"Customer told me to cut a hole in their 2011 CTS4!" Why would they ask that of the CAR WIZARD?
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- Опубликовано: 17 авг 2022
- Some times drastic repairs require drastic measures. The customer that owns this 2011 Cadillac CTS4 has just such a problem and the CAR WIZARD 🧙♂️ has a solution that saves them hundreds!
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Man I'm blessed to say I'm officially an Automotive Teacher at a High School. I'm definitely going to show Car Wizards videos to my students to show the reality of becoming an Automotive Technician. Awesome video Wizard 😎😎😎
Well done Gerald. Great job (in all meanings).
@That V8 Life What, one miss-type and one apostrophe?
You matey are not firing on all cylinders.
@That V8 Life Really? THAT'S your best shot? Spelling and grammatical errors? When did YOU become William F. Buckley? I hope the backfire blowback gives you a nice salon quality tan, if not a sunburn to remember. Can't wait to see RUclipsrs point out YOUR errors too. What goes around, comes around.
@@Only-Memories-In-The-End skip the hooovie ones though.......
@That V8 Life No, that is the typo, 'I'm'.
I like how the customer got the check engine light checked out and didn't just keep driving until the car wouldn't start
As a former small engines mechanic, I can attest. 99% of the time "it needs a tune up" = I can't get the engine started
That is so un-American of that customer, although the even coating of dust and grime redeemed them in my opinion.
The car was pretty nice sans dirt removal.
This is why I spent 20 bucks on a decently featured scan tool. That way I can read the code easier than doing the ignition keys trick where you flick it three times to get your code through the dash, and I can determine quickly whether it's an issue that needs to be resolved immediately or if it's something like an emissions sensor that can wait for a while.
@@TheNiteNinja19 Ya there the best money you'll ever spend
@@TheNiteNinja19 Or if the malfunctioning turn signal is why your AC has been disabled.
I'm in the UK and, like many places the world over, there are many, many mechanics that are as straight as a spiral staircase.
I love my car, and would trust "Wizard" to work on it, unconditionally.
He's a good, honest bloke.
Wizard is just great at his job, a proper old school mechanic who can fix stuff and not just change parts. In the UK being a regular garage doesn't attract guys as competent as Wizard as it barely pays more than working at McDs or a supermarket 😔
I remember the mechanical fuel pump in my 1979 2WD Chevy pickup with a 305 V8. I changed one in a parking lot in about 20 minutes. Always carried a spare in the back, just in case. They were so cheap and easy to change that it wasn't worth the trouble to figure out why one would fail every couple of years. Heater blower motor replacement took about 10 minutes and cost about $20. Manual locks, windows, and mirrors that never failed. Headlights were a few dollars and could be changed in a few minutes (no fading plastic). Now I just look under the hood or the dash of our cars in bewilderment. Yup, I guess I've turned into an old curmudgeon.
These newer vehicles are crap designs, takes entirely too long to fix and cost too much... waste of resources. All they've really done to vehicles in the last 30 or more years was ruin them. They have not made vehicles better, they've actually made them worse... and that's not a myth. Overall, cost and upkeep is way higher than before, and they don't get any better fuel mileage, in many cases fuel mileage has dropped.
I’m not even old yet and I’ve turned into a curmudgeon
I have a 1977 chevy pickup now. Just like yours all manual. I've had it 40 years. It came out with the 305 and I had to put a few fuel pumps on it. The problem was the engine will sludge up and wont let the fuel pump arm get oil down the rod that pushes the pump and it wears out and breaks. I fixed the problem by putting a rocket 350 olds engine in it about 30 years ago.
I gave up auto mechanics in 1980, thinking computer controls would be too difficult to work on.
Now I’m at the late part of a career as an InfoSec Engineer and professionally “Hack” computer systems, looking for security weaknesses. (Go figure!)
The worst of all was the GM ONSTAR system-it can be “Dialed” into via a cell phone number (aka "War-dialing") and one can lock and unlock doors, disable the engine, and/or apply full braking remotely. How about having the latter happen while someone is driving along at 70 mph?
@@garyr7027 thank you. Well said. Good luck removing a feature too. Everything is dependent on other things being in perfect condition as well. So far my 01 echo has been a diy car with fuel pump window and easy radiator upgrade. The same stuff he mentioned but actually my fuel pump still worked. Metal tank too. No rust in the tank. It's not a truck but can pull a 4x8 little trailer. And lots of fat people. Hehe. 20+ years of daily use
I wonder how many shops with no ethics charge the $3,000 to take everything apart, but do it the way Wizard did it? Customer will never know! Would make a great repair shop sting!
