Importance of the Fuel Tank Screen Filter in Your Mercedes

Posted on May 1, 2019 by smikyautomowp

A lot of Mercedes owners don’t actually realize that one of the Mercedes’ many intelligent design features is an additional fuel tank screen filter, which is positioned at the fuel tank’s main outlet. This screen gives your Mercedes an edge over other brands of vehicle, as it provides an extra layer of protection against the debris and contaminants which naturally occur and can clog the entire fuel system of your car.

Adding an additional part to a vehicle can offer the potential of an extra part failure, but it has obvious benefits. This fuel tank screen filter is an important component to prevent an entire clogged engine system. It usually only requires a deep clean from a professional, as opposed to a complete replacement. Let’s take a look at what it is and how it helps your Mercedes perform better.

What is a fuel tank screen filter?

Mechanic taking sign on document from customer in garage. Hands of car service client signing papers after getting his car repaired.
No fuel is free of contaminants. While different brands will proclaim theirs is the best, microscopic or miniscule particles will still exist within the gas. This is where your Mercedes fuel tank screen filters come in.

All vehicles have some form of filter to protect the engine from unavoidable contaminants. It is the job of these screens to catch these contaminants and debris, preventing them from entering the engine system and not just clogging but potentially causing untold damage to its expensive parts. Of course, even with this protection, some contaminants may still pass through. While these particles are usually small, given time, they can still cause buildups. This is why your Mercedes has a second filter, which cuts down the risk of contaminants entering the engine even further.

Symptoms of a Clogged Fuel Tank Screen Filter

A clogged fuel tank screen filter will directly affect your engine’s performance by reducing the flow of fuel. Because of this, you will begin to notice some symptoms which will affect the performance of your Mercedes:

Loss of Power – Because your engine isn’t receiving the correct amount of fuel, it will struggle to perform at an optimum level. This will directly result in a loss of power, particularly noticeable when accelerating. For a luxury vehicle, this should be smooth and punchy instead of slow and painful.
Rough Idle – Any engine trouble is likely to cause a rough idle. This is where a vehicle becomes loud and/or juddering when idling at an intersection or red light. This is because the engine is under strain and is finding the combustion cycle increasingly difficult.
Misfires – A restriction of fuel is likely to result in regular lean misfires. This is where the air/fuel mixture required for ignition is out of balance, resulting in a concoction that is tricky to combust. This will eventually result in a vehicle which takes several tries to start, if at all.
Check Engine Light – An engine that is regularly misfiring or under strain will usually cause your vehicle’s onboard computer to illuminate the check engine light. Consider this your clearest warning that something within your engine system is amiss. You should seek repair as soon as possible.
Complete Engine Failure – While this is quite unlikely, if left unrepaired, a clogged or broken screen filter can cause complete engine failure. This can be caused by two scenarios, the first being that the engine wears itself out due to months of struggling for fuel to power itself. The second is that the engine can no longer run itself, due to becoming completely clogged by the contaminants that the failed screen filter has no longer been able to catch.

The Best Solution

Of course, the best solution to avoiding any of the scenarios mentioned above is prevent them from occurring in the first place, and the only way to do this is to ensure you have your Mercedes regularly serviced. Your engine is undoubtedly the most essential and expensive element of your vehicle, and therefore, any potential indication of an issue with the system should be addressed immediately by a professional.
Luckily, if you live in or around Louisville, KY, quality servicing and family-run customer service is close at hand. St. Matthews Imports has multiple locations. Our Hubbards Lane location offers some of the best automotive service and repair around. With experience spanning back to 1969, the team at St. Matthews knows what it takes to have your Mercedes running better than ever.

Meta Desc

The fuel tank screen filter keeps the dirt & contaminants away from the engine. Read this blog to know the symptoms of a clogged screen filter in your Mercedes.