What are the symptoms of a faulty car fuel pump relay?
3 Answers
Car fuel pump relay failure symptoms are: 1. Starter does not turn; 2. Starter has weak starting power; 3. Starter spins without engaging. The causes of car fuel pump relay failure are: 1. Severe battery discharge or short circuit; 2. Poor contact between starter commutator and brushes; 3. Open circuit, short circuit, grounding of starter relay coil, or poor contact of its terminals; 4. Loose wiring or poor internal contact of ignition switch; 5. Open circuit in starting system wiring, poor contact or disconnection of wires. The fuel pump relay uses a very small current to control high-power circuits, expands control range, and when the signal reaches a certain value, it can simultaneously switch, disconnect, or connect multiple circuits according to different contact group configurations to achieve automatic switching purposes.
The fuel pump relay is broken, that thing is like the fuel switch of a car. Once it fails, the car might not start at all. Having driven for so many years, I've encountered this situation a few times. Typical symptoms include turning the key with no response from the engine, or hearing a few sputtering sounds during ignition but the car won't start. If your car suddenly stalls while driving, especially on the highway, it might also be due to a relay malfunction. I've also experienced instances where the engine shudders or stalls at idle, and upon inspection, found that the relay contacts were burnt out. Possible causes include unstable voltage, water corrosion, or aging from long-term use. Every time I spot an issue, I first check the fuse box, locate the fuel pump relay, and try replacing it. If that doesn't work, it's off to the repair shop to check the wiring. In short, never underestimate this issue—fix it early to avoid breaking down halfway, safety first.
Last time my car's fuel pump relay went bad, the symptoms were extremely annoying. The ignition worked fine when starting, but the engine wouldn't fire up at all. I tried four or five times with no success, sweating from anxiety. Another time while driving at low speed, the engine suddenly shut off, giving me quite a scare. Fortunately, pulling over and restarting didn't help either, so I concluded it was a relay issue. The mechanic later explained that this component controls power supply to the fuel pump - when it fails, fuel can't get through, making ignition impossible. He advised keeping the engine compartment dry to prevent relay short circuits from moisture, and said regular maintenance checks could prevent such issues. I've noticed modern cars sometimes display warning lights for trouble codes on the dashboard - scanning with a diagnostic tool can reveal if the relay is to blame. After the repair, the car runs much smoother now. This experience taught me not to overlook maintenance of small components.