I’d hope, not too many. But I’m sure somebody has done it. It really makes no sense not to have an access panel there in the first place, so there’s that too.
@@mahatma171 my 02 Accord has that access for the fuel pump in the trunk... factory design. Would take no more than a few minutes to pull the entire pump assembly.
Scotty "Odometer Fraud" Kilmer would definitely do that. He's always holding up a bottle of something he says to dump in your car to fix it, then tell you you're stupid for not buying Toyota. I wouldn't put it past that hack to discreetly dump in a bottle of Bars Leaks and charge for a head gasket job.
And the best thing for those shops is they 90% of us would never know how they changed it. Most of us never check under the rear seat to see it it has been cut before.
Well they are following the process proscribed by the manufacturer to replace the fuel pump so to say it is unethical is not quite warranted. Anyone is free to get multiple quotes for the job. That said, I fail to see why Cadillac did not include a "hatch" to access the fuel pump. I have a 2003 BMW 3-series where replacing the fuel pump in the tank is a 40 minute job thanks to the "hatch" located under the rear seat.
The fact that they don't put a hole/hatch under the seat proves they want you to trade your vehicle in toward a newer one. The subframe being in the way is the same on some Jaguars, as well. If the Car Wizard says it's safe, it's safe.
Exactly. They could be like "We can fix it for 3,000 or we could take that 3000 as a down payment for a newer vehicle" scumbag world we live in man!
VW has a plate with a few screws to access the pump under the back seat.
I have worked on these but never had the pleasure of changing the in tank fuel pump. Most of these at that time were still covered under the GM extended power train warranty which was done to help alleviate those stretched timing chain and chain tensioner woes. Sent many back to the dealer for the P0008 code- many customers were very thankful for the free repair. On the pump- they should have made an access hatch or made it accessible under the rear seat like a VW Jetta lol. That’s all you’re doing- creating an access panel! It’s been done before. Many pickup trucks done that way even though the tank drop is relatively easy on most of those…
My '90s Altima & Camry already have nice, factory 'holes' under the back seats for their fuel pumps. OTOH, my '96 Tacoma needs to drop the tank or lift the bed. Dropping the Tacoma's tank is a pain, but I helped my brother do his Tacoma in the driveway - easy compared to dropping the tank in this GM nightmare!
Yes an access panel makes sense.
Yea lots of Euro cars are like that...lift the back bench and unscrew the fuel pump access hatch... easy. Why make it difficult?
Access panels are nothing new. There are 2 access panels in the floor of my 1952 Chevy pickup to get to the battery and the brake master cylinder. Engineers today simply don't plan for maintenance.
BMWs has those access holes too.
I had a Chevy Express work van that had the fuel pump go out, I had a friend that was a mechanic change it, cost me over $900. The next time it failed, I did it myself, big mistake! I did it but it wasn't easy, it took about 4 hours. The 3rd time u said "screw it, I'm cutting a hole", took about an hour to figure out where to cut. The 4th time, it took 15 minutes to change. Best decision I made while I had that van. I now drive the GMC Savanna (sane van just a different name on it). I haven't had any issues yet with the pump but I know as soon as it goes out, I'm cutting a hole!
Excellent and very informative video where you saved your customer a lot of money. Great to see that you washed it (hopefully also cleaned it inside). Keep up the good work and all the best to you, Mrs Wizard and your family!
Just a tip for somebody who's done this a lot, I would take some clear enamel nail polish and paint the raw edges of metal, that way they are sealed and they will not rust. I have seen where floor Cuts Like This end up starting to rust and start rattling around even after being riveted or screwed in place.
That’s a smart idea
That's not necessary here. No access for water here unless they are constantly driving through flood waters! I did it to several CTS's and there is no problem with rust there. But if it makes you feel better, you could do it. It wouldn't hurt anything.
Yeah that should be done really, then use windshield adhesive strips with a larger, molded to fit galvanized section of metal over the hole.
@@swampcabbage3239 i think I would give it a quick spray with Galspray.
@@ianmontgomery7534 I would use dolphin oil.
Legend has it: The Car Wizard's tears can cure cancer.
