High-pressure, fuel-injected engines generally use in-tank pumps that are mounted to the fuel tank and must remain submerged at all times in order for coolant to reach them. Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) fuel pumps originate from the manufacturer of a factory or authorized by another person who was authorized by the deale. This aids in ensuring that the vehicle remains compatible with it and that the pump will perform as per the specifications of your vehicle. OEM fuel pumps usually cost more, about 30% higher than aftermarket, but these fuel pumps are built to the same specifications as originally installed on the vehicle in its respective factory——in other words, they can be guaranteed to fit and function reliably in that particular car application. This can be seen in the retail price of a fuel pump from say an OEM that is well recognized for making quality parts for a Toyota vehicle, you would expect to pay $400 + just based on the brand.
Fuel pumps that are made by third-party companies are known as aftermarket fuel pumps. Many of these pumps are made to ‘generic’ specifications which in practice may not be compatible with all models or vehicles. Those costs are also often cheap — half the price of identical OEM parts, which draws customers (in particular penny pinchers). We will note that quality on aftermarket pumps can be variable. The Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association found that in one study, some 15% of aftermarket fuel pumps were failing within a year compared with less than 5% of the OEM variety.
Another difference is quality of the materials used, and durability. Generally OEM fuel pumps are constructed of a higher grade quality, designed to live the life for the vehicle typically 100,000 miles. Some aftermarket fuel pumps will be made of cheaper metals and thus will not last as long, with some only rated for 50k miles. For those in the market for these vehicles, this trade-off between price and longevity is a key consideration.
Another major difference is warranty and support requirements. When you buy OEM parts for your car, they often come with a manufacturer's warranty of up to 12 months or sometimes even longer, depending both on the make and model of the vehicle. The big downfall to aftermarket fuel pumps is that they are typically less expensive but may come with short or no warranties, depending on the manufacturer. This can result in higher long-term costs if the pump fails early.
The accuracy and precision of the fuel pumps are crucial in performance-driven vehicles such as sports cars where a minor improvement in the output can be pivotal. A high-performance vehicle like the Ford Mustang might need a fuel pump that can deliver fuel at higher pressures—of up to 90 PSI, which factory-installed pumps are sure to supply. Aftermarket pumps are not all created equally, and some may not meet these standards which can lead to performance degradation or worse, engine death.
In order to help the consumer decide, vehicle owners are required to do so based on their specific performance requirements, budget and longevity. Fuel pump, on the other hand, can be either OEM or aftermarket, and knowing the pros and cons of each helps a buyer make the right decision for their ride.