"How would anyone notice their in-tank pump was no longer working without regularly checking it?"
Exactly. It will not usually become a problem until you're 100 miles from home on a hot summer afternoon. Given the experiences I've had, I've added a check of the tank pump to the oil change routine. Here's how I do it:
On the LH2.4 cars (89-91 in my fleet) I remove fuse #4 and put +12 to the load side (right side) and listen. Doing it this way removes any ambiguity about which pump you are hearing. If I can't hear it, or I'm not changing the oil and it is noisy by the side of the road, I disconnect the oxygen sensor heater wire and look for a spark as the jumper is placed.
On my k-jet cars (79-83 in my fleet) the fuse to remove is #5, and there's no oxygen sensor wiring associated.

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Art Benstein near Baltimore
Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected.
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