What symptoms would you have for needing new fuel filter (2002 Camry)?

Question

My car has started being harder to start after it's sitting out in the sun while I work during the day. I put fuel injector cleaner in it and no change. Only does it after being out in the sun/heat. Not in the morning after being in the garage. I asked the guy at the oil change place to change the fuel filter if he could and he said I'd have to take it to a dealer due to where it's located. Sounds expensive.

Any other ideas as to what would cause this? Idles normally, although seems to have more trouble when at or a little below 1/4 tank of gas. I'm trying to keep from getting ripped off and figure you can't just test to see if it's the fuel filter or fuel pump going out like you could test to see if your battery or starter was messing up. Thanks!!

Answer 1

if your gas gets too low it can pick up dirt from the bottom of the tank. gas filters aren,t too high. you might want to change it.symptons are hard starting and stalling.

Answer 2

Sounds more like a fuel pump. Todays cars use an electric pump located in the gas tank. When they get old they preform poorly in the heat. The pump is submersed in the gasoline and the gasoline helps keep the pump cool under normal operation. That's why a failing pump sometimes preforms better with a fuller tank, there's more liquid to dissipate the heat.

You didn't state your mileage, but I'm going to guess it's somewhere around 70K+ that's where they usually start to fail. If you're over 100+ then you're overdue.

That being said, a fuel filter's always cheaper and it doesn't hurt to start with the cheapest option. And if you don't know when it's had one last then you're more than likely due for one. You can't loose anyway, if you change the filter and it turns out to be the pump you'll already have a new filter for that pump.