My 1998 XC70 has a problem related to the fuel pump. Sometimes when turning the key on I do not hear the fuel pump do its one-second run-up. In such cases the car will not start. After leaving the car for a few minutes, an hour, or sometimes a day, the fuel pump will kick in and the car will run fine. I've swapped in a new fuel pump relay, no difference. I put a light on the fuel pump leads at the connector in the back cargo area. Even when the pump does not start it is getting power, it's just that the pump does not engage. I have a 12VDC power source that produces 13Amps that I used to jump directly to the fuel pump leads. When the pump is in its non-starting mode the power source trips out due to overcurrent, and the pump will not run. I haven't tried direct-connecting a higher amperage source, such a directly from a battery. Would that tell me anything if I did?

Are these symptoms indicative of a fuel pump gone/going bad? When the pump runs, it runs fine with no noise or anything to indicate that it has a problem. Is there anything else I can check before I dismantle the car to get to the fuel pump?

Thanks.

 

Typical fuel pump problem.I have a car at work that did the same thing to me on Friday.

I drove it into the shop and then the pump would never come on again.

Good luck with the replacement.
Im going to go through the same thing tomorrow. You have to remove the driveshaft and the exhaust.Then drop most of the rear suspension to be able to drop the fuel tank.

Shop labor on it is 8 HRS.

 

I,m a first time user on the forum and am so glad I logged on today.
I'm a tech for BMW,but my friend has a 99 crosscountry having fuel pump issues.Sometimes it does not run to prime and then other times it creates about 5.7Bar pressure.

I checked everything and was going to suggest the pump and now it seems that is the way to go after hearing that they are very problematic.

Thanks.

 

To replace the pump I need to drain the fuel tank, which is pretty full. There is a tee in front of the fuel filter that has a Shrader valve on it, which I'm informed is a fuel drain. What's the story on that? Is that the way to do it - somehow get a fitting on it and apply suction?

I guess the tank has two pumps, or a sending unit and the fuel pump. Considering the car has nearly 200,000 miles on it, and has other life-threatening problems (turbo is starting to leak, ABS lights, etc.), should I replace both units or take my chances on just the fuel pump itself?

 

You can use that port if you can find a pump to hook up to it.
The last one I did was one unit for the pump and sending unit.

The really bad part is if Im not mistaken the price we just got friday was like $400.00 to $600.00 for the unit.

 

Ok, good news bad news? Replaced the pump and it works fine. However, in the connector panel in the rear cargo area I have no cable to plug into one of the grey connectors, the one with two wires: BL-R, BL-W. Did I lose a cable along the way, or was there nothing there in the first place? I can't remember! I just hope I didn't pin a cable down underneath where I can no longer get to it! I can't find any reference to this connector in the wiring diagrams - got any info?

 

As far as I can remember all the wires have plugs to plug into.
I don't have any info now. Do any warning light come on?
Does the fuel guage work properly?

 

Afraid of that. Check engine light is on. I know what the other connectors are for - fuel pump, ABS, fuel pressure sensor. Fuel gauge apparently works - about the right level. Can't figure that one out though.

 

New fuel pump fixed the sporadic starting problem. That electrical connector I mentioned is supposed to be empty, so that's ok. Disconnected the battery to reset the check engine light; has never come on afterward and everything seems to be fine.

Tips for anyone doing this tedious job - the ALLDATA steps for this include removing the propellor shaft, but I had plenty of leeway just by unbolting the shaft u-joint and pan and letting the rear end down carefully.