This was a great video 👍. Of all the people I watch on here....you Car Wizard are by far the one I trust and tell everyone I can about your channel. I also one hundred percent agree with what you said about fuel pumps dying right after a fill up lol. I have been a tire technician for over twenty years and 8 have worked along side alot of mechanics and yes probably 99 percent of the time it's right after a fill up. Anyway once again great video
GM design engineers are ignorant of the obvious repair requirements down the road! You did the smart thing! 😊👍
Ran into that recently in a 2003 Subaru. Really appreciated the designer that put in an access panel to the fuel pump. Have done the cutting a hole to access the pump on three of my vehicles.
I remember seeing a template hanging on the wall of a shop i worked in for a short time. It was an old workshop. The template was for an early 60s jaguar so you could cut holes under the back seat like you did to service the disc brakes. It saved a lot of time too. LOL
I like how you try to save the customer money if you can. Your a good man wizard
I have had similar experiences with two other makes of car. The first was an early 80s Range Rover that the fuel pump failed. Rover actually put an access panel in the floor for that very purpose. The second was a '73 Pontiac Grand Ville with a leaking heater core. The factory shop manual actually advised cutting a hole into the front inner fender to gain access!
I am very happy to see this solution!! Thanks!
There is a TSB for some year of Cadillac instructing the tech to do exactly this to change the fuel pump, and GM gave them a kit for a cover to put over the hole.
When I had to change a heater core in an '87 Pontiac station wagon (same as a Caprice) I just cut the top of the plastic heater box off to get it out. Otherwise you'd have to yank the dash and pull that whole thing out to get the top off. Why? It was like a 4 inch cut and I just put aluminum tape over it after. It lasted the rest of the life of the car.
Do you have the TSB Number of this?
@@Alpha06R I just remember reading about it, I don't even remember what year but I think it was for the big SUV
Hello Wizard… Your fan /Student is here from Morocco… I’m very excited grateful to have somebody sharing this amount of experience and knowledge while being so honest… anyway we have a family (father in law) is in Virginia and look for a sedan and I was about to follow up with your ideas… but would you make a “buy this not that Hyundai -Kia cars and Toyota -Lexus …. They are the most important choices we can get in that moment let’s say under 10k$
We had a 2001 Mercury Cougar and when the fuel pump failed, I pulled the rear seat and found a two- or three-inch rubber grommet, which, when removed allowed you to see the fuel pump, but it was not big enough to allow you to remove the pump. So, I got out the tin snips. When I was done with the pump, I folded the metal back down and used a generous amount of RTV to seal the cut.
Known issues with these vehicles. Had to get rid of my 08 for another reason but buying another next year and the "cut" will be the first thing ill have done to it. Great vehicles.
Same deal on the 90`s Jag XJ`s, most people cut through the parcel shelf to get to the pump, because to get to the tank out the boot properly, all the connections under the boot floor have to be disconnected, & you cant get to them without moving the differential.
I am a fan of Cadillacs but have never owned one. Thanks for the lesson.
Wow! You really are a wizard! Nice solution.
YOU DA MAN! I have an 08 Tundra and my front swaybar nuts were hidden and spinning in an engine crossmount. My mechanic managed to cut the bolts, remove the old nuts out small access holes and somehow rewelded new nuts and when it was done coated them in Krown and between that and a rear wheel bearing for 500$ in Canadian Pésos🤙
I remember a 86 mercury cougar that needed driver's power window motor replaced. Mechanic told me I could save a ton of labor, but allowing him to drill two small access holes for his tool to get in and unscrew the screws. Had an 2001 Impala that had an access panel that you unscrew and gain access to the fuel pump.
I had the fuel pump go out on a 98 Ford ranger. I was trying to figure out how to get to the connection on top of the tank so I could drop it. Someone said just pull the bed. I thought that was major body work but looked in to it. It was so simple with only six bolts to remove and the fuel filler neck to go. It was about fifteen minutes by myself. Just had to slide the bed back a foot and block it up. I love learning tricks like that.
I can't believe the Wizard did all this and still left in place the two quarters that slid down under the bottom seat cushion! Every time I go to a pick and pull junkyard, I end up finding small amounts of money and other goodies in the cars when I am pulling parts. On my last visit I found some sockets and a good 12-volt car vacuum.
