is there any protection needed for relay?

I wired together a fuel pump kill switch using a couple of relays which I have connected to 12v from the car.  Besides a diode, is there any other protection needed for the relays?  Do I have to worry about the relays overheating, controlling current, etc... ?  

What about the EMF field that the relay coil produces as the field colapses?

I recommend a Diode Reverse Biased as a Ground path to protect your electronic device connected to the same power source.

If you want to see what I am talking about try this little experiment.

As you know 12vdc will not shock you.

Touch both sides of the Battery post and nothing happens.

(CAUTION THIS WILL GIVE YOU A SMALL JOLT)

Now hold both of the stripped ends of the wires to the Relay coil in each of your hands making sure you are touching the wires touch them to the battery posts for a second and remove them while still touching the wires.

This is why they connect a Diode across a relay in circuits like this one.

Hotwaterwizard:

Excellent post! 

Question, I will be installing a wiring harness with a relay soon. 

  http://ewylie.com/jeep/auxfuse.htm

How do I attach the diode to the relay?  What I mean is  the relay has posts and the diode I am looking at has bare ends.  

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F002%5F006%5F000&product%5fid=276%2D1661  

Do I solder the diode leads to the relay, or do I splice the diode leads into the wiring going into the coil/

Thoughts?