My Escape stopped running like it ran out of gas. This was sudden and it had been running fine. I have confirmed I have plenty of gas. It will run a few seconds then stop. I have replaced the canister purge valve and nothing has changed. I think I hear the fuel pump come on and prime when I turn on the key. Does the fuel pump need to be replaced or could it be something else causing the vehicle to stop like it cannot get any fuel? There is a fuel relay, but I wouldn’t think the fuel pump would run at all if this had failed.
Instead of guessing the vehicle does not have fuel or runs out of fuel perform a test. You could start by spraying starting fluid in the air filter while someone else starts the engine. Continue to spray starting fluid to see if the engine will stay running. If it does, you now know for certain that the reason the engine dies is from lack of fuel.
Next you will need to determine if the fuel system has adequate fuel pressure or if the injectors are no longer firing. You will need a fuel system pressure tester and a fuel injector tester for these tests.
Fuel System Pressure
Fuel pressure needs to be 55 (PSI) with ignition on and engine off. This applies to both the 2.5L and 3.0L engines.
Fuel System Pressure Tester Kit