18:20 I am thinking back to the time I replaced the fuel level sending unit in my 1994 Honda Civic sedan, the access panel was also under the rear seat, at the time, in my city, sending units were present in abundance, the used replacement was from an Integra, it was more responsive, I had sourced a JDM SiR 4 door gauge cluster and installed it, and built a harness for the power folding mirrors, I even installed the JDM turn signal/wiper stalk, requiring a harness rewire, That shop manual I bought as soon as I got the car was well worth the reasonable cost of entry.
HUMVEE This is exactly how we have been fixing the fuel pumps for years. 🤷♂️ Cut a perfect patch out of old bed sheet metal. 👍 Great Share Car Wizard.
Same job on a VW Polo yesterday. Lift the back seat, pull the rubber seal out, and there's the pump looking at you through the hole that VW put there for the purpose.
I took better care of my '94 Mazda!😂 It sure looks better cleaned up, that's for sure! Well, if all the kids are cuttin' holes in their cars, I may as well! With this example, that totally makes sense. I'd start manufacturing a "Gas pump access panel" if I were you! Have a good one, Mr. and Mrs Wizard! ✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦
Done it several times, most recently to the neighbor's '02 Focus, and a '90 or so Firebird. I make the panel removable, and install nutserts with stainless hardware to secure it.
I did the same thing basically on my 98 Volvo V 70 awd., not a cross country. Loved that car !
Man I sure appreciate every time you share! Like your new show keep up the great work ☮️ Houston Texas
Haha you a right, I saw a young lady in a 4th gen Firebird unable to start her car right at the pump. My 97 Ram died at the first stop after filling it up, fortunately I was a few blocks from a shop, I beat on the tank, got it started and as soon as I pulled into a stall it died. 3rd Gen Camaros same problem, not as bad as that Caddy. But my 06 Mustang and my Challenger Hellcat are pretty easy to access the fuel pump. Hopefully more engineers think about fuel pump placement in the next couple of years
It makes so much sense to have access panels for fuel pumps, my wife's 2014 CRV has one from the factory.
You have got to love these types of designs that require so much work to replace parts that are should be easy to service (way to go engineers).
I had a 2001 Hyundai Elantra GT which required a new fuel pump. And low and behold, it already had a trap door designed into the floor under the rear seat. The replacement took no time at all and was very inexpensive to do. I’ve always wondered why more auto manufacturers don’t do this on all their vehicles.
It costs extra money to do it like that. The OEMs are saving money and you get the repair bill if something goes wrong. I do think nobody would mind spending another extra 10$ on a car for such a trap door, just in case.
It seems asian cars always have a fuel pump access. They also have drain plugs for differentials and transmissions. Some really old Asian cars would even have a drain plug in the gas tanks.
2008 Mercedes GL and ML has 10 inch round holes on both passenger side and driver side of back seat for access to fuel pump and sending unit. They are made of the same steel plates as the frame, and glued to the frame.
I'm pretty sure this is true for most Mercedes vehicles of that time.
@@davidjacobs8558 Good to see the German engineers getting things right. I wouldn’t want to guess what a Mercedes dealership would charge for dropping a gas tank to replace them 💰 💵 💰
every mitsubishi ive worked on had an access door for fuel pumps too but my toyota doesnt
My wife's Impala has the supposedly dreaded 3.6, but i check the oil regularly, it does not burn oil or have any issues, only bad thing about it is the direct injection idle ticking is quite loud. But it has a hole in the trunk floor for the tank fuel pump to be easy enough to change, still cramped in there under the rear window, but you don't have to drop the tank if you ever have to, but we never go under 1/4 tank so it is unlikely to ever go out.
I don’t mind wrenching, but usually use my Toyota dealer. Service writers try to upsell, but there are times when I just do it myself.
An E-Clip broke on my automatic ‘04 Truckolla. I wasn’t going to pay $250 for a cable kit, so I just used tubing and a lock washer. I saved on towing by opening the hood and using the lever on the transmission and throwing it to drive.
I’m not paying $1200 for a new throttle body when I clean it out and adjust the cable.
You're doing what the manufacturer should have done. My father made that cut hole in both of the S-10 pick ups.
You are truly the wizard and magic man that can make it happen
I did the same on my OG Saab 9-3 as the access hole is for the OPEL fuel tank and doesn't line up with Saab's plastic tank. It's floorpan is from an OPEL Vectra 'A'. I've removed loads of tanks on my model, but they were customer's cars, so i didn't want to do it, but I was fine doing my own. I don't know how our customers would react to the suggestion as a lot of them have little technical knowledge.
