Hello Everyone,
I have a 01 Sportage that just shutdown on route home from work as per my wife. I've replaced the fuel pump and filters, main and fuel pump relays. The truck still will not start, I still do not hear the fuel pump turn on, but if I put a jumper at the B+ and fuel pump connector terminals in the diagnosis box I'll hear the fuel pump turn on. Is there something I'm missing or doing wrong? "Desperate in NJ"

Have you checked to see if the timming belt broke?

No, I have not. I didn't think the timing belt would have anything to do with the fuel pump not turning on.

The fuel pump in the sportage turns on for a second or two when the inginition is first turned on to pressurize the fuel system but shuts down until the engine is started. If you have over 60,000 miles on the timing belt it is a likely suspect, they break without warning and the symptom usually is that the car will just stop running and will not start.

Wow, and we have about 95,000 miles on it. Is the timing belt hard to replace?

If you have 95,000 miles on the original timing belt it is likely your problem. If you have reasonable mechinical skills it is not that difficuld to replace. You will want to replace the timing belt, idler pully, and tensioner pully. If you do a search on this site you will find instructions on replacement of the belt.

If the engine seems to crank much faster than normal that would be a good indicator that the timing belt snapped. If it's cranking at normal speed then most likely the belt is intact. You can visually check by removing the bolts from the upper timing belt cover, pull it back, and inspect the timing belt.

If the belt is OK then you have to determine what's missing...either fuel or spark. On the front of the plastic cover that covers the spark plugs there is a large rubber plug. Pry it off and with an inductive pickup timing light check for spark on cylinder number 1 plug wire. Crank the engine and the timing light should flash. No flash means no spark and you'll have to determine why.

A quick and dirty for checking the fuel pump: Disconnect one line to the fuel filter. Crank the engine. Fuel should spray. But be very careful...this is a dangerous procedure and one spark and it's all over. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

does the check engine light come on when you put the key in and turn it?

Thanks,
I'll have to check it out sometime this weekend and see what the verdict is.

Yes it does and actually it always was on since we bought it new, but it was a code for the fuel cap.