How long do fuel pumps last?
 

Hello friends:

I've been reading lots of posts on fuel pumps lately, and how when they die, the car pretty much cuts out. Will be taking some significant trips in the next few months. I have a '93 190e 2.6 that has about 81k on it.

Is there a general mileage when the fuel pumps quit, or start causing problems? I would hate to be 12+ hours from home and have this thing just totally die on me like my transmission did.

Thanks friends.

Hi AuctorEcclesiae,

mine leaked at the electric terminal with about 47,000 miles, but it was 15 years old.

Age and miles play probably together.

Reinhard Kreutzer

What did your ins co. do in regards to the trans?

Anyhow, my '91's pumps (120k miles) are still good. Rear one is bit noisy at start-up, so we'll see what happens. Could only wish they last as long as my '83 POS Olds (sold to friend) this winter. He just replaced the orig. pump at 155k miles. Not bad for a 20 year old car.

I had one (of two) start getting noisy when it was warm out and acting up (fuel starvation at WOT) about a year ago at about 100,000 miles. FWIW I've always heard of them giving some warning. Turning the AC on keeps them cool, that helped me.

They are not too hard to change but there are two @ $200 each.

So it sounds like I'll hear some noise when they start to go bad? What kind of noise do they make? Mine hisses, and from what I understand, that's normal. Am just wondering what to listen for if they do start to show signs of failure.

Thanks for the posts.

Sounds normal, actually NOT hearing anything when you twist the key is a sign of trouble too (of course).

It just seems that mine buzzes louder than when I purchased the car-- perhaps it's merely the acoustics of a different garage. (?) Maybe Jim can describe what his sounded like. :)

It generally just gets louder than normel, if you can hear it at all. Its just an electric motor, it will wirr louder. In my case I started hearing it on the freeway. I wasn't sure if it was somebody elses car but when several came by I figured it wasn't everybody elses car. Also when I stepped on the gas the car didn't accelerate and stumbled. And of course it was on a road trip. Fortunatly it was heat related and when it and the weather cooled it did get me home. It was an unusually warm day so I had time to order and replace it and even recover from the sticker shock.

It never happens in the driveway!

Anyhow that's pretty loud-- thanks for the info Jim!

Mine on the 450SL died at 101K. Of course the car was 25 years old at the time... ;-)

Mine gave me so much warning I really couldn't be upset when it conked out and left me on the road. First, it began to make an unusally load buzzing sound while driving. Then, I occasionally could smell gas while driving. The final death throes came when I turned the key to the 2 position, but hadn't yet started the car. Normally, the pump would run for a second or two to pressure up the system. As it expired, the pump would run constantly without the car being started.

It's probably a good idea to swap it out as preventive maintenance, but I wouldn't do it before 100K. Of course, that thinking and a little procrastination is how I ended up with a dead pump...

Good to see a post on this subject,

I would like to get some opinions on a problem I have with my 500E. It's a 1991, with approx 84'000 miles.

On three separate occasions the car has been very difficult to start. Basically I need to keep cranking the car for a good 5 to 8 seconds (it seems like an eternity) and I also need to accelerate...The car will then splutter once and then start as usual. I was never able to reproduce the problem. I shut the car off immediately after it happened the last time, to see wheter I should take the car, but it started fine...The engine idles smoothly, I have all the power...

At first I thought fuel pump, but then I read this thread saying the hissing is normal. I'm thinking "fuel pump relay" or "fuel check valve". I remember for sure that on two occasions it happened after some (very) "spirited" driving. Also, the car had been turned off for a short time... Any possible relations?

I would like to know what you guys think could cause this. I do not know enough about cars to go into more detail, I have no tools, no skills, no garage, just a dealer and my wallet:rolleyes:
I'm just guessing that if there is a problem with something why doesn'it fail altogether?

I appreciate your help

Manu

Can't help with the 500E issue...sorry. :(

I will say that my 93 300E just turned 126K yesterday, and I am running the original pumps!

No noise either...however I had to replace a worn fuel hose last month...