How much does it cost to replace a car fuel filter?
According to Fixter data, the fuel filter replacement cost (UK) usually ranges between £75 and £153.
The average fuel filter replacement cost works out at approximately £114, including parts and labour.
What are the fuel filter replacement costs at a dealership compared to Fixter garages?
| Operation | Vehicle | Dealership Price | Fixter Price Estimate | Average Saving |
| Fuel Filter Replacement | Land Rover Defender | £125 | £87–£106 | £28 |
| Fuel Filter Replacement | Mazda 3 | £166 | £125–£153 | £28 |
| Fuel Filter Replacement | Volvo S40 | £137 | £106–£134 | £17 |
| Fuel Filter Replacement | Subaru Outback | £151 | £116–£142 | £22 |
| Fuel Filter Replacement | BMW i8 | £154 | £120–£147 | £20 |
| Fuel Filter Replacement | Daewoo Lanos | £166 | £125–£153 | £28 |
| Fuel Filter Replacement | Vauxhall Cascada | £166 | £125–£153 | £28 |
| Fuel Filter Replacement | Skoda Fabia II | £95 | £75–£91 | £12 |
| Fuel Filter Replacement | BMW 2 Series Cabriolet | £133 | £99–£121 | £23 |
| Fuel Filter Replacement | Seat Altea XL | £137 | £100–£122 | £27 |
If you replace your fuel filter with Fixter, on average, we save our customers around 30% against dealership prices. Not only do you save money, but you also receive superb end-to-end service.
It’s the most convenient way to carry out car repairs, upgrades, services, and MOTs you’ll find. Who else collects your car and delivers it back to you when the work is complete?
What additional factors could affect fuel filter replacement?
If you don’t change your fuel filter often enough, you’ll be putting your fuel pump at risk of overworking, overheating, and wearing out prematurely.
The average cost of fuel pump replacement, according to Fixter data, is £806, including parts and labour. Given regular fuel filter replacements will ensure the longest lifespan of your fuel pump, that filter replacement is starting to look like a real bargain now, isn’t it?
What are the costs of fuel filter replacement parts?
Prices for new fuel filters vary for each make and model of car. Let’s take a look at some typical prices from Eurocarparts for replacement fuel filters for a selection of popular vehicles.
In our search, we took the average for standard 2020 models.
| Car Make | Car Model | Fuel Filter Prices |
| Ford | Fiesta | £23 |
| Volkswagen | Golf | £21 |
| Mercedes | C Class | £72 |
| Audi | A4 | £19 |
| BMW | 5 Series | £39 |
| Volkswagen | Tiguan | £21 |
| Audi | Q5 | £13 |
What are the labour times and rates for fuel filter replacement?
Changing a fuel filter should only take between 15 minutes and half an hour—45 minutes for those trickier to access.
Fuel filter replacement costs vary across the country according to each garage and dealership. We examined our records to find the average hourly rate.
We found for garages within the London area, the average rate came out at £78 per hour. For the garages throughout the rest of the country, the price was a little lower, as you’d expect, at £72 per hour.
Can I carry out a fuel filter replacement myself?
For fuel-injected vehicles, the process can be quite tricky for a less-than experienced mechanic. You’ll need to release the pressure in the fuel line before accessing the filter, which isn’t always the simplest task, and you may need a few specialist tools too.
If it’s not something you’re used to doing, it’s far simpler to get your Fixter mechanic to carry out the work.
What happens to a car if the fuel filter is clogged?
Apart from preventing fuel from getting to the engine, which it can’t run without, additional dirt and gunk in the fuel lines can cause serious damage to your car’s engine components, fuel injectors and put further strain on the fuel pump.
If you hear a humming or whining coming from the fuel pump, it could well be the sound of it being overworked or wearing out and overheating.
Can you run a car without a fuel filter?
You can—but it’s really not a good idea. Given its job, you can imagine just what damage can be done to your fuel injectors, fuel pump, and engine components with all those contaminants clogging up the system.
Worse still, with all that gunk in the fuel lines, your engine will soon fail to achieve the correct fuel delivery it needs, causing poor performance or preventing it from running at all.
Can you drive a car with a bad fuel filter?
Running a car with a filthy fuel filter can be just as bad as running your car without one. With so much dirt clogging up the filter, some of it is bound to enter the fuel lines and engine. That’s if the fuel can get through at all. Keep them clean and fresh—it just makes the best sense.
How do I know if my car needs a fuel filter?
- You’re having trouble starting your car
- It feels rough while idling
- Your engine keeps stalling
- You suffer low power and poor performance
- Poor mileage and a low fuel economy
- The ‘check engine’ warning light appears on your dashboard
How often should you change the fuel filter in your car?
You should change your fuel filter every two years on average, or after around 30k miles of driving. However, each car is different, and the type of driving and where you drive can encourage different types and levels of contaminants to find their way into your fuel system.
A regular inspection—at each service is always a good idea—will help keep your fuel lines clean and efficient.
If you think your fuel filter might need refreshing, or if there’s anything else causing concern under the bonnet, why not let one of our experts take a look and identify the problem for you? We’re always ready and waiting to help.
Choose Fixter – Get an instant quote for your fuel filter replacement and save up to 30%
About Fixter
Fixter is revolutionising the car maintenance industry, one repair at a time. Fixter was founded to make car maintenance as easy as booking a taxi. Digital, transparent and stress-free, with world-class customer service. Since launching in Manchester in 2017, Fixter has expanded to more than 100 towns and cities across the UK and provided thousands of car owners with honest, convenient and affordable car repair services.