Fuel Pump / Ignition Issue

[GDAM2K3]

Okay, so I have a Pontiac Grand AM 2003, 50K miles, no replacements, wrecks, low milage driving (some stop and go some highway.) with no prior problems since I purchased it in 2005.

Here is the problem in order of events up until what I know now:

1. Service Engine Soon light was on. I got it checked out. It turns out it was the EVAP code.
2. I am driving along the highway ( I have not gone in for the SES light yet) and the car cuts off. The lights and everything were still lit, but it was almost as though someone took the key and turned it to off. After about 20 minutes whamo the car started.
3. I take in the car to get looked at. I had leakage on top of my fuel tank. They dropped the tank and fixed a gasket that had come loose along with replacing a canaster as well that was part of that problem.
4. So far so good. The car starts, no SES light. The car won't start one day. I had driven it around for a few days with no problem. I wait for a bit, eventually it turns over no problem.
5. I took it back to my mechanic that took them 3 days to get it to fail. They said it was BCM and take it to the dealer. They also noted after it stalled on them that it started no problem after a few minutes
6. Took it to a dealer, they never got it to stall or not start.

Now, here is what I have noticed. When it won't start you can not hear the fuel pump. When you do hear it, it starts up no problem. When it won't start and you can't hear the fuel pump, I hear a buzzy sound coming from the left corner which sounds pretty much like it's coming from the relay. I switched the relay though it still happens. If I keep playing around with it turning it off and on EVENTUALLY I will hear the smooth sound of the fuel pump and then of course it will start.

I know this is a lot to take in, but I have no idea what this could be. Passlock? BCM? Ignition? Fuel Pump? I am stumped and taking to either a dealer or a mechanic they're just going to try and get it to fail again and that may not happen.

Thanks in advance for any feedback from this community. I appreciate the help!

R

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by GDAM2K3

Okay, so I have a Pontiac Grand AM 2003, 50K miles, no replacements, wrecks, low milage driving (some stop and go some highway.) with no prior problems since I purchased it in 2005.

Here is the problem in order of events up until what I know now:

1. Service Engine Soon light was on. I got it checked out. It turns out it was the EVAP code.
2. I am driving along the highway ( I have not gone in for the SES light yet) and the car cuts off. The lights and everything were still lit, but it was almost as though someone took the key and turned it to off. After about 20 minutes whamo the car started.
3. I take in the car to get looked at. I had leakage on top of my fuel tank. They dropped the tank and fixed a gasket that had come loose along with replacing a canaster as well that was part of that problem.
4. So far so good. The car starts, no SES light. The car won't start one day. I had driven it around for a few days with no problem. I wait for a bit, eventually it turns over no problem.
5. I took it back to my mechanic that took them 3 days to get it to fail. They said it was BCM and take it to the dealer. They also noted after it stalled on them that it started no problem after a few minutes
6. Took it to a dealer, they never got it to stall or not start.

Now, here is what I have noticed. When it won't start you can not hear the fuel pump. When you do hear it, it starts up no problem. When it won't start and you can't hear the fuel pump, I hear a buzzy sound coming from the left corner which sounds pretty much like it's coming from the relay. I switched the relay though it still happens. If I keep playing around with it turning it off and on EVENTUALLY I will hear the smooth sound of the fuel pump and then of course it will start.

I know this is a lot to take in, but I have no idea what this could be. Passlock? BCM? Ignition? Fuel Pump? I am stumped and taking to either a dealer or a mechanic they're just going to try and get it to fail again and that may not happen.

Thanks in advance for any feedback from this community. I appreciate the help!

R

it could be fuel pump have you had it pressure tested to see how much pressure it's putting out because if you can hear it zippp when turning key on that's a sign of bad pump? do you have multiport fuel injection or tbs?

[thephantom1492]

I would also suspect the fuel pump. When it refuse to start, take a rubber hammer and bang under the fuel tank and try to start again. if it start then there is an high chance that the fuel pump is bad. It could also be the BCM or PCM, I forgot which one control the pump. You said you heard buzzing from the relay? might want to check the voltage at the coil side, should be close to the battery voltage... you would need to test it with the relay in place... which might not be possible...

As for passlock, if the security light isn'T blinking, then it's not the passlock.

[keyman1070]

having similar issues,did you ever get the problem figured out?

[xeroinfinity]

another thing is when it wont start test that voltage is coming to/from pump.

Ive seen a few with wire harness damage in the rear close to the tank.
I think auto parts stores carry the section thats replaced for this.

[blabhern]

I had a 96 grand am 2.2 liter that was doing the same thing. NO SES light though. It ended up being the fuel pump. It would just die and it would take some time before it would start up again. It could take 1 - 20 mins to start up.