Re: Why are GM fuel pumps so short lived? CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT

Greetings,

Please don't believe that this is just a GM issue. Other domestic and foreign brands have no better reliability on similarly priced parts like this than does GM, and it's not a matter of a better pump only being a few dollars more. If you are in a vehicle that retails for $25,000 and you redesigned every part you believed should be, then it's no longer a $25,000 car anymore. From the outside (and also based on how long the average owner keeps their vehicle) nothing has really changed except that it costs more. $25k may still be a lot of money to many of us, but when given the choice more folks obviously buy the $25K car than the $50k car or the $75k car and if you want them to keep buying these cars you don't sink more money into it than you can recoup on it's selling price, especially with all of the non-vehicle expenses attached to each vehicle sold these days.

Cheers - Jonathan

I had the same problem on my minivan. Feul pump died on the highway with my >3 kids and wife in the car. The only difference here was that GM fix the >pump under warranty, but I agree with the OP (original poster). GM should >put in a better pump. Also, this is the reason I'm not buying GM anymore. > >
Reply to
Jonathan
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Jonathan,

I understand your point whole-heartedly, but, this is a known issue, shouldn't someone at GM say to the part maker "hey bud, my customers are stuck on highways, make it better!". I don't believe GM is making this effort. I know Honda does. And this is what I hate most, why can't GM be better than Honda or toyota?

Known issues should be corrected with an apology.

Reply to
t

My dad was involved with the prototype sales for that pump motor in the early 80's for a company he represented. (GM does not make the motor) I remember him telling me about the GM specs for it. It was to be brushless in design and to be cooled and lubed by the fuel in the tank and a motor was designed to fit that application. Run it low on fuel and take away the cooling and lube and it will fail prematurely. I have one in a GM burb that is 17 years old and still going strong.

Reply to
TheSnoMan

It sure make one wonder why. Why would you want an electric fuel pump to be inside the tank and to run bathed in fuel.

One problem with those pumps is that because of their location the replacement labor is very expensive. With a traditional external fuel pump the replacement labor is under 1/2 hour in most cases.

Another problem with putting the pump inside the tank is that the pre-pump filter also has to be buried inside the tank. Put the pump and the pre-filter outside and a person has a fighting chance of cleaning a fouled pre-filter before it burns out the pump.

John

Reply to
John Horner

We have a non-gm car in the family. To change the fuel pump / filter assembly, one removes the cushion for the rear seat. 4 bolts, and an access cover comes off. 4 more bolts, one wiring connector, two fuel lines, the whole thing is out in your hands. Tops, including clean up,

3 trips to the tool box, etc, is 45 minutes to change this out. No tank-drain or dropping required. The only precaution is to do it OUTSIDE, well ventilated, and disconnect the battery negative lead while doing the work.

Now why can't GM figure this out and provide an access "hatch" in the body work like this?

Reply to
Merlin

This is just the sort of serviceability issue which the manufacturer

*should* provide for. I will bet anyone $100 that I know why GM doesn't do it: To save a few pennies or dollars on manufacturing cost. That little hatch costs more money for the manufacturer.

John

Reply to
John Horner

Simply to save a few dollars. The really don't want you to keep your new car that long anyway.

Reply to
Spam Hater

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