Changing a GenIII Fuel Filter

Like I said, to each their own.

 

where will this part fit into? MY fuel is just getting worse, more Prius reporting knocking on the engine.

 

Putting an inline filer will not help. If the filter in the tank gets blocked so that fuel flow is restricted putting another filter in the line after it will not clear the blockage. The filter in the tank will always get blocked first. Only by removing the filter in the tank "bypass" can an external filter work, and this may be at the expense of the life of the fuel pump if it draws fuel through the filter.

John (Britprius)

 

Hi GAM, I missed this post back in Feb. Good post. I had mine done by the dealer as per the book the first time. He charged me $760 all up with the rest of the service. Second time round he said don't bother. It's an expensive part and because I use premium fuel the first filter looked like it could have done many more 1000s kms. I just had my 200,000 km service done and he's still not suggesting a change. Fuel pressure is normal apparently.

 

The US fuel pump assembly appears to be different. I've posted photos.

 

Gam, thank you thank you!!

For posting this.
Fuel quality is pretty good in most of the US, and every gas station pump is supposed to have a filter, but stuff happens, especially if you do an emergency refuel from a fuel can of questionable cleanleness

GAM, thank you thank you, for posting your great instructions..

Yes, we have pretty good quality fuel in the US, and every gas station pump is supposed to have a 10 micron filter,
BUT we are only one dirty emergency fuel can or one ruptured station pump filter away from needing to replace that in tank filter.
We do need to replace filters here, and fuel pumps too. Most US cars / trucks now have both in tank pumps and filters, and most have no access hatch in the floor to replace the filter or pump. The fuel tank needs to be removed to access the top mounted fuel pump and filter.
In the northern US and Canada, where salt is used to combat icy road conditions, anything more than 5 years old has the tank mounting hardware so salt corroded that it is almost impossible to remove a fuel tank without destroying the tank mounting hardware. Many a northern US or Canadian car / truck has had a hole chopped in the floor to allow access to the pump and filter without removing the tank.
It makes me more than a little angry that the US car / truck builders make this job so difficult by saving the $1 it would cost them to provide an access hatch like in the Prius. Thank you Toyota. I will remember this when shopping for my next car / truck.

 

I have experience with vehicles and various other gasoline propelled stuff dating from about 1954 forward....

The quality of gas varied a bunch in the USA (and still does, but less so) for many years. Particulates are present from rusting tanks etc... My 1965 F-100 Ford truck; I carried a spare fuel filter in the glove box, and could change it one the roadside. Rust from the old tank was horrible.....

So, in some instances, a fuel filter is really needed. On the other hand, modern vehicles (that includes my 20 year old John Deere Lawn tractor), have plastic fuel tanks - no more rust there...

So absent rust from the local tank, and assuming there is a decent filter at the filling station, and assuming you are not a complete idiot filling your tank, the in-tank filter should last pretty much forever.... Assuming the rest of the vehicle will sink in the sands at 3 or 400 thou miles.....

My opinions....

 

Never had a problem with gas, but diesel was another story.

 

I can never get enough Owners Manuals, Maintenance Booklets and the like. A bit of searching, and I see both are available, gratis, through Toyota Australia, here:

Service Information & Repair Manuals

Very interesting to download the Australian Maintenance Booklet for 3rd gen Prius, in particular, the nice tabular summation of required maintenance. Looks more old school as regards to brake inspections, brake fluid changes, and the like.

The oil change interval is 6 months or 10,000 km's. Interesting.

 

Here's a condensed version of the Australian Service Schedule:

 

There's an instruction in the above, to change the transaxle fluid, in the severe service: at 4 years or 80,000 kms, whichever comes first.

 

A few variations I noticed in the Australian Owner 's Manual:

1. It calls for cross rotation of the wheels, ie: straight back, then cross to front. (North American manual stipulate same side rotation only.)
2. There's no mention of TPMS.
3. Spec's same spark plug as North American manual, but change interval (in maintenance booklet) is 5 years or 100,000 kms, vs 10 years or 144,000 miles (US) or 192,000 kms or 12 years (CAN). (The date component is a moving target in the North American manuals, but roughly right.)

 

It is noticeable that the engine and inverter coolant are not changed together in the Australian version.
Engine at 8years 160,000km
Inverter at 12 years 240,000km

John

 

Yes. I'll try to sum them up here:

The US schedule has staggered intervals:

Engine: 100,000 miles or 10 years (roughly 160,000 km's)
Inverter: 150,000 miles or 15 years (roughly 240,000 km's)

Subsequently 50,000 miles or 5 years, for both (roughly 80,000 km's)

(per footnote 4 on page 51 of US Warranty and Maintenance Guide)

Canadian schedule change both at same interval:

160,000 km's or 10 years

Subsequently 80,000 km's or 5 years

(per graph style schedule, page 25 of 2014 Canadian Warranty and Maintenance Guide)

The Australian schedule has staggered intervals:

Engine: 160,000 km's or 8 years
Inverter: 240,000 km's or 12 years

Subsequently 80,000 km's or 4 years

(per section 2-4 Australian Warranty and Service booklet)

Oy veh!

 

Great post, I just got a quote of $750 for my prius v from Toyota and am not sure it's necessary. I used to build these pumps in Australia for a living!

 

I wonder if this has something to do with the fuel quality? I just replaced the fuel pumps in my Jaguar (has two) The two filters (one per pump) look like small socks -- I bet they are there to protect the pumps as much as anything else. I had no dirt particles and the filters were slightly discolored vs white of the new. My Jaguar has gone 75k ...... so at 13mpg -- it's had to filter 4 times the fuel of the Prius at the same miles. My Jaguar also has an inline filter external of the tank -- I'm surprised that the Prius does not have an external filter?

My Jaguar had a 100k replacement interval for the external.

 

I have just replaced fuel pump and fuel filter for my gen3 due to fault code p0171 appreared

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Hi Gam,

Aussie Prius owner. Were you aware there was a recall on the fuel filters about 18 months ago? I've got 315,000 rural kms on mine and the recall was the first time it's been touched. I was told it was in pretty good nick. I only use 98 premium but.

Feri

 

A question here., how do you start the car afterwards, do you just start as normal or you need to set in maintenance mode? Are there any special instructions? Thanks