I saw a lot of the 3.6 overhead engine problems. Mostly burnt valves. There's a different 3.6 thats based off the old 3.1 pushrod V6.
There needs to be a video with this CTS and Hoovie's '49 with a side-by-side comparison. That would be an enlightening video.
I had a 1996 Pontiac and the shop manual shows a panel over the fuel tank for pump access..... My car did NOT have that panel. Thanks GM....
We have a 2002 Impala.... It has the hatch. Takes about ten minutes to get the fuel tank out (which I've had to do twice to replace the sending unit). Original pump is still good; it's the sending unit that goes out LOL.
My '01 Subaru Outback LL Bean has a cover plate under the seat that allows access to the in-tank fuel pump. Why don't all manufacturers do this?
Great video!
HI ya Capt. Bet it was BECAUSE GM WANTS RESTRICTED ACCESS.
If you ever see an access plate on L/Apron of a Big Block Vette..
Yep, ain't exactly factory---but the plugs on the Port side a breeze.
Best to you Scott 🏁
I did the exact same thing on my firebird. I cut a hole in the trunk pan to replace the fuel pump because I would have had to cut my exhaust and drop the rear axle to replace it "the right way." Now I have a trap door and when I add even more power in the future I can upgrade the fuel system in a quick fashion.
I know that many cars already have the whole cut with a little plate on top so that you can access without dropping the tank and everything around it… That said, I know someone dumb enough who was so lazy he cut a hole in the bed of his Ford Ranger over the fuel pump, turned out to be a fuse, he said it didn’t matter which fuses went where lol mechanically totaled the truck by stupidity… Thanks for the videos, cheers!
I did the same in my 2002 Firebird convertible. The hole I cut was in the trunk under the carpeting up high under the top area. I sealed it with silicone and bolted it with self tapping bolts. That saved me from pulling the rear suspension and the fuel tank just to repair mouse chewed wiring. I painted the cover I made to match too. No issues at all!
Exactly what I will be doing in my 98 Trans Am. I'll fab up an access panel with 2 hinges and some weatherstripping so I can turn a several hour job into a 30 minute job.
@@FWDSUXARSE yup, did this to both my Fbodies, definitely not a 30 minute job tho 😅
@@raul350raptor Oh yeah cutting the hatch the first time is far from a 30 minute job, just mainly thinking for future pump replacements once it's in place.
My first car was a 91 s10 blazer. Fuel pump went bad right after filling the tank. We pulled up the carpet in the back and cut a hole. Took longer to cut the hole than to swap the part. Easy fix.
Thats A Great tip! Dropping a fuel tank is a pain in rear as it is.
We just replaced the evaporator core in my Dads 2004 GMC Yukon, & did the thing where u cut into the box to replace the core without messing w anything else, & tearing into the dash.
car manufacturers used to be really good about putting an access hatch to get to the fuel pump under the carpet in the back of vehicles. Too bad they went away from that - saves a few pennies on their end but costs hundreds on the customers end everytime the pump has to be replaced. I think that mechanics who are cutting holes to create access hatches are doing God's work.
How I wish your shop was not 1500 miles away from me! =( you'd have my business until your retirement!!! Great work!!!
A CTS got me out of automotive repair. I misdiagnosed the fuel level sender and only said the one side was bad. Turns out it was a comeback because the otherside went bad shortly after and they back charged me 8 hours of labor. Lesson learned is to just replace both, and only charge for the other part and not double labor, but I was done working as a flat rate tech at that point. Of course, that's the nonsense that goes down when you work for an Isuzu/Suzuki dealer that happend to sell a used Cadillac.
not sure how different this cts4 is from a regular cts but i did one recently.the correct way and it really wasnt bad at all. you can leave the rear 2 bolts partially threaded in to just swivel the rear subrame out of the way..dont have to fully drop it. it really wasnt that bad id gladly do another one
Both my 95 325i and my 01 540i have panels under the rear seat for fuel pump access. Wish my 01 Tahoe did, I considered cutting the floor before going the pita route, but ultimately dropped the tank.
Most Japanese cars already have that design. I'm happy you saved the customer alot of money. Alot of shops would have done that and charged the big money and said nothing about it. Gm sucks. Good for business though. Glad you are a great honest shop
I had the same car. There was a recall on the timing chain. My mechanic said he hates the 3.6 engine and told me to sell it because it was going to give me problems down the line.
