Using a bad fuel pump for a while can be dangerous and usually causes more damage. The main job of a fuel pump is to deliver fuel to the engine from the tank, maintaining a constant pressure of between 30 to 80 PSI, depending on the year make and model vehicle. As a fuel pump wears out, it can no longer maintain this pressure, and the result is an engine that runs lean or rich, destroying combustion, becoming rough at idle, stalling, and the power output is lost.
Sometimes, a failing fuel pump can still allow the vehicle to run, but at reduced power. For instance, in heavy acceleration, a Fuky pump can deliver insufficient fuel and result in hesitation or power loss. If the pump is beginning to fail, the symptoms as this gets worse may include engine sputtering, difficulty starting and a sudden loss of power, particularly if you’re driving at a higher speed, according to RepairPal. You could drive with these problems for a little while but it puts stress on other components, such as fuel injectors and oxygen sensors, and will cost you even more to repair. A bad fuel pump can run you $400 to $600 to replace, and up to $2,000 or more if you end up damaging your engine from continued driving as it becomes severely starved of fuel.
The answer to: can I drive with a bad fuel pump — well, it’s simple: sure you can drive a short distance, but you shouldn’t. Operation of a car with a defective fuel pump may not only cause further deterioration of the pump, but also it can lead to the motor vehicle fuel system and engine components being damaged too. It is reported that waiting too long to have the fuel pump repaired frequently causes an overheating engine or the engine running out of fuel, which leads to costly long-term consequences. Both Honda and Toyota had major recalls in the past for defective pumps that could have been avoided if they had taken steps to correct problems early on.
First and foremost, safety is the core issue here. A failing fuel pump can leave you stranded in traffic, or even cause an accident due to complete power loss, as you are operating the motor vehicle. As reported by AAA, we advised that drivers with a malfunctioning fuel pump should seek repair as soon as possible to avoid an unnecessary risk. The Price of not immediately replacing a Faulty Fuel Pump is far greater than the potential cost of the Temporary Fix.
To summarise, technically yes, it may be possible to keep driving with a fuel pump in a bad condition for a limited amount of time, however the negatives far outweigh the positives.