I have a 2011 Cadillac DTS and around the holidays last year, my fuel pump relay was starting to melt. After replacing the relay about 3 times, I did my research and replaced the fuel pump and relay box.(Purchased brand new) But now after a few months later, my fuel pump relay was starting to melt. I was able to make it back home. And I do have a backup fuel pump relay but I don't know how long I have before the backup fuel pump relay overheats and burns out. I'm not sure if I should just get rid of the car or if there is a solution.
'11 DTS fuel pump relay keeps burning up after replacing fuel pump and relay box
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Ant Diesel
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.......... and FWIW, many of the replacement fuel pump/level sender assemblies come with a larger electrical connector and pigtail that gets spliced into the existing harness. Less overall electrical resistance. Remember - that pump runs any time the engine is ON.
Note the flat 4-blade connector as opposed to the early square 4-pin type.
(DELPHI - an original and huge parts/development center for GM. DELPHI and Lord were the developers/licensing entity for every MRC system on earth.)
Note the flat 4-blade connector as opposed to the early square 4-pin type.
(DELPHI - an original and huge parts/development center for GM. DELPHI and Lord were the developers/licensing entity for every MRC system on earth.)
2009 DTS fuel pump relay burnt up, melted a bit of the fuse box. My wife was traveling (she couldn't go Thursday the 12th, had to be Friday the 13th), anyway got a new relay and drove car 2.5 hours home. Current draw on pump was 10A. Put in new fuse box and Delphi fuel pump (per posting on Rockauto it draws 10A, with a note of (68) next to it (is that farenheight?). Tested current on new pump, it's at 12.5 and it's about 40F out today if that makes a difference. 20A circuit but the wiring is so tiny, don't know how they get away with that...or do they.
The new fuse box came with the shorter relay and I did notice the first replacement tall relay I got was a new part number.
People rarely sit in the back seat, no signs of contact with seat to old fuse box.
So, is 12.5A too high and could this whole issue be due to an undersized OEM relay? Car has 108,000 miles on it.
The new fuse box came with the shorter relay and I did notice the first replacement tall relay I got was a new part number.
People rarely sit in the back seat, no signs of contact with seat to old fuse box.
So, is 12.5A too high and could this whole issue be due to an undersized OEM relay? Car has 108,000 miles on it.
i moved my relay outside the fuse box. Relays can get warm. Once the 12v pin for the relay gets warm (due to confined location and cramped conditions) enough it deforms and is no longer a solid connection. Bad connection equals increased heat at connection. And this continues until crap chars.
you can see the hole next to the 10 amp fuse wrecked. Take a wire and go directly off the main 12v input to the fuse panel and directly to your relay 12v input pin. Make pig tails and go off your relay to their respective holes on the fuse panel. Secure relay outside the box (cut a slot in plastic cover for pigtail wires to fit through)
yes..I used speaker wire😂
And this new pump seems loud
can anyone else hear theirs easily from inside the car? Don’t remember hearing the old one but maybe never noticed it
thanks
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My DELPHI replacement pump assembly (2014) is dead silent (well, maybe a barely audible hummmmmm) except when the fuel level is very low. BAD idea to run these cars with less than 1/4 tank habitually.
Maybe some un(sound)insulated pump part is vibrating against the tank ?
Maybe some un(sound)insulated pump part is vibrating against the tank ?
Thanks
it seemed loud before I buttoned it up
coupled with the higher amp draw I think bad pump
last summer I got a bad Delphi for another vehicle
case was cracked
appreciate the help
Sorry…never putzed with that
Good read. I am having the same issue now. Waiting for my pump. They said it will be here tomorrow. I put a new relay in it that lasted 1 start and move to a different parking spot. Started yesterday morning to warm up and it did start, but I went out and tried to start it again and it didn't. Haven't even looked at it, I was pissed. I think I might isolate the relay like the post above.
I feel for you. Very frustrating. I’m a farm kid turned engineer, worked for Caterpillar for many years, and this system is totally under designed. After my beautiful but unreliable 94’ Concours I swore off Cadillacs but in 2016 the deal on this one was too good to pass and I needed a car. 2009 DTS, 18,000 miles for $5500 from an elderly family friend who had to give up driving.
