Where Is The Fuel Filter On 2006 Nissan Altima

1 of the worst issues that tin can happen to your Nissan Altima is a bad fuel filter. When the filter goes bad, it tin can limit the corporeality of fuel that enters the engine. Without fuel, the vehicle will not run at all. With that in heed, most of the symptoms of a bad fuel filter circumduct around the vehicle stalling out.

Bad Fuel Filter Symptoms Nissan Altima

Fuel filters accept been making a rearward progression for the concluding 50 yøears, literally. For a long time, you'd find it under the hood. It looked like a niggling pill, and it would be quick and piece of cake to replace. This was in the era of carbureted vehicles.

Things began to change in the 80's. Fuel injection requires higher fuel pressure. Higher fuel pressure meant that a more robust fuel filter would be required. This meant the fuel filter was no longer left under the hood. It was put in the steel fuel line, between the gas tank and engine bay.

These fuel filters were more reliable, but they also were tougher to change. Repairing them ways getting under the vehicle and disconnecting steel fittings. Information technology actually notwithstanding isn't that difficult to bargain with, every bit long as you lot give the vehicle a few minutes for the fuel pressure to go down.

The good news is, no thing how onetime your Altima is, the symptoms of a bad fuel filter are universal. It doesn't matter if information technology'due south in-tank or in-line. And, fuel filters are inexpensive.

Signs of a Bad Fuel Filter: Nissan Altima

Nissan Altima Bad Fuel Filter Diagnosis — Typical Fuel Filter

There are physical signs that you lot can experience when your Altima's fuel filter is clogging. Before taking anything apart, check to come across if your engines estimator has any trouble codes saved in it.

The engine may throw a P0087 trouble code. This trouble code detects that the fuel rail/system pressure is also low. Whatsoever trouble codes that exist could be a inkling. Sometimes when there is depression fuel pressure, you may also get an oxygen sensor related trouble code besides. The existent issue with diagnosing a bad fuel filter is that it resembles many other vehicular issues in terms of symptoms.

Hither are the most mutual symptoms of a bad fuel filter in your Nissan Altima:

Sputtering Under Load

The just way that yous are going to know that your Altima's fuel filter may exist going out is that it is no longer letting plenty fuel through to keep the engine running under a heavy load, or at high-speed. Typically, if you are heading upwards a loma (or accelerating) the engine may outset to feel like information technology is just running out of steam. That's what it feels like with a bad fuel filter.

Now, a bad fuel filter tin can likewise feel a heck of a lot like a bad catalytic converter. Both conditions will make the motor feel like information technology is running out of wind when you hit the gas. A bad catalytic converter will not feel every bit jarring. It's a smooth lack of ability. If you lot are unsure, check out this article on troubleshooting catalytic converters. If you get P0420 or P0430 trouble codes with a scanner, information technology very well may be the catalytic converter causing these symptoms.

Hard to Start Engine

One of the best indicators of a clogged fuel filter is going to exist that the your Altima is difficult to start. This because there's not enough fuel pressure to properly atomize the fuel as it enters the combustion chamber.

If your car is difficult to start, a chock-full fuel filter would probably non be the place to outset looking, especially if you are getting no problem lawmaking for fuel pressure level or the oxygen sensors.

Instead, nosotros'd recommend taking a expect at the ignition organisation first. Ofttimes information technology'll be bad spark plugs, or a bad coil pack.

Engine Not Starting

If the fuel filter has become so contaminated that the minimum corporeality of fuel has not been let through it, the engine won't get-go at all.

At the most bones of levels your Nissan Altima needs three things to commencement: Air, fuel, and spark. If any of these things aren't present, the engine won't turn over at all. If there's been zero warning that the fuel filter could exist going bad (hesitation, difficulty starting, etc) than a chock-full fuel filter might not be the place to get-go. It could certainly crusade the problem though.

Here's a great video on using your eyes to diagnose the fuel filter:

It Could Also be Your Altima'south Fuel Pump

A fuel pump that is going out is going to feel the same as a bad fuel filter. This makes telling if yous have a bad fuel pump vs bad fuel filter very challenging.

How do you lot tell them apart? A chock-full fuel filter will have high pressure on its input side and low pressure on its output side. They are both going to crusade the same hesitation at high speed and difficulty starting. The simply way to truly tell is to identify a fuel pressure level gauge on both sides of the line and get a reading from both.

If your auto isn't starting at all, and you hear the fuel pump prime number that is usually a skilful indication that the pump is working to some capacity. Testing your Altima'south fuel pressure on each side of the pump would be the best way to diagnose this problem.

A priming fuel pump sounds like a loftier-pitched whine for a few seconds and can exist heard with a sharp engine right subsequently the ignition central is turned, but earlier the starter is engaged.

Conclusion: Nissan Altima Bad Fuel Pump

The symptoms of a bad fuel pump match a lot of other common problems that can occur in the Nissan Altima. Testing the filter and pressure on each side of it are going to be the quickest ways to rule information technology out. If there is anything you would similar to add, please leave a comment below. Adept luck!