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Even though today’s cars and trucks are complex, highly technical machines, there are a surprising number of small, inexpensive parts that can lead to expensive engine damage when they fail. Fortunately most of these failures can be prevented with routine maintenance. While the list can be lengthy, we’re here to help remind you of what’s due and when.
Let’s take the fuel filter for example.
You may not know this, but the median age for private vehicles is more than 9 nine years. By the time a car is 5 years or older, it has accumulated a lot of dirt and rust in its gas tank. If that dirt gets into the engine, it can cause thousands of dollars of damage. Somewhere between that dirty gas tank and the price of a great vacation is the lowly fuel filter: a very inexpensive part that also doesn’t cost that much to replace. More importantly, your car will run much better when the fuel filter is functioning properly.
A clogged fuel filter can’t let enough fuel through. You might notice at first that your car is running fine around town, but struggles or sputters on the highway or under hard acceleration. This is because not enough fuel can get through to meet the demands of higher speeds. If it gets bad enough, your engine might stall or might not start at all, which could be dangerous.
Some fuel filters have a bypass feature. When they get clogged, they allow dirty fuel to move around the filter element. This can prevent your car from stalling, but the favor is only short-term because dirt ends up in the engine. We’ve already talked about how expensive that can be.
The fuel filter is also very important for newer cars. The fuel is still dirty even if there isn’t rust in the tank. It’s just that the fuel filter will need to be changed more frequently as the vehicle gets older.
How often should you change your fuel filter? Check your owner’s manual or ask your Star Auto Authority service advisor. (It’s every 30,000 miles on many cars.) Ask if it’s time for a full fuel system cleaning as well. They often go hand in hand. And remember: It costs 45% less to maintain your car than it does to repair items when they fail from neglect.
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