Some vehicles which come with an internal combustion engine will also feature a fuel pump shut off switch. Many drivers often wonder where is the reset fuel pump shut off switch location.
One thing to note is that just as is the case with other electrical components on the car, the fuel pump is also prone to damage. Since this switch can cut off fuel to the car’s engine, it is not surprising therefore that it can also cause other car performance and drivability problems.
If there is an issue with the fuel pump shut off switch then there are a few ways that a driver will be able to notice this.
- Inertia Switch
- Switch Location
- Fuel Pump Kill Switch
- Bad Shut Off Solenoid
- Frequently Asked Questions
Inertia Switch
This switch is also commonly referred to as the inertia switch and its role is to cut off fuel for the fuel pump whenever the switch detects that the car has come to a forced stop or an unusual stop.
In case of an accident for instance there is a good chance that the fuel pump and the fuel hoses will be damaged. The fuel pump shut off switch will detect this and cut off fuel to the fuel pump which in turn helps to prevent potentially hazardous stations.
You may not be thinking about an inertia switch if you drive a Rivian or any old Tesla.
The fuel pump shut-off switch will also feature a reset button. This button has the role of reactivating the fuel pump once you are satisfied that everything is okay with the situation.
The inertia switch or the fuel pump shut off switch is also prone to malfunction. There are several ways that you can tell that you have a problem with the inertia switch.
Reset Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch Location, Symptoms #1: Engine Stalls When Driving
You may be driving on the highway just for the engine to stall. Perhaps this occurred after refueling the tank.
A malfunctioning inertia switch could cause the engine to stall while driving. You can get over this issue by locating the reset button and pressing it.
Reset Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch Location, Symptoms #2: A Switch That Trips Without Pressing
You may notice that the switch stropping itself without any reason. This is a sign of a malfunctioning inertia switch.
When the fuel pump shut off the engine and detects that the vehicle has come to a sudden stop then it will trip and cut off the fuel supply. This is how a good functioning switch works.
However, what if the inertia switch triggers even after the vehicle has been driving nicely on the roads? In such cases, you will find that you need to continuously press the reset button to be able to drive.
Reset Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch Location, Symptoms #3: No Start Condition
This is also another way to tell if you have an issue with the fuel pump shut off button.
The no-start condition occurs when the fuel pump shut off button has been permanently damaged and therefore permanently cuts off fuel to the engine.
You may find that the engine is cranking when you turn on the ignition. However, the engine just can’t start since there is a cut-off of the fuel.
At this point, pressing the reset button will be of no use and you may find that you need to replace the entire fuel pump shut off switch.
That said it is important to have the no-start condition checked and diagnosed at the auto shop as a whole host of other issues that could cause it.
The fuel pump shut off switch is designed as a durable component and one that can last the entire life of the car. However sometimes due to differences in driving styles and conditions, the fuel pump shut off switch can get damaged.
If you suspect that you have an issue with the inertia switch and you are already experiencing some of the problems that we’ve mentioned here above them is a good idea to get the issue diagnosed by a technician.
Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch Location
Now that you are aware of what the fuel pump cut off switch is and its function in your car, the question now becomes where is the fuel pump shut off switch located?
Regardless of if you drive a Ram 1500 or a BMW 3-series, There are three main places where the fuel pump cut off switch can be located in your car and it depends on your vehicle model.
Some cars will have the inertia switch located under the dashboard. Other cars will have it under the driver’s seats while others will have the switch under the passenger seat.
If the inertia switch is under the front seats then to access it all you will need to do is to pull back the seats and then pull up the carpet to find the reset fuel pump shut off switch location.
Fuel Pump Kill Switch
When it comes to your car’s security features there are plenty of ways that you can avoid potential thieves from stealing your vehicle.
Some of the available off-market features will be expensive not to mention requiring a professional to install them which adds to the costs.
Compare this with installing your fuel pump in your Toyota Camry. The kill switch will cost under $10 and yet proves to be a highly effective safety feature.
With a fuel pump kill switch, the thief may manage to get inside your car but, he or she won’t drive further than your driveway.
You just need to remember to activate or turn on the fuel pump kill switch whenever you get out of the car.
Reset Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch Location – Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch
The first thing that you will need to do before installing a fuel pump kill switch is to find the hot wire. You can do this through the following steps.
Step 1
Starts by jacking up the car and then installing robust supports on the vehicle’s support areas. The goal is that you want the vehicle to remain high enough such that you will be able to crawl underneath the car from the front to the back.