The problem with the 3.6 is the same problem on every engine made today. They are not tolerant of people who just drive and drive and drive and do zero maintenance. Add that to the fact that most of the cars they are in attract people with 400 credit scores and 5 kids, its a mechanics nightmare.
@@arc00ta i like this acknowledgement - i tell my wife why is a Buick more reliable than a Chevy? almost nothing different about the mechanical parts of the car - purely maintenance - people that buy new buicks tend to be older or have more money and do ALL the required maint.
@@arc00ta
Such as the Nissan Altima?
@@jefferyepstein9210 Look just because I said kids doesn't mean you need to pop up.
@@mountains889 Actually there were some differences between Buick and Chevy that a buyer could never see. The steering alignment and parts tolerances were better on the Buick, and the springs were matched to the specific weight of the options load, instead of being one size fits all. Buick used to teach things like this as specific selling points in their salesmanship classes. And other things, like more soundproofing in various places. Not huge differences, but differences just the same.
Years ago Volvo/peugot/Renault shared a v6 engine called the PRV motor and it had a tendency towards flat camshafts.
At first, we had to remove the heads to get the cam out because you had to pull the cam out the rear of the head to get it out.
Somebody in engineering figured out if we lowered the dash and drilled a hole in the firewall we could remove cam without pulling the head. They came out with a template, tool to drill the hole, and a rubber plug to install in the firewall. At least that's what I recall on these motors...
Volvo/Peugot/Renault PRV engines prior to 1981 are well known for valve train issues, as I recall, we used to sometimes see these issues in as little in 30k miles, though 50-60k was more common.
My memory at this point is a little fuzzy at this point, as this was 40+years ago, but that's what I recall on those early V6 PRV motors.
Love the wizard! Wish I was closer. Until then I take it to the dealer.
I love the Hondas that put the access panel under the rear seat to get to the fuel pump. Makes the job so much easier.
Amazing...David it would be nice it you buffed out the headlight cover for her.....Thanks
I was almost going to buy one just like that. this body style and AWD setup with the v6 engine are just awesome. what stopped me ?! because it's a GM known to rust bad and I wasn't sure what the reliability on these Cadillacs is like. I bought AWD v6 Toyota Venza. I'm very happy with it but my eye was really going for that Cadillac.
I worked at a custom shop. I had a lot of customer ask me to build them custom hidden compartments, automated motorized hidden trays for "things." It was fun. I never had to cut a hole in a car to fix a transmission though.
Another great video from the wizard. Thanks
Did the exact same thing with my dads range rover mk2, later models had a inspection plate. Rover said at the time the pump would last the life of the car but that was not the case
I have a 2010 Maxima. Pulling the lower cushion of the rear seat-just like this Caddie-reveals a removable cover to access the fuel pump. I love the style of American cars. I just don't want to fix them. Of course timing chains on the Maxi are probably done engine-out.
😂😂😂😂😂😂 my F250 left me stranded In Mansfield Louisiana last yr…… three states away from home……. Got towed to the nearest Orielly’s, cut a hole in the bed & changed it right there in the parking lot, then my Ford Taurus fuel pump went out a few months later, cut a hole under the rear seat to do it just like u did……
Had an '09 Mustang GT. There is an access panel under the back seat for changing the fuel pump right from the factory.
Hello from Sweden! Have a Saab 9-3 and gonna do the same procedure. Same platform. All cut the holes here.
Toyota puts an access hole and plate to access the fuel pump in their cars and SUV's!
I had a 2000 kia sportage that came with the fuel pump access already in from the factory. All you had to do was flip the back seat up and lift the already cut rug patch up and there was the fuel pump. Todays auto dealers seen to look for ways to make every repair cost thousands more than necessary. Probably so the average person cant work on their cars anymore.
Thanks ! Straight Ahead ✌😎
It's actually really cool that it threw a check engine code for a failing fuel pump, but stupid on how to replace one😂
its like they made a specific code to let you know you have to drop the frame.
She’s lucky to have such a savvy mechanic. Smart.
The 90's T-Birds and Cougars. The passenger side control arm had a nut buried in the firewall. To get to it You had to remove all kinds of wire harnesses, and the air conditioning evaporator. Instead, I peeled back the plastic fender liner and used a door knob hole cutter and drillled a perfect sized hole in the subframe for a wrench. Saved hours of work and the cost of recharging the air conditioner.
