Power To Fuel Pump Check (1991-1999, 2001 3.0L V6 Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable)

  • By: Abraham Torres-Arredondo
  • Created: 27 September 2025
  • Updated: 27 September 2025
  • Articl Id: 68
Power To Fuel Pump Check (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 3.0L V6 Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable)

If you've checked fuel pressure and your test gauge is showing 0 PSI, we can't assume that the fuel pump is bad until we make sure that it's getting power from the fuel pump fuse and fuel pump relay.

On the 1991-1999 and 2001 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable, this power check is easy to do since we can do it right at the fuel pump inertia switch connector.

In this tutorial, I'm going to show you how you can use a 12 Volt test light or a multimeter (while cranking the engine) to confirm that the fuel pump is getting power right at the fuel pump inertia switch.

Contents of this tutorial:

APPLIES TO: This tutorial applies to the following vehicles:

  • 3.0L V6 Ford Taurus: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001.
  • 3.0L V6 Mercury Sable: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001.

FUEL PUMP PRESSURE TESTS:

Why You Should Check For Power Before Replacing The Fuel Pump

Before dropping the gas tank and replacing the fuel pump (after getting a 0 PSI fuel pressure test result), it's always a good idea to make sure the pump is actually getting power from the fuel pump relay and fuse.

The cool thing about the fuel system setup on the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable is that fuel pump power runs through the fuel pump inertia switch. Since this switch is so accessible, we can check for power to the pump right at its connector.

If power isn't reaching the inertia switch, then it also isn't reaching the fuel pump. The benefit of checking here is that it'll keep you from replacing a good pump (not to mention saving you the hassle of dropping the tank).

Before I walk you through the actual step-by-step process, let's go over the few basic tools you'll need to get this check done.

What Tools You'll Need

These are the tools you'll need for the power to fuel pump check:

  • Test light or digital multimeter. Either one works fine. You'll be using it to check for 12 Volts DC at the inertia switch. Don't have one? Here are the ones I use and recommend:
  • Access to the fuel pump inertia switch. It's located behind the trunk (sedan) or cargo (wagon) area on the right side wheel well.
  • Helper to crank the engine. You'll need someone to turn the key and crank the engine while you check for voltage.

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How To Check That Power Is Reaching The Fuel Pump (Via The Inertia Switch)

Alright, this is what you signed up for:

Checking the PWR IN side: Let's check if the fuel pump fuse and fuel pump relay are delivering power to the fuel pump inertia switch.

  1. Find the inertia switch:
    • Sedan: In the trunk, behind the trim lining on the passenger-side wheel well.
    • Wagon: In the cargo area, behind the passenger-side trim panel just behind the wheel well.
  2. Disconnect the inertia switch: The connector has two wires, a Power In (PWR IN) from the fuel pump relay and a Power Out (PWR OUT) to the fuel pump. For now, we're going to focus on checking PWR IN circuit.
  3. Crank the engine: While a helper cranks the engine, check the DK GRN/YEL wire (PWR IN) at the inertia switch with a test light or multimeter.
  4. Check voltage: Look for 10-12 Volts on the PWR IN wire while cranking the engine; if present, the fuel pump fuse, fuel pump relay, and wiring to this point are confirmed good.
  5. No voltage present: Then the 0 PSI result from your fuel pressure test isn't caused by the fuel pump but by an upstream issue such as a blown fuel pump fuse, bad fuel pump relay, or the PCM not grounding the relay.

Checking the PWR OUT side: Now, we're gonna verify the inertia switch is passing power through by testing the PWR OUT wire, since power in doesn't guarantee power out.

  1. Reconnect the switch: Reconnect the inertia switch to its 2-wire connector.
  2. Probe the PWR OUT wire: Back-probe the PNK/BLK wire with the red multimeter test lead to check the output power (PWR OUT) being sent from the inertia switch to the fuel pump.
  3. Ground your black lead: Attach the black multimeter test lead to a clean, rust-free, paint-free metal spot in the trunk (sedan) or cargo (wagon) area.
  4. Crank the engine: Have a helper crank the engine while you observe the multimeter display for voltage.
  5. Read the result: You should see 10-12 Volts on the PWR OUT wire. If you do, it confirms the inertia switch is working and passing power to the fuel pump.

IMPORTANT: I want to point out that checking for power at the fuel pump inertia switch only verifies if the fuel pump is receiving power, not its pressure output. This PWR IN and PWR OUT test is a key first step before condemning the fuel pump as bad after getting a 0 PSI fuel pressure test result.

More 3.0L V6 Ford Taurus Diagnostic Tutorials

You can find a complete list of 3.0L V6 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable diagnostic tutorials in this index:

Here's a sample of the diagnostic tutorials you'll find in the index:

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