Fuel filter

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I cant find the fuel filter on my 05 hyundai elantra. help

2

Why worry? I have the original fuel filter in my 95 Toyota Previa with 225,000 miles and it works fine! My mechanic said that when it comes to fuel filters on pressurized fuel systems “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

3

I suspect the fuel filter is inside the gas tank, and as the man says, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The “technical” term is “run to failure”. This is one case where it makes sense to wait till something happens.

4

They are usually located under the car along the frame just in front of a rear tire, not too far from the tank…They don’t last forever…

5

I would not recommend that you not replace it. That could cost you a new fuel pump.

6

If it’s anything like my Accent, the fuel filter is under the back seat. Just pull up the horizontal rear seat cushion using the two black tabs on the front, and you should see it there.
Otherwise, call your local Hyundai dealer’s service department and ask.

7

You most likely have a “returnless” fuel system. This means there is no return line from the fuel rail. With this setup the fuel filter only has to filter fuel at the rate that the engine is burning it, as opposed to the older systems where the filter had to process 30-60gal/hr due to constantly recirculating the fuel. The filters will last much longer on these systems and many manufactures do not even offer a recommended change interval.

As others have said, the filter will likely be at or in the tank. Some are actually located in the engine bay though.

8

The “If it ain?t broke, don’t fix it” approach only applies to the “returnless” fuel systems. All of us who are still running the older, traditional “bypass” systems still need to change our filters every 30-50k miles.

I didn’t think Toyota started using the “returnless” fuel system until 96? So I would check your system to see which one you have.

9

So are you saying that after 225,000 trouble free miles I should now change something that is still working? NO THANK YOU. The tech said “run to failure” and that’s what I am going to do.