When you pull up to the pump and fill your car with gas, you probably never think about one of the critical parts of your fuel system – the fuel filter. These filters help to protect your car’s engine from debris that could cause damage to its inner-workings. Any small amount of particles and debris over time can result in unwanted wear and tear on your engine. Since the fuel filter is usually tucked away, not many people remember it’s there and is an important part of your vehicle’s health.

Fuel filters, just like any other filter, don’t last forever. Vacuum cleaners, forced air units, fish tanks – they all have filters that need to be cleaned or replaced regularly. It’s no different for the fuel filter in your car. It needs to be replaced in newer vehicles at around 50,000 miles, and every 50,000 thereafter, however, it doesn’t hurt to just replace them annually. (Note that you should always follow your vehicle’s owners manual for the recommended frequency as it could vary) If the vehicle is over seven years old, this is especially important because debris that has built up over time in the fuel tank could plug up the filter faster.

Who needs the cost of repairing or replacing expensive engine parts when you could just replace a fuel filter for the average cost of between $50 – $170 at the auto shop? Sounds like an important maintenance plan, right?

If you haven’t timed out your fuel filter maintenance just yet, do it! But in the meantime, knowing warning signs and symptoms of your filter needing replaced are a great skill to have. They could mean the difference between that high dollar engine repair and a planned out regular maintenance cost. Here are some things to look for that might indicate your filter has gone bad:

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• Votre véhicule est difficile à démarrer.

Vous montez dans votre voiture et tournez la clé et votre voiture jaillit et bafouille au lieu de se retourner. Cela peut se produire plusieurs fois avant qu'il ne démarre réellement. C'est l'un des premiers signes que les gens éprouvent et qui pourraient indiquer un problème avec votre filtre à carburant. Des obstructions dans votre filtre bloquent le débit de carburant dans votre système et peuvent rendre le démarrage difficile.

• Mauvaise consommation d'essence

Ever looked at that handy gas mileage indicator on your supposedly efficient car’s display and wondered what the heck happened? If your fuel filter is clogged, it causes the fuel pump to pump faster, therefore using a higher rate of fuel than it would with a clean and clear filter.

• Vérifiez la lumière du moteur

Cars these days are so smart, aren’t they? Ding, that little check engine light just came on. Your car’s computer can detect when your engine is in distress and not working properly. One of the most common causes of a check engine light being activated is a bad fuel filter.

• Votre moteur continue de caler

Assis dans la circulation sur l'autoroute et votre moteur cale. Vous parvenez à le redémarrer mais cela se reproduit trois fois sur votre trajet domicile-travail. Parlez de quelque chose qui peut augmenter votre niveau de stress au maximum! Si un filtre à carburant est extrêmement sale, votre moteur aura faim de carburant et, par conséquent, il pourrait caler.

• Les ratés du moteur

Bien que plus fréquents dans les modèles de véhicules plus anciens, les ratés peuvent être le résultat d'un filtre à carburant sale. Celles-ci se produisent le plus souvent lorsque le véhicule supporte une charge lourde ou roule en montée, car il y a plus de stress sur le moteur dans ces situations. Une autre chose qui pourrait être perceptible lors d'un raté d'allumage est l'hésitation ou le tremblement du véhicule, car la quantité de carburant fournie au moteur varie en raison du colmatage.

• Perte de pouvoir

You should be familiar with the way your vehicle accelerates, or the amount of power it has. If you notice a loss in that acceleration power, it’s possible the fuel filter is the culprit.

• Ralenti dur

Your car’s engine seems to jerk, struggle, and stutter while you’re sitting at a stoplight. Geez, what’s the deal? You’re not even moving! A hard or erratic idle means your engine doesn’t have enough fuel for combustion and as a result, it jerks and shakes.

• La pompe à carburant est endommagée

If your fuel pump is damaged, more often than not a clogged fuel filter has contributed to the problem. When a fuel filter isn’t working properly, the pump has to work overtime in order to get enough fuel to the engine. This often can result in damage to the pump. If you’re replacing your fuel pump, it’s a good rule of thumb to always replace the fuel filter as well.

• Odeur de gaz

While it usually accompanies another ailment your car has like a faulty gas tank, fuel line, or broken spark plug, a gas smell could also be an indicator that your fuel filter is bad. However, before you consider this, you’ll want to make sure your gas cap is properly tightened first.

So there you have it. You’ve now got the knowledge needed to be able to know when your fuel filter might need replaced.

Outside of regular maintenance, if you’ve identified there might be a problem, take your car to your favorite mechanic to check for need of replacement. If you’re mechanically inclined, this repair will cost you even less since the part alone should run between $15 and $70 depending on your vehicle. But be warned. Fuel filters are not the easiest part to replace if you’re not a mechanic.

While the repair is fast for a trained professional and is usually included in a classic oil change package, to a not so trained eye, it could turn into a mess. Replacement involves depressurizing the fuel system, and there could be several parts and cables that need to be disconnected and reconnected, then re-pressurizing the fuel system. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, just leave it to the pros. They’ll have you in and out in no time.