FUEL PUMP NOT WORKING

2003 BMW 3 Series 316 TI ES COMPACT
Car: BMW 3 Series
Year: 2003
Variant: 316 TI ES COMPACT
Categories: Running Rough, Starting & Power Loss
I had problems getting the fuel pump to run. I replaced it with a second hand one and it ran fine for a few months. I then had the same problem and on further investigation I found that there was no power getting to the pump. I've checked the fuses (glove box and e box ) and replaced both of the relays. Still nothing. Anyone got an idea?
Problem added: Sep 2, 2012 (11 years ago)
Relays ae pulled to earth via the ecu an that one if I recall right,have you had a good quality diagnosis done?
and i don't mean someone with a halfords hand held.it'd have to be dealer quality software.
Answered Sep 3, 2012 (11 years ago)
Hello Community,

Is the check engine light coming ON? If your fuel pump fails the engine will lose power and stall. So you can't rule that out. You will need to perform a few tests to determine the problem. I would suggest testing the fuel pressure when the engine stalls and performing full diagnostic scan. It also depends in the engines as well.

Regards,
George Brown
Answered Sep 4, 2012 (11 years ago)
Hi guys,

It will good to you replace the fuel pump.The first thing to do is to prep the car. Remove as much gasoline out of the car as possible. The way I like to accomplish this is to get some long fuel hose, a small battery operated carburetor fuel pump, and pump from one car to another. An alternative approach would be a gasoline hand pump available at most local auto parts stores. The bottom line is to get as much gasoline out of the tank as possible. Unfortunately in the parking lot of the hotel, we were not able to get as much gasoline out as we hoped - under ideal circumstances, the tank would almost be completely empty.

Another important thing to remember - always disconnect the battery when working near the tank - you don't want any accidental sparks from any electrical connections. Some additional warnings too:

* Always have a fire extinguisher handy in case an emergency arises.
* Gasoline is highly flammable. When working around fuel and fuel line connections, don't disconnect any wires or electrical connections that may cause electrical sparks.
* Always remove the gas cap to relieve any pressure in the tank prior to working on the fuel system.
* Do not use a work lamp when working near fuel or fuel tanks.
* Gasoline vapors are strong, harmful, and can cause you to become drowsy and not think straight. Always perform work in a well-ventilated area with plenty of fresh air blowing through.
* Always disconnect the batter when working on the fuel system. Leave it disconnected for at least 30 minutes to allow any residual electrical charge in components to dissipate.
* Keep plenty of paper towels on hand, and wear rubber gloves to prevent spilling gasoline on your hands
* Be well grounded - don't do anything that will create static electricity. Keep all cell phones and pagers a safe distance away.

The first step is to remove the back seat from your car. It's simply clipped in place. Move both the driver and passenger seat all the way forward, crawl in the back of the car, and simply tug up on the rear seat from the bottom edge. It should pop up with a minimal amount of force. BMW seems to have smartly designed the car so that the fuel tank senders and the fuel pump were very easy to get to - on some cars you need to drop the fuel tank to do the replacement.


Thanks aned Regards
George Brown
[url="http://www.jdfullserviceautorepair.com/"]Fuel Injector Cleaning Service[/url]
Answered Sep 11, 2012 (11 years ago)
Hi guys,

It will good to you replace the fuel pump.The first thing to do is to prep the car. Remove as much gasoline out of the car as possible. The way I like to accomplish this is to get some long fuel hose, a small battery operated carburetor fuel pump, and pump from one car to another. An alternative approach would be a gasoline hand pump available at most local auto parts stores. The bottom line is to get as much gasoline out of the tank as possible. Unfortunately in the parking lot of the hotel, we were not able to get as much gasoline out as we hoped - under ideal circumstances, the tank would almost be completely empty.

Another important thing to remember - always disconnect the battery when working near the tank - you don't want any accidental sparks from any electrical connections. Some additional warnings too:

* Always have a fire extinguisher handy in case an emergency arises.
* Gasoline is highly flammable. When working around fuel and fuel line connections, don't disconnect any wires or electrical connections that may cause electrical sparks.
* Always remove the gas cap to relieve any pressure in the tank prior to working on the fuel system.
* Do not use a work lamp when working near fuel or fuel tanks.
* Gasoline vapors are strong, harmful, and can cause you to become drowsy and not think straight. Always perform work in a well-ventilated area with plenty of fresh air blowing through.
* Always disconnect the batter when working on the fuel system. Leave it disconnected for at least 30 minutes to allow any residual electrical charge in components to dissipate.
* Keep plenty of paper towels on hand, and wear rubber gloves to prevent spilling gasoline on your hands
* Be well grounded - don't do anything that will create static electricity. Keep all cell phones and pagers a safe distance away.

The first step is to remove the back seat from your car. It's simply clipped in place. Move both the driver and passenger seat all the way forward, crawl in the back of the car, and simply tug up on the rear seat from the bottom edge. It should pop up with a minimal amount of force. BMW seems to have smartly designed the car so that the fuel tank senders and the fuel pump were very easy to get to - on some cars you need to drop the fuel tank to do the replacement.


Thanks aned Regards
George Brown
Answered Sep 11, 2012 (11 years ago)

This problem is archived

If you're having a similar problem please click below to re-post this problem, you can then customise it to suit your situation.

Helpful & Related Pages on AutoInsider

More problems with the 2003 model year BMW 3 Series

We have 17 problems and solutions in our database for this model year of the car.

View all BMW 3 Series Problems