My 89 S90 Volvo had an access panel in the trunk for the fuel pump. I never had to replace it but had to replace a roll over valve once that hooked up right there.
Did that in 1971 to replace the blower motor on my 68 Firebird...cut a hole in the RF fender well and covered with a metal plate...either that or take off the fender.
This is one of the reasons why I'm glad Ford actually provided access holes in the Flexes, so all you have to do is get to the floor, pull the hardboard inserts over the rubber plugs in the floor. Once those are off, the fuel pump and secondary gauge sender modules are right there.
Besides greed, I can't see why manufacturers don't put an access door whenever possible. I've seen it on Fords and Toyotas. I'm sure there's more.
Chryslers also have access to remove the pump just removing the back seat
Having older cars my entire life and working on my own vehicles (I am a diesel and HE mech), it’s always a drop the tank job. I purchased my newest car ever, a 2019 Camry back in early 2020. They had a recall on the fuel pump and offered to do it while I was in for some service. I was like “dayum man, I just filled the tank.” He told me it was not problem, they remove the seat and get to it from inside. Genius. I’d just make a trap door some how on that caddy.
I cut a hole myself and bought fuel pump myself. I spent like $300 total with oem fuel pump. You dont need mechanics, you just make them rich over simple work. I also spent $1500 on a good high grade diagnostic scanner , now I can diagnose and fix most of car troubles.
on my SAAB 9 3 the in tank pump failed under the back seat is a plastic cover you pop out that exposed the top of the sensor and pump , 20 minutes to change it
I'm surprised they didn't design in an access panel for that job, like many other auto makers have.
Definitely. A steel plate and some screws might put them into bankruptcy.
@@valengreymoon5623 Again. You mean again. lol.
The access holes faded as fuel pump life and worries about fires in collisions both went way up.
my 20 year old vw's all have an access panel under the rear seats. Typical GM cost cutting.
Cost cutting
I dropped the tank on my 90 Bronco because rust got it so I had to put in a plastic tank. At the same time I went ahead and cut an access panel in the cargo floor held in place with screws and sealed with RTV. When the pump eventually failed I was glad I'd done that. Just did the pump on my 2003 Ram a couple months ago because the level sender developed a dead spot. I had the luxury of running it empty so I dropped the tank.
Yeah, I did that type of fix on my '96 E-150. Just cut a hole in the floor and make an access panel out of it for future replacements, since it'll be around for many more decades to come.
I have done this on everything that I could instead of removing a lot of shit from fuel tanks but I went to salvage yard and cut a patch larger and used dumdum to seal it and never had a complaint from sending units on back of engine which are impossible to get to with out major work
Awesome. I think the fuel pump is going on my 2009 CTS and same situation, I would have to get my mechanic to remove the rear sub frame, exhaust, driveshaft, gas tank to change it. I am just going to cut a hole there too if it needs to be changed.
My old Volvo 940 had a factory hatch in the floor of the trunk. Undo 4 bolts and you had access to the tank , sender unit fuel pump and such.
i remember seeing this on fox mustangs cause those would always needed a fuel pump replacement. Even though on a fox mustang its not that difficult, but when the tank is full, having that "access" door makes it a whole lot easier
No reason to on a Fox body. Tanks come out too easily.
I’d say most foreign cars, Toyota and Honda, have access holes under the rear seat. Better way to do it.
The best answer would be if the manufacturer had put a removeable panel in there, same for the truck you mentioned and accessing the aircon part, believe it or not many components on an aircraft are accessed through removeable panels, kets face it just a few bucks on the price to make servicing easier seems a good selling point.
I've modified the timing cover to my buddies PT cruiser the 1st time I did his timing belt. Made replacement of the tbelt so much easier the next time.
The p.o.s Ford Contour I sent to the junk yard w/87,000 miles on it had a stamped perferation in the metal under the seat were to acesse the fuel pump. That got replaced and I had to leave the back seat off to jiggle the fuel pump wires when the car would die on me while driving. What a death trap.
Looks like she maintains her car at least. That's good to see.
Many cut a hole on 2002 and previous Camaros for the fuel pump. Three hours to drop it but near two hours to remove rear seat and cut hole so for one extra hour I kept my car original. For this Cadillac sure cut a hole but seal it up with gas resistant stuff
Did this to me 98 T/Aand saved hours and hours of work but it’s so critical to use a cutting tool that doesn’t spark…I used a nibbler and snips and it came out perfect.