Killed another fuel pump

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rlh2005
Posts: 91
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:20 pm
Location: Fredericksburg, VA

Killed another fuel pump

Postby rlh2005 » Thu Oct 28, 2010 7:33 am

So, my Pathfinder killed another fuel pump -- third fuel pump in 5 weeks. Pathy wouldn't start Monday evening. Checked obvious and added two gallons of gas just in case the 1/8 tank reading on fuel gauge was off due to pump replacements. Still no joy. Hoping pump will "reset itself" if I let it sit a while.

Rode into town with kids to have dinner with wife and kids. Picked up a can of started fluid after dinner and headed home. She still wouldn't start (only 3-4 hours later). She did start with brief sprays of starter fluid so it's definitely fuel supply problem. She still would not start the next morning so I had her towed back to the Nissan dealer that did the other two pumps. I also call 800-NISSAN-1 to get a case opened.

Initially, there was good power and ground at the pump but apparently that changed the next morning. Further investigation found a bad ground connection on the "terminal side of the fuel pump power connector." I understood that to be where the wire attaches to the connector assembly and not where the connector mates to the pump. The terminal and/or wire were discolored. The bad ground was causing voltage variances which caused the motor to burn up.

They repaired the connector and replaced the fuel pump. There was no cost to me to diagnose and the connector problem. Unfortunately, I did have to pay to have the Pathfinder towed to the dealer since she is well out of warranty.


Back story: Factory/first fuel pump failed on 9/20. Second pump died on 10/11. Third pump failed on Monday, October 25.


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JAHBLESSINGS
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Postby JAHBLESSINGS » Thu Oct 28, 2010 7:54 am

sounds like a you have a lemon.

rlh2005
Posts: 91
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:20 pm
Location: Fredericksburg, VA

Postby rlh2005 » Thu Oct 28, 2010 8:25 am

Except for this rash of fuel pumps over the last 5 weeks, she's been a good vehicle. She has nearly 87,000 miles so there's bound to be some kinks and I hope she's done. Like many people, I accentuate the negative and don't mention to good often enough.

Also, my fuel level sending unit history has a bit of hyperbole. Unit 1 was replaced for the reason leading to the recall. Unit 2 failed due to bad design or manufacturing. Unit 3 was working fine when replaced but was sacrificed since the recall work covered the labor to replace the first fuel pump.

rlh2005
Posts: 91
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:20 pm
Location: Fredericksburg, VA

Postby rlh2005 » Wed Nov 24, 2010 9:50 am

Well, knock on wood, I'm 4 weeks out from the last fuel pump replacement and she's still running fine.

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SPICOLI
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Location: Canada

Postby SPICOLI » Wed Nov 24, 2010 7:50 pm

Good luck, hopefully the fuel pumps were the lemon and you finally found a good one.

rlh2005
Posts: 91
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:20 pm
Location: Fredericksburg, VA

Postby rlh2005 » Mon Nov 29, 2010 10:12 am

The fuel pumps weren't lemons. There was a bad ground connection on the fuel pump wiring harness connector. This cause the ground to come and go or, more likely, improper (low) and inconsistent voltage to the fuel pump. With low voltage to the pump, the current (amp) increases causing the pump to overheat and destroy itself.

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SPICOLI
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Postby SPICOLI » Mon Nov 29, 2010 11:16 am

That would make sense.

nelshaun
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Joined: Tue May 03, 2011 5:35 pm
Location: Madison, CO, USA

fuel pump killer

Postby nelshaun » Tue May 24, 2011 12:32 am

I think there is something wrong with your Nissan Pathfinder. Destroying 3 fuel pumps in just 5 weeks is quite fast. You better go to an autoshop and let them check the problem.


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