Anyway, checked my 2nd new pump (first replacement was louder than this one and drawing 12.5A) recently and it’s still pulling 12A, the rating is 10. I was hoping the pump would “break in” The original pump which in the end was not the issue only pulled 10A. Used Delphi replacements. Delphi has quality issues but everything I read says they are the ones to use.
There was a thread on putting the relay outside the fuse box which would likely help a lot, I just have not done it yet. Guess I’m a slow learner…and too busy to keep fussing with this thing.
Relay is not getting hot. My new fuse box came with the shorter and I hope heavier duty relay.
I have no faith in this car RE taking a road trip. Just changed the belts at 110,000 miles. Shouldn’t have to raise the engine to change a belt. Water pump belt was starting to separate along the grooves.
Engine starting to leak more oil. It was resealed before I got it at 12,000 miles. Hoping it’s valve covers but for now oil is cheaper than working on it. I would really like to get rid of this car and get another RAM truck but the numbers don’t shake out right now; the car is not worth much; $2500 I think.
Before 60k miles front wheel bearings, rear shocks, top strut plate on one side etc. My 1997 Concorde at 297,000 miles, it had a few problems along the way but never put a wheel bearing in it.
Seems GM puts it cheapest parts into it’s flagship line.
Shouldn’t say this to a group of Cadillac fans, especially since I don’t want to get barred from the forum and I’m a huge fan of the 1976 and older cars, but this is my last Caddy.
So if anyone knows of someone who wants to overpay for what is still a great looking DTS let me know, we should talk.
Anyway, checked my 2nd new pump (first replacement was louder than this one and drawing 12.5A) recently and it’s still pulling 12A, the rating is 10. I was hoping the pump would “break in” The original pump which in the end was not the issue only pulled 10A. Used Delphi replacements. Delphi has quality issues but everything I read says they are the ones to use.
There was a thread on putting the relay outside the fuse box which would likely help a lot, I just have not done it yet. Guess I’m a slow learner…and too busy to keep fussing with this thing.
Relay is not getting hot. My new fuse box came with the shorter and I hope heavier duty relay.
I have no faith in this car RE taking a road trip. Just changed the belts at 110,000 miles. Shouldn’t have to raise the engine to change a belt. Water pump belt was starting to separate along the grooves.
Engine starting to leak more oil. It was resealed before I got it at 12,000 miles. Hoping it’s valve covers but for now oil is cheaper than working on it. I would really like to get rid of this car and get another RAM truck but the numbers don’t shake out right now; the car is not worth much; $2500 I think.
Before 60k miles front wheel bearings, rear shocks, top strut plate on one side etc. My 1997 Concorde at 297,000 miles, it had a few problems along the way but never put a wheel bearing in it.
Seems GM puts it cheapest parts into it’s flagship line.
Shouldn’t say this to a group of Cadillac fans, especially since I don’t want to get barred from the forum and I’m a huge fan of the 1976 and older cars, but this is my last Caddy.
So if anyone knows of someone who wants to overpay for what is still a great looking DTS let me know, we should talk.
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Did you change the water pump drive belt tensioner pulley? Common failure part at ~75,000 miles. No need to change the entire tensioner.
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"spins great" may be misleading, as a "good" pulley bearing with sufficient grease will NOT spin - it will be "sticky" and viscous when turned by hand.
New tensioner = new pulley - Gates/DAYCO
![Image]()
New tensioner = new pulley - Gates/DAYCO
That was the first thing I did on mine, was replace the tensioner pulley. Don't feel like doing a water pump anytime soon.
Probably suffering from poor quality Chinese fever.
Blew another relay today. Car kept stalling after pump change and I thought it was air in the lines. Ran fine for a while after that, but then i go out and move the car. Sitting there idling and it stalled out again. No more restarts. Relay is melted. Tomorrow I am going to try what was recommended on the last page with relocating the relay and if that don't work, I need a GOOD used fuse box. There are a ton on ebay but, how the hell do I know if they aren't destroyed? They all have the relays and fuses still in them. I don't want to waste 250 bucks on something that could be worse than the one I got. Severely frustrated. WHY did they discontinue the fuse box. Now we are stuck with used crap. Also hooked up OBD scanner just to see if something else was going on. No codes.
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