If you think your fuel pump may be failing you should book it in for a replacement as soon as possible. Putting off a fuel pump repair could cause more problems in the long run and could end up costing you more money down the line. A failing fuel pump could cause unexpected drops in power or even cause your car to come to a complete stop. A broken fuel pump may also prevent you from being able to start your car meaning you could end up stranded away from home.

Do fuel pumps deteriorate with age?

Like with any part of an engine, eventually your fuel pump will begin to wear out and not perform as well. However, fuel pumps shouldn’t need to be replaced regularly, in fact most should last at least 100,000 miles.