Why Your Mercedes Fuel Tank Screen Filter Fails
A failing fuel tank screen filter can cause quite a bit of a headache for a Mercedes owner! You’re probably experiencing a host of problems, such as difficulty starting the car, a sputtering engine, and the check engine light glaring at you—reminding you to take your car to a professional mechanic! It’s a good idea to do so. In this article, we’ll discuss what a fuel tank screen filter does, how a bad fuel tank screen filter manifests itself, why it can go bad, and what to do about it.
Here’s the Rundown on a Fuel Tank Screen Filter
As part of the fuel filtration system, the fuel tank screen filter sits between the fuel tank and the fuel pump. It works as a sieve and stops contaminants and debris from the tank to pass into the fuel pump, fuel line, and engine. If the filtration system is not working, you might end up with severe engine damage.
Most Common Signs of a Failing Fuel Tank Screen Filter
A bad fuel tank screen filter prevents fuel from reaching the engine, and you may see some of these overt symptoms if it is failing:
- Difficulty Starting Your Car: A clogged filter will stop the proper flow of fuel and will make it challenging to start the car.
- Stalling: You may find your engine tends to stall when you’re trying to start your Mercedes, or while you’re driving, it may come to a sudden halt, which is very dangerous.
- Sluggish Engine: A malfunctioning fuel filter will result in your engine not getting enough power because of lack of fuel.
- Rough Idling: While idling, if your car jerks and lurches, make sure you have your mechanic check the fuel tank screen filter.
- Poor Acceleration: If your Mercedes refuses to pick up speed when you depress the gas pedal, it could be due to a problematic fuel tank screen filter.
- Misfiring Engine: This is a common effect caused by inconsistent fuel supply because one or more of the cylinders are not combusting properly.
- Bad Gas Mileage: A poorly functioning filter will make the engine work harder, resulting in decreased fuel efficiency.
- Weird Noises: If you hear rattling or thumping sounds coming from the engine, it is because fuel is unable to flow freely.
- Check Engine Light: This light comes on when there is something wrong with the engine. The reason can be any number of issues. Your professional mechanic can detect the problems by reading the car’s error codes with a scanner.
Why Mercedes Fuel Tank Screen Filters Fail?
Here are some typical reasons why the fuel tank screen filter fails:
- Clogged Filters: After a period of time, it is inevitable that grime, dirt, and other contaminants will block the filter. It needs to be cleaned and eventually replaced.
- Normal Degradation: Time and usage will wear out the filter.
- Low-Quality Fuel: Unfortunately, when trying to save a little money on fuel, sometimes people end up using sub-par fuel. Low-quality fuel has more contaminants, and it plugs up the filter faster.
- Corrosion: If moisture enters the fuel tank, it will lead to oxidation and corrosion, ruining the fuel tank screen filter.
- Poor Maintenance: The fuel filter needs to be cleaned and replaced on a regular basis.
What to Do Now That You’ve Identified the Problem
Proper maintenance is the secret to a 
healthy Mercedes and a happy owner! We cannot emphasize enough the importance of regular maintenance. Many of the issues listed above are very easy to fix if caught early. Most of these issues will be detected during a regular maintenance cycle. If left unaddressed, some of these simple problems can get bad enough to cause catastrophic engine failure, which is an extremely expensive scenario.
At Oldwick Village Garage, we are the European and exotic car specialists. We have highly trained professionals who have an in-depth knowledge of each car they work on. We have the tools, equipment and know-how of a dealership, but our service comes to you at a fraction of the cost. We work on vintage to brand new cars. Give us a call or book an appointment to visit us. We are located in Oldwick Village Garage and Tewksbury, in New Jersey.
* Black Mercedes Benz Car image credit goes to: Brandon Woyshnis.