Car wont start -- fuel pump? Help.
 

Hi.

My son's friend has a 2008 Scion xD that turns over but won't start.

This problem started happening the morning after the car was involved in an accident which dented the driver's side front fender and cracked it near the headlight. The car ran fine before and immediately after the accident.

But now when we turn the key to the 'on' position we don't hear the fuel pump. But the battery is good and the starter motor works.

Does the car have a fuel pump shutoff switch which may have been activated by the accident? Also, where is the fuel pump relay located? I didn't see it in the main relay/fuse panel in the engine compartment unless it goes by a different name.

Any ideas on how I can diagnose this problem? I have a multimeter.

I would start at the fuse box (under the hood). It is there on the driver's side, so maybe something got short circuited during the impact. Is there a CEL? If so, scan it and see what it says.

Does the xD in question have the security system and/or the remote starter? If so, it might be the hood latch switch that was damaged, which would make the car "think" the hood is open. I'm not 100% sure that would cause it to crank and not start, but it's something to keep in mind.

You only need spark, fuel and air to start...

So if it cranks and the intake isn't clogged up...its definitely missing fuel...

look under the fender and see if the wires are pinched, I dont know if there are even any wires under the fender but no harm in checking it out... recheck all the fuses in the main box, as well as the in-cabin fuse box, just in case you missed it the first time. Beyond that I got nothing without actually seeing the car/damage/etc...

I'll scan for trouble codes. But where is the OBD diagnostic connector located in this car?

Also, when you turn the key to 'on', but without cranking the starter can you normally hear the fuel pump for a few seconds?

Thanks for your help, Brett.

Did you ever figure out what the problem was? I have a tc but my car is having the same issue, and this winter I got into a collision as well. If you can let me know I would appreciate it.

Yes, the problem was eventually resolved. As it turned out, the car was critically low on oil. I was told that the low oil sensor caused the computer to 'protect' the car by temporarily disabling the fuel pump. Anyway, this was second or third hand information -- I didn't personally confirm it.

Hope that helps, good luck.