Fuel Pump Failure - Toyota Yaris Forums

eaglerox · 01-09-2012, 07:47 PM

I bought a 2009 Yaris and now it has about 80,000 miles on it.

Last year I had about several gallons in my tank based on the dashboard and my car runs out of fuel and I have to call Toyota towing service to put some fuel in my car and then it starts to run just fine. Didn't consider calling Toyota to take a look at the dashboard to see if its reporting the right fuel levels.

A year later, I'm driving to Vegas and I get 3 bars on my dashboard but my car suddenly stops again! Refueled and it started to work again. Now I'm curious as to why the dashboard fuel indicator is not showing the correct levels. However, I didnt bring it in to service, thinking they'd probably charge me just to diagnose it and that I probably bought some bad fuel or that it was the road conditions?.

Finally, today I'm on the highway the car just breaks down and won't start. I finally get it towed into the dealership and I get charged an $800 bill for a new fuel pump and sending unit.

I am killing myself right now because I just passed the warranty limit on my mileage.

My question is, whoose fault is it originally that the car would report 2 bars but run out out fuel? Do I have a chance to sue Toyota for selling me bad parts that ultimately failed me later which I had to pay for?

auxmike · 01-09-2012, 07:59 PM

You bought a car from toyota, not a bad part. I always rely on the trip odometer to keep track of fuel usage as a safe backup...

eaglerox · 01-09-2012, 08:04 PM

Are you telling me that I cant rely on a computerized dashboard? Hello! It's 2012 chips are everywhere. What kind of world would we live in if computer chips gave us inaccurate information and we were to rely in manual data entry.

CTScott · 01-09-2012, 08:55 PM

Resistive fuel senders can be affected by impurities in gasoline, so it would be difficult to prove that it was a manufacturing defect.

bankrobber · 01-12-2012, 10:44 AM

800 dollars for a fuel pump is crazy. How can it cost that much?

CTScott · 01-12-2012, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bankrobber

800 dollars for a fuel pump is crazy. How can it cost that much?

Fuel pump lists for $327 and the sender for $80, so the rest must have been labor.

thepartsmancometh · 01-12-2012, 07:59 PM

we have seen a few Yarii with FP issues. the first was DEFINITELY the sender; there was no fuel in the car and it was reporting 2 or 3 bars. The second was the pump gone bad. Not super common, but fuel pumps usually aren't with toyotas.

FYI, toyota wants an arm and a leg for most parts. some things are ridiculous

DebbyM46227 · 08-06-2012, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bankrobber

800 dollars for a fuel pump is crazy. How can it cost that much?

$1000.00 is a pretty standard charge for ANY make car around here - not just Toyota. Not sure about the Yaris but they normally have to drop the gas tank, it's labor.

cali yaris · 08-06-2012, 12:52 PM

^ Access to the pump in the Yaris is through the floor in the back. I think they have to remove the rear seat, maybe six bolts?

hey Scott, I'm sure it's standard protocol to change both, but couldn't they just change the sender (the cheaper part @ $80) and see if that fixed it? Sure doesn't seem like a fuel pump that failed.

bronsin · 08-06-2012, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eaglerox

Are you telling me that I cant rely on a computerized dashboard? Hello! It's 2012 chips are everywhere. What kind of world would we live in if computer chips gave us inaccurate information and we were to rely in manual data entry.

If you want take a 2 gallon gas can with you and when the fuel gets low again drive until you run out. See what the gauge says.

I doubt a fuel gauge would tell you you had gas when you didnt. But anything is possible.

But to answer your question NO you cannot trust the fuel gauge. Not with your life or in an emergency. As a private pilot no one trusts the fuel gauges. Before takeoff you are required to take the cap off the fuel tanks and look in there to make sure you has gas because if you dont and the engine quits on takeoff you probably die.

seth_man · 08-06-2012, 03:14 PM

i would have to say its your fault for not bringing it in to have the fuel sender repaired or replaced when you first had the problem, running the car very low or out of fuel is more than likely what caused the pump to fail, fuel pumps will heat up quickly when there is no fuel to cool them. running out of fuel a few times can generate enough heat to melt the small wire that the pump motor is made out of.

07typeS · 08-06-2012, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seth_man

i would have to say its your fault for not bringing it in to have the fuel sender repaired or replaced when you first had the problem, running the car very low or out of fuel is more than likely what caused the pump to fail, fuel pumps will heat up quickly when there is no fuel to cool them. running out of fuel a few times can generate enough heat to melt the small wire that the pump motor is made out of.

Unfortunately I agree.. Definitely your bad.. Whenever you have an issue, to cover your butt, always get it documented..

And I agree with Garm, why cant they just replace the sender and see if that fixes the problem?

CTScott · 08-06-2012, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07typeS

Unfortunately I agree.. Definitely your bad.. Whenever you have an issue, to cover your butt, always get it documented..

And I agree with Garm, why cant they just replace the sender and see if that fixes the problem?

The labor to replace the sender and then later replace the pump probably isn't worth it to do two rounds. Also, they two items in question have completely different functions, so diagnosing whether both or just the sender are bad is pretty easy.

djscaggs · 03-02-2013, 10:12 AM

I have a 2007 Yaris went on my way home from St. Louis Missouri about a 2 hour drive from where I live. The car starts to slow down on me and when I give it gas nothing happens was able to drive it for several miles before the engine light comes on and then it stops all together. I had to be towed home and since i was over the warranty I took it to a local dealer which had told me that the timing chain had probably went out because there was oil all over the engine. I didn't have the money to have a new engine put in so it has set for 2 years and now have decided to take it repaired. Took to different person and he has checked out the engine and timing belt is fine and the engine is good. But still can't get fuel to make it go. Does anyone know what the problem could be. What could be blocking the fuel?

