What causes a fuel pump to get damaged?

The leading cause of fuel pump damage is by driving low on gas a lot, or running out of gas. Without sufficient flow, the fuel pump isn't lubricated or cooled.. On older cars, running out of gas one time can cause permanent damage to the fuel pump and would require it to get replaced.

Getting worn out from years of use.

Running your car constantly low on fuel and water in the gas are the two most common causes of fuel pump failure. Read this post to understand why they fail when low on fuel

http://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/symptoms-of-a-bad-fuel-pump/

Low on gas. After 2 fuel pumps I now fill my tank up at the 1/2 way point. I'm that worried now days. It costs me about $1,000 for both.

I don't know why the skepticism to the overheating effect of low fuel. In-tank fuel pumps are lubricated by the fuel pumped through them and are cooled by the fuel around them.

Aside from that, there are good reasons to keep more than 1/4 tank. You may not be able to find an open gas station when you need it, you may not have time to stop for gas, the gas cover door may refuse to open, the locking gas cap may not come off, power to that section of town may be out, you may have no cash and find your card does not work. I have had all those happen at least once. The non-functioning card happened twice (thank you, Wells Fargo).

There are no good reasons for habitually waiting until the last minute for gas. You get limited choice and rarely the best price.

Low on gas causes damage

I can't imaging running fuel down to 1/8th tank can damage a fuel pump. If it did, then your effective fuel tank capacity and driving range is reduced significantly, up to 50% by some comments. That's an extremely poor engineering design flaw if that's the case. Gasoline is not so much of a lubricant has it is a solvent. Fuel pumps fail due to wear and tear. As long as it can pump fuel, the fuel can cool the pump motor, so cooling isn't the issue. Mixing exotic chemicals with the fuel can damage the pump seals.

Running low on fuel.
Using the wrong fuel.
Getting water into the pump

Running low on gas causes sloshing fuel at the bottom of the tank & air goes through the pump. The pump was not designed for that.

running low on fuel, failed tank venting water in gas ethanol gas

Friction / Normal wear and tear, fuel impurities, water, etc.

Wear and tear. Any component can fail.

Most of the answers you've received are dead wrong. The number one cause is good old gradual deterioration, also known as wear and tear.

Running the tank out of gas isn't good for your fuel pump, but keeping your tank full won't stop a breakdown from happening. A fuel pump is a part (made of parts), and parts wear out. If parts never wore out, there would be one repair garage in your town and they wouldn't be very busy.

You run the fuel too low, meaning cr@p in the tank gets dragged through it, but like anything mechanical it also wears out with use.

Running it for 20 years or running it dry and burning it out.

What Dan doesn't understand is that on hills, around a curve, turning, or over bumps, the pump is sucking air and getting hot

Running it low on fuel or empty too often or low battery voltage to it are the most common causes other than age. Hope this helps.

crappy fuel

age

blocked fuel filter, contaminated fuel, running the car out of fuel (fuel works to cool the pump), overheated contacts on the wiring, brushes worn out. I'm sure there are others but that's what comes to mind immediately

running it to below empty often

1. A clogged fuel filter that overworks it;
2. Old age; or
3. Crap in the fuel line.

explosion.

A hammer certainly can.

Failed fuel filter allowing particulate matter to make it the pump.

Age. Debris. Low voltage from a rotten connector.

Hi not damaged just worn out.