Step 2
This step requires you to find the car’s fuel pump. This one will likely be located inside the car’s fuel tank. Now take out the filler cap of the gas tank and then place your ear close to the spout.
Do this while getting an assistant to turn the ignition key on and off. This will cause the fuel pump to turn on for two or three seconds and this will then cause it to kick. You may also hear a buzzing sound.
If however, you realize that the car pump isn’t inside the fuel tank all you need to do is to follow the fuel lines from the car module and see if you can locate the fuel pump.
Step 3
Next, take the car’s manual and go through the wiring diagram. Ensure that you can identify the hot wire that runs from the fuel pump relay to the fuel pump.
Step 4
If you are unable to find the car’s manual or identify the hot wire that runs from the car’s fuel pump relay to the fuel pump, you can call the technician and they can look up the information for you based on your car’s make, model, and year.
Step 5
Now you will need to locate the wires that send the charge to the pump and then disconnect these. The great thing is that this will not be hard to do as there is a connector that connects to an opposite connector on the fuel pump.
Step 6
Take a test light and connect it to a solid metal section of the car. You can do this using an alligator clip.
Step 7
Take the probe and insert it into each of the plug-in slots that are in the connection at the end of the wires that run for the car’s electrical system as your assistant turns the ignition from on to off whenever you are ready.
You can identify the hot wire as being the one that has a charge and gets charged for a couple of seconds whenever the key is turned on.
Reset Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch Location – Installing The Switch
After identifying the hot wire, now it’s time to get down to the business of installing the switch.
Step 1
Start by finding a nice spot where you will install the reset fuel pump shut off switch location. The goal here is to find a reset fuel pump shut off switch location that is hidden from view and yet is one that you can easily reach. This can be under the seat or under the dash.
Step 2
You will need to run the wire from the position of the kill switch to under the car. You can do this by drilling a small hole in the floor of the car. Also, ensure that there’s plenty of room behind the reset fuel pump shut off switch location for the wiring and the mechanics.
Step 3
Start by installing the toggle switch at the chosen reset fuel pump shut off switch location. You can do this by drilling a hole where you will fit the body of the switch. Ensure that you insert the switch from behind and then ensure that the ring nut is tight. This will help hold the switch body on the interior side.
Ensure that you orient both the on position and the off position in a way that is most convenient to you.
Step 4
While using the right connectors is important, you also want to connect two 14-inch wires to each of the two poles of the toggle connectors.
Step 5
Both these wires should be long enough to reach under the car whether you drive a Mini or a tractor where the electric harness connects to the fuel pump.
Step 6
Cut the hot wire which goes to the fuel pump.
Step 7
Take a shrink wrap and sliit de into each of the wires that run to the toggle switch.
Step 8
Using a butt connector, link one of the wires that go from the switch to the hot wire. This will help to ensure the flow of charge from the electrical system to the toggle switch.
Take the other wire that runs from the switch and connect it to the other end to do the hot wire. This will help the electricity flow to the fuel pump whenever you turn on the kill switch.
Step 9
Move the shrink wrap over the butt connector. Use an external heat source such as a butane heat gun. This will protect the connection from water and moisture.
Step 10
Now it’s time to connect back the wiring connection back to the fuel pump connection.
Step 11
To help support the new wires to the toggle switch you can use wire ties.
Symptoms Of A Bad Fuel Shut Off Solenoid
First off before we can take a look at the symptoms of a bad fuel shut off solenoid, we must understand what it is and how it functions.
First off a fuel shut off solenoid is a valve that is electromagnetically activated to cut off the fuel supply to the engine. It mainly comprises three parts which included the valve system, the valve body, and the solenoid assembly.
Whenever the solenoid receives an electric charge it retracts the lounger which in turn activates the valve by retracting the spring-loaded valve. This opens the valves and the fuel can pass through.
When the charge is cut off from the solenoids and it is now deactivated, the valve will now pull back the poppet into its seat which will close the valve and prevent fuel from passing through.
Controlling The Shut Off Solenoid
Note that there are two main ways that you can control the fuel shut off solenoid. The first is through manual activation and the second is through automated engine management.
The solenoid valves are a popular method of controlling fuel flow and can be used in a variety of situations including in the car. The fuel shut off solenoid is such a device and works by cutting off fuel flow to the car engine.
As we’ve noted above, once there is a sufficient amount of current going into the solenoid cold, this creates a powerful magnetic field. It is this magnetic field that will attract the solenoid plunger and in turn cause it to pull towards the cold.
