Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Fuel pump failed

I don't know if anyone else has had this problem. The other day the car started, but was running rough and just died as if it had no fuel. I checked all the obvious things like fuel pump shut off and even put some gas into it even though it showed a 1/4 tank. No luck so I called Ford roadside assistance and had the car towed to the dealer. They gave me a free Focus to drive (not an SVT !!) They found that the pump had failed and blown the fuse.It was fixed under warranty and I had the car back the next day. I also had my fuel guage fixed as it had a mind of it's own sometimes showing full when it was 1/2 or better still going back up to full from 1/2. (no increase in range though !!!) The car is less than three years old and has 42,000km.(26,098 miles in American) Has anyone else had this problem ??

Bob Kidd
1999 Contour SVT

Yep, mine went out on my '97 SE in 2000. The car would run rough from a standstill and then it finaly stalled in the middle of the road. I think it went out at around 50,000 miles, though. Make sure the newer style fuel pump was installed, the newer ones have a redesigned (better) fuel pick - up (although I'm not sure if our cars would share the same fuel pump). Haven't had any trouble with my fuel guage, though...

In the summer of 2000, my wife stopped to fill the gas tank on our '98 SE. After filling up, she started the car but the engine stumbled for about 10 seconds and finally died. Wouldn't restart at all so she called me.

When I got to the gas station the car would crank but not fire. What I noticed was the lack of the smell of fuel in the engine compartment and guessed that the fuel pump had gone south.

Since it was still under the original warranty, I had it towed to the dealer and they confirmed that the fuel pump had failed, which was replaced at no charge.

As best I can recall, the car had about 25,000 miles at the time.

I have had TWO replaced on my 2000 SVT! So I'm not so sure the "new revised" pump will solve anything. The car would run fine on anything over 1/2 tank, but once it dropped to 1/4 tank or lower it still ran OK normal driving, however it wouldn't accelerate past 6000 rpm anymore. At that point it would just stall till you took your foot out of it and would do it again if you went back in. The good performance on 1/2 or better leads me to believe, the integrated pump & dual pickup unit was getting it's lower pickup clogged somehow. The second time the tech dropped the fuel tank and cleaned it out before installing the new pump(fuel sender) unit. He said he didn't find anything, but the problem hasn't returned in 8000 miles. The first one went out in about 12,000 miles. My warranty will be up in 3800 miles and I'm all up in the air about getting an extended warranty. I'm a fairly good mechanic so I leaning towards NO. Hope my story doesn't discourage you...regardless of my problems the car is the most rewarding I've ever owned...and I've had quite a few!

...Ed

I had mine go on me around 23k or so. Afew months later it died on me at work I let it sit for an hour or so then it started fine.

98 Contour 2.5

My fuel pump just went at 49K. To the tune of $608 including tow.

Yikes!

I went on vacation for 2 weeks and the car sat. I came back and it would not start, go figure.

I was told the reason that the pumps go is because of low gas levels in tanks that cause the pumps to "burn out"

Don't know how much truth there is to that one!

I replaced my problematic fuel pump in my Cougar with a Walbro unit. My stock fuel pump had the typical bad acceleration when tank was below 1/4. The Walbro flows 190lph vrs the the stock unit of about 85lph. The Walbro replacement fuel pump kits for Contour/Cougar run $90 for return and $120 for returnless through Muscle Motors . I highly reccommend this fuel pump as it is worlds better in performance and quality than the stock fuel pump. It will run about 2 hrs labor through your local mechanic as it is *nessicary* to drop the fuel tank to change out the pump.

Well people do say that in general you shouldn't run with the tank near empty too often. The gasoline acts as a heat sink to cool down the pump. No gas and the pump overheats and dies.

My wife's 1990 Aerostar does this too! Could you let me know what they found to be the problem?

Thanks,

Stephen