Your car's fuel pump, as its name would seem to suggest, works to literally pump fuel from your gas tank to your vehicle's engine, at which point it can be used to power the movement of your tires. This means that if your fuel pump has become damaged or is no longer functioning properly, you may not be able to use your vehicle at all. Therefore, you should watch out for a few warning signs that can point to an aging or worn fuel pump, so that you can have the pump replaced before it prevents your car from even starting.

High Pitched Noises

One of the earliest warning signs that your fuel pump is on its last legs is if a high pitched squealing sound is coming from the rear of the vehicle, usually around the gas tank itself. This is because the pump has become worn over the course of time. While a squealing noise may seem like a superficial problem, it is something that you need to address as soon as possible, because the noise indicates that your fuel pump may be about to fail and is experiencing an increased rate of stress.

Hard Starting

Another clear indication that your fuel pump needs to be replaced is if you have issues starting your vehicle. A broken fuel pump will prevent your vehicle from starting at all, as no fuel will be able to make it to the engine, but an old or worn pump will take a couple of tries to move enough fuel to make it to the engine before your vehicle can start. You should contact a mechanic straight away, as if this occurs it also means that your vehicle is likely to stall while driving due to a lack of adequate fuel being supplied to the engine.

Overall Decrease in Performance

In line with the above point, if your vehicle inexplicably begins to lose power and performs poorly, it may be because of a malfunctioning or damaged fuel pump. Reduced acceleration, fuel efficiency, and top speed can all point to a damaged fuel pump, especially if either or both of the above two points have occurred recently as well. This is a somewhat more serious issue that you should have addressed immediately, as reduced performance means that your car will not reliably do what you tell it to, greatly increasing the risk of a collision occurring.

Speak with local auto services for more help.