My son's 2008 Elantra has been refusing to start every now and then. Beating on top of the fuel pump would usually get it going. This car had fuel pump problems soon after we bought it new in 2008. Eventually the pump was replaced under the 2008 recall campaign and the car has been reliable up until last month.

We thought this new fuel pump problem might be the same bad motor armature issue that prompted the 2008 recall. This weekend we replaced the fuel pump and discovered that the problem was not the motor but the motor connector. See the photo below which shows a badly burned connector. Having an overheated and possibly sparking connector in the fuel tank conjurs up some scary scenarios.

 

It does conjure up scary images.
However, got to remember that it takes fuel, air (oxygen) and spark for it to ignite.
If the pump is submersed in the fuel then maybe no oxygen for the spark to ignite the fuel.
Otherwise why have a fuel pump in the tank anyway?
Just a thought.