In turn, the movement of the plunger causes it to raise the valve poppet from its sitting position. This then allows the fuel to pass through.
So what happens when there is a charge and the power has been cut off? The valve spring will then pull back the poppets to their sitting position which will then close the valve and cut off the fuel supply.
We also mentioned that you can control the fuel shut-off solenoid can be either manually or via an automated system. Many people will also use the shut off solenoid just like the engine cut-off.
Now that we understand what a fuel pump shut off solenoid is, let’s now find out how you can tell that you have a faulty fuel pump shut off solenoid.
The Symptoms Of A Faulty Shut Off Solenoid
1. Stalling Of The Car Engine
You may be driving your Mini Cooper on the highway listening to your favorite podcast of some cool music only to have the car suddenly stall without any warning.
The cause of this could be that the fuel pump shut off solenoid isn’t getting enough power to remain energized and thus shuts off abruptly and, therefore, cuts power to the car. You will notice that the engine stalls whenever you want to start the car.
The good thing is that fixing this problem isn’t all that difficult. All you need to do is to replace the old solenoid with a new one.
2. Issues With The Acceleration
Another way that you can tell that you have issues with the shut-off solenoid is that the car’s acceleration is not smooth. You are also likely to notice that the accelerating is hesitant and not very responsive whenever you are pulling on a load.
This issue comes about whenever the fuel pump shut off solenoid sticks. This prevents it from freely making the pump close and open.
You can fix this problem by adjusting the solenoid. However, it is best if you have the problems looked at by a technician.
3. Cold Starts
Just as with any other vehicle component, the shut-off solenoids come in different brands. One of the more common brands is Kohler.
That said you may find that the engine is cold starting whenever you try to ignite the car. This could be because of a faulty fuel shut off solenoid. One way to fix the problem is to clean the solenoid. If the problem persists then you may just want to replace the solenoid with a new unit.
4. Rushing Sound
You may notice a harsh rushing sound we’ve you are trying to turn on your Mustang. In this case, you should check the shut off solenoid to see if it is working properly.
Often this rushing noise will only sound for a short while. That said the noise can be quite annoying. It is best to fix this issue quickly otherwise it could cause the engine to completely shut down.
One way to fix the problem is to clean the solenoid. However, if the problem persists have it checked by a qualified technician.
5. The Idling Is Not Steady
When there is a consistent fuel supply the car will idle steadily. However, if there is a faulty fuel pump shut-off solenoid, this will cut off the fuel supply. The result is the engine stalling and shutting down, and funny noises coming from the engine area.
To fix this problem all you will need to do is to replace this with a brand new solenoid.
Reset Button Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch Location
Many car models such as that Buick of yours come with a fuel pump shut-off switch. This switch triggers when the car suddenly comes to a stop. It prevents the supply of fuel and thus mitigates a potentially hazardous situation.
Other times the fuel pump shut-off switch can self-activate. This can be due to something like a pothole or hitting a large bump at a high speed.
In this case, you will need to re-activate the fuel pump again. You will need to locate and press the reset button of the fuel pump shut-off switch. This is how:
Reset Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch Location – Step 1
Start by finding where the cars reset fuel pump shut off switch location. Often this will be at the airbag control module. An easy way to locate this is by reading your car owner’s manual.
However, if you find that you still can’t find the reset fuel pump shut off switch location, try from inside the center console, behind the glove box, under the front seats as well as behind the side kick panels.
These side kick panels are the trim sections that are just in front of the front door where the foot will brush typically.
Reset Fuel Pump Shut Off Switch Location – Step 2
Once you locate the button. Press sit. It should be clear now as the reset button of the fuel pump shut off switch. You may also find that this button has a contrasting color to the rest of the switch.
Often you will find that you need to turn the ignition key on to be able to send a charge to the switch and reset the switch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Main Function Of An Engine Cut Off Switch
The engine cut-off switch turns off the engine and is used when the operator is not in a good position to operate the vehicle. This is through a lanyard which is connected to the operator and the switch.
Where Is The Fuel Pump Reset Button
The fuel pump shut-off switch can be located under the dash or the front passenger seat or on the front driver seat. In the latter case, you will need to pull forward the seat and pull up on the carpet. This will help you access the switch.
What Is An Inertia Switch
The inertia switch also known as a fuel pump cut-off switch is a switch that is used to cut off fuel to the vehicle during a collision. It will also trigger if the vehicle stops suddenly. Mechanics will also trigger the inertia switch as a safety measure whenever they want to make repairs to the vehicle.