CTScott · 03-02-2013, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djscaggs

I have a 2007 Yaris went on my way home from St. Louis Missouri about a 2 hour drive from where I live. The car starts to slow down on me and when I give it gas nothing happens was able to drive it for several miles before the engine light comes on and then it stops all together. I had to be towed home and since i was over the warranty I took it to a local dealer which had told me that the timing chain had probably went out because there was oil all over the engine. I didn't have the money to have a new engine put in so it has set for 2 years and now have decided to take it repaired. Took to different person and he has checked out the engine and timing belt is fine and the engine is good. But still can't get fuel to make it go. Does anyone know what the problem could be. What could be blocking the fuel?

Is the 20A EFI fuse in the under hood fuse panel OK, as that feeds the fuel pump and injectors?

01-09-2012, 07:47 PM	#1
eaglerox Drives: Yaris 2009 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 3	Fuel Pump Failure I bought a 2009 Yaris and now it has about 80,000 miles on it. Last year I had about several gallons in my tank based on the dashboard and my car runs out of fuel and I have to call Toyota towing service to put some fuel in my car and then it starts to run just fine. Didn't consider calling Toyota to take a look at the dashboard to see if its reporting the right fuel levels. A year later, I'm driving to Vegas and I get 3 bars on my dashboard but my car suddenly stops again! Refueled and it started to work again. Now I'm curious as to why the dashboard fuel indicator is not showing the correct levels. However, I didnt bring it in to service, thinking they'd probably charge me just to diagnose it and that I probably bought some bad fuel or that it was the road conditions?. Finally, today I'm on the highway the car just breaks down and won't start. I finally get it towed into the dealership and I get charged an $800 bill for a new fuel pump and sending unit. I am killing myself right now because I just passed the warranty limit on my mileage. My question is, whoose fault is it originally that the car would report 2 bars but run out out fuel? Do I have a chance to sue Toyota for selling me bad parts that ultimately failed me later which I had to pay for?

01-09-2012, 07:59 PM	#2
auxmike Drives: 2008 HB, A/T, Power W/L/M Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: LI, New Yawk Posts: 2,063	You bought a car from toyota, not a bad part. I always rely on the trip odometer to keep track of fuel usage as a safe backup... __________________ Never take eyes off opponent - Bruce Lee

01-09-2012, 08:55 PM	#4
CTScott ULTIMATE View User's Garage Drives: 09 5dr LB, 2x 08 3dr LB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: USA, CT Posts: 13,460	Resistive fuel senders can be affected by impurities in gasoline, so it would be difficult to prove that it was a manufacturing defect. __________________

08-06-2012, 12:52 PM	#9
cali yaris ULTIMATE View User's Garage Drives: 07 Yaris Turbo Join Date: May 2007 Location: Canoga Park, CA Posts: 14,859	^ Access to the pump in the Yaris is through the floor in the back. I think they have to remove the rear seat, maybe six bolts? hey Scott, I'm sure it's standard protocol to change both, but couldn't they just change the sender (the cheaper part @ $80) and see if that fixed it? Sure doesn't seem like a fuel pump that failed. __________________ Micro Image forums, online store and shop are now closed. It was a great eight year run, but it was time to focus on other things. I'm still selling parts on eBay under micro*image seller ID and customers can still make requests for anything specific.

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01-09-2012, 08:04 PM	#3
eaglerox Drives: Yaris 2009 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 3	Are you telling me that I cant rely on a computerized dashboard? Hello! It's 2012 chips are everywhere. What kind of world would we live in if computer chips gave us inaccurate information and we were to rely in manual data entry.

01-12-2012, 10:44 AM	#5
bankrobber Drives: 2007 Yaris Hatchback Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Central Florida Posts: 254	800 dollars for a fuel pump is crazy. How can it cost that much?

01-12-2012, 07:59 PM	#7
thepartsmancometh Drives: '08 LB, '07 WRX Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: midwest Posts: 187	we have seen a few Yarii with FP issues. the first was DEFINITELY the sender; there was no fuel in the car and it was reporting 2 or 3 bars. The second was the pump gone bad. Not super common, but fuel pumps usually aren't with toyotas. FYI, toyota wants an arm and a leg for most parts. some things are ridiculous

08-06-2012, 03:14 PM	#11
seth_man View User's Garage Drives: 08 Liftback Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Thompson, CT Posts: 159	i would have to say its your fault for not bringing it in to have the fuel sender repaired or replaced when you first had the problem, running the car very low or out of fuel is more than likely what caused the pump to fail, fuel pumps will heat up quickly when there is no fuel to cool them. running out of fuel a few times can generate enough heat to melt the small wire that the pump motor is made out of.

03-02-2013, 10:12 AM	#14
djscaggs I've made a post! Drives: Yaris 2007 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Marion Illinois Posts: 1	I have a 2007 Yaris went on my way home from St. Louis Missouri about a 2 hour drive from where I live. The car starts to slow down on me and when I give it gas nothing happens was able to drive it for several miles before the engine light comes on and then it stops all together. I had to be towed home and since i was over the warranty I took it to a local dealer which had told me that the timing chain had probably went out because there was oil all over the engine. I didn't have the money to have a new engine put in so it has set for 2 years and now have decided to take it repaired. Took to different person and he has checked out the engine and timing belt is fine and the engine is good. But still can't get fuel to make it go. Does anyone know what the problem could be. What could be blocking the fuel?