Where Are Fuel Filters Located? Can You Replace Them On Your Own?

Cleaning the fuel in your car before it enters the combustion chamber is extremely important. The fuel comes through several stages of cleaning in a modern car. You may wonder where these fuel filters are located because there is nothing like that under the hood of your car.

In short, in the majority of car models with fuel injectors of all kinds, the fuel filters are located under the vehicle, they are integrated into the fuel line that comes from the tank to the engine. Also, one of the filters is located in the fuel tank, in the assembly of the low-pressure fuel pump.

But knowing the location of the fuel filter is not enough to understand whether you can and should replace these filters by yourself without paying to repair shops. The question is too hard to answer in a short sentence, so I decided to write an article that will tell you everything you need to know about that.

Let's get started!

The possible locations of fuel filters on your car

We need to distinguish between two types of fuel filters.

The first filter is located in the tank and it cleans the fuel from big particles. They may be the parts of a rusted fuel tank or just some big contaminants in the fuel. This filter. looks like a little bag that is initially white but then may get yellow or brown when it has worked for some years. This fuel filter is not included in the list of maintenance tasks, so it's not replaced for the entire life of the car. At least, if it's not needed.

The second type of fuel filter is the actual cleaner that filters the fuel and cleans it from all types of contaminants and particles. This filter is not eternal, it usually needs to be replaced every 20-30 thousand miles. This type of filter fuel is located somewhere in the fuel line.

Here are the most common locations:

• near the fuel tank - very often, the filter is placed near the tank - right where the fuel line starts;
• in the fuel tank - sometimes, the filter may be placed in the tank, in the assembly with the fuel pump;
• on the bottom of your car - locate the fuel line and follow it from the tank to the engine - somewhere on the bottom you may see a metal barrel and it contains your fuel filter;
• closer to the engine - sometimes, filters may be placed in the engine bay, but they are still integrated into the fuel line.

In most cases, the fuel filter is not open. It's located in a special metal case that protects it from all kinds of damage. The case can be hard to locate because it may be covered with mud because of the specific location under the car.

Now you know how to locate both types of fuel filters used in your vehicle. But can you easily replace them on your own without going to the repair shop and paying for labor? Let's see!

Can you replace your small fuel filter in the tank by yourself?

DIY repair and maintenance are so popular now that people are even ready to attend some small course or buy some manuals to learn how to do these things on their own and not pay huge money for labor in repair shops. But when it comes to changing a small fuel filter that is located in the fuel tank, this is not a good option.

Here are just some things you will need to do:

• locate the fuel tank lid (usually under the rear seat of your car);
• open the lid and disconnect the wires;
• unscrew and take the whole pump assembly out of the tank (be careful and don't spill a lot of fuel);
• disassemble the assembly and find the filter that is usually mounted to the pump itself;
• take the old filter off and mount the new filter;
• assemble the entire unit;
• insert it into the fuel tank and tighten the bolts;
• connect the assembly and check if it works.

There are so many specific things that are missing in this short guide that I can't even call it a guide. It's just an overview of what you are going to cope with. But you need to know that taking the pump assembly out of the tank is not an easy task and many things can go wrong.

So, I recommend you order this filter replacement in a dealership or in a good and trusted repair shop.

Can you replace the main fuel filter on your own?

While the small in-tank fuel filter is not even meant to be replaced, the main fuel filter is made to last about 30K miles and it's part of the maintenance procedure. So, car manufacturers understand you will need to change it regularly and they make it more accessible than the previously discussed small filter.

But still, a lot of things can go wrong. Here's the overview of the process of fuel filter replacement in the majority of cars:

• you may need to depressurize the fuel system to avoid fuel fountaining all around the garage when you are doing the job;
• then, locate the fuel filter and see if it's covered by some metal protection, figure out how you can remove the protection;
• in most cases, you will need a wrench to unscrew the nuts that fasten the filter;
• take the old filter off the car and install the new fuel filter;
• use the same nuts to mount and fixate the new part on its place;
• turn the ignition, let the fuel pump work a little, and see if there are no leaks;
• mount back the protection if your car has something like that.

When replacing a fuel filter, you may install it in the wrong direction and the system will not work at all. Also, the filter should be completely compatible with your vehicle, otherwise, it won't even fit in the needed place. One more thing is that one mistake in tightening the nuts or clicking the fastening may lead to bad gas leaks that can even cause a fire.

So, no, I don't recommend replacing the fuel filter on your own. Paying some dollars to a repair shop seems a much better idea, in this case.

What if I can't locate the fuel filter in my car?

If you can't find the fuel filter in the location that I described earlier in this car, you need to consult the owner's manual for your vehicle. If the manual doesn't have all the needed information about the fuel filters in the car, you can also contact the dealership and speak to a mechanic.

Another alternative is to go online and find the information on one of the forums. People usually share this information easily. If there is no info about the filter in your car model, ask the question in the forum by starting a new topic.

Almost all cars have fuel filters to protect their injectors from contamination, so you will eventually find the location of the fuel cleaner in your vehicle. I should say that a lot of modern vehicles have their fuel filters under the hood in quite unpredictable and hard-to-reach places.

How do you understand that the fuel filter needs replacement?

Fuel filters in most vehicles should be changed every 20,000 miles or so. You should look for this information in the owner's manual or ask in the dealership if you don't know. If not changed on time, the filter may start falling apart and contaminating the fuel. It means that the injectors will clog and the overall work of the engine will be affected.

Here are the symptoms that your fuel filter needs replacement urgently:

• the engine lost power and the codes show that the fuel pressure in injectors is too low;
• the fuel pump keeps failing - this may happen because of the clogged filter;
• the engine keeps stalling at every other traffic light, the idle speed is not smooth;
• gas mileage goes down, you see that your vehicle consumes more and more fuel;
• your injectors need cleaning too often, they get contaminated even though the fuel is of high quality;
• the current filter has been in your car for more than 3 years of more than 20,000 miles.

After you understand the fuel filter needs to be changed, don't ignore these signs and buy the new filter as soon as possible. This small and cheap part can actually lead to severe damage to expensive fuel injectors. This is especially dangerous for direct-injection engines.

Also, you will certainly want to buy OEM filters or at least filters made by one of the leading brands. Cheap aftermarket filters don't live long and may even make things worse.

Final thoughts

Locating the fuel filter in your car is not actually that hard. You should follow the guide that I've posted above and you will certainly find the filter location easily. Also, you should make sure that the fuel filter is replaced every 20,000 miles or at least once every 3 years.

DIY filter replacement is not recommended. This is a relatively cheap and fast maintenance procedure that you can pay just a few dollars for. But when doing it by yourself, you may make several mistakes that will lead to bad consequences.