Possible Fuel Pump problems with my 2001 Pathfinder

[2001Nispat]

Last year I couldn't get my car to start. I had it towed to my friend's shop so they could find out the problem. They called me later to tell me it started fine and there didn't seem to be anything wrong. About a month later, it didn't start again. My friend told me it sounded like the fuel pump wasn't getting gas to my engine or something like that. I had the car towed, and they called later again saying it had no problems. They decided we should change the fuel pump because that could have possibly been the problem, although it seemed fine.

One year later...

So I have had no problems since that incident until last week. Same thing happened. I was at the mall, got back to my car, and it wouldn't start again. We had it towed to our house because it was too late and no shop was open. The next morning the car started just fine, so we went to get a rental car and took the pathfinder to a shop. We told him the previous problem we had with the car and he said he would check it out. He kept it for 2 days, driving it around for almost 30 miles over that time, and found nothing wrong with it. He said he didn't want to replace a fuel pump that seemed just fine if that wasn't the problem. He checked with someone at a Nissan dealer who told him that this is a common problem, and in addition to changing the fuel pump, there were other parts that should have been changed with it. In any case, he changed those other parts that hadn't been changed last year and he told us to call him if anything happened.

Yesterday we washed the car, dried it off...and of course, it wouldn't start. We waited at the car wash til it was empty and I tried pushing it on an incline. We had an idea that when the car is tilted, the fuel drains somewhere and the car can start. We only thought this because it seems to start and run just fine after the car is tilted and towed. So anyway, I pushed it back and forth a few times, attempting to get it up an incline. We turned the key, and hey, it started.

Has anyone heard of a problem like this before? Its getting to be a bother and somewhat costly. I don't want to keep changing parts that dont need to be changed, but nobody knows what the problem is. I think the hardest part is that nobody sees the problem when it exists..we tow the car, and it starts just fine. Is there a fuel pump problem or is it possibly something else? Anyone that has experienced this, please help me...

[fueler]

does it just turn over indefinitely, when its not starting? when you turn the key 1 click before "start", and all the dash light illuminate, you should hear the fuel pump prime for a few seconds. Its not very loud like a GM fuel pump but its loud enough to hear if you listen carefully. See if thats making that noise everytime you go 2 start it ?

toyotas have this problem, perfect cold starts but hot engine will only start intermittenly. for yotas its the o2 sensor in the air filter box!!! They just unplug it or replace it and it fixes it. i doubt this is the same in our nissan but who knows ? It's probably something silly causing your problems - you're just gonna have 2 trace it down somehow !

[2001Nispat]

I'll check to see if I can hear it when the key is in position. When I try to start it, it turns over but the engine doesn't kick in?? I dont know the exact terminology. I was thinking it may be a sensor clogged or incorrectly reading but I don't know and I don't know if I should take it to a shop and trust that they can figure it out. Thanks for your help.

[ganesh21]

Try this to test if it is the fuel pump is working. Not the best way but it work. Take off the fuel filter and drain all fuel into a bottle. Put the car onto on position and fuel should be coming out of the line. If not then you know for sure if it the fuel pump.

[Path_Man86]

I have an 01 Nissan Pathfinder and started to have the exact same issue a few weeks ago.
Eventually the engine will start, but it does seem weird that when the Pathy is in a different angle this changes.
Any luck finding a solution??

[barnaclebob]

Have you tried changing the fuel filter recently? That will be the cheapest and easiest potential problem to eliminate.