RAV4 Fuel Pump Error

My 2008 Toyota RAV4 diesel is giving me fits. It has 194876 km. Lately, it struggles to start, sometimes stalls out when idling, and the check engine light is on. When it does run, it’s rough, and I swear the fuel consumption has gone through the roof. I hooked her up to a diagnostic tool, and it's throwing fuel pump error codes. I've checked the fuses, but I'm suspecting a bad connection somewhere. Could a dodgy cable or plug really cause all this chaos?

4 comment(s)

I had something similar happen with my RAV4 (petrol version, though). Same symptoms – rough running, stalling, and the engine light. Have you checked the fuel pump relay and its wiring? That's often overlooked and can cause intermittent issues like you're describing. Also, what specific error codes are you getting? That could help narrow things down.

Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely check the relay and wiring more closely. As for the error codes, I don't have them written down at the moment, but they all pointed towards the fuel pump malfunctioning or not receiving enough power. Could a bad relay or connection really cause the pump to act up that badly?

Yes, absolutely. A faulty relay or a bad connection can starve the fuel pump of power, causing it to behave erratically or even fail completely. Given all your symptoms and the codes you're seeing, I'd put money on it being an electrical issue before condemning the pump itself. Still, with those codes, I'd advise you to take it to a workshop.

For anyone following, it turned out to be a corroded connector on the fuel pump wiring harness, just like we suspected. A new connector and a bit of cleaning, and she's running like a champ again. Total bill was only 95€! Thanks for saving me from needlessly replacing the fuel pump!

Join the discussion now: