Technical What is the fuel filter of Fiat Panda?

[StanZlatan]

I recently decided it was time to change it. I asked a few shops online and only one responded like this:
Thank you for your reply!
Our system is showing no relation between your VIN number and our part number, unfortunately.
And currently the catalogue system doesn't show compatible Fuel Filer. As advice you can refer to some mechanic.

If there is anything else we can help you with in the future, please feel free to contact us at any time.
Sincerely,
Maria


I can ask my mechanic of course but does anyone know for sure which fuel filter is installed on the Panda?

 

[IanWalrus]

I believe it's in the tank and 'doesn't need changing' (i.e. is hard to access).

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

I believe it's in the tank and 'doesn't need changing' (i.e. is hard to access).

Correct - it's part of the fuel tank pump and level sensor unit and hides on top of the tank. It does not need to be replaced and is not mentioned in the first 120,000 miles of the service schedule -- do you have that service schedule? It's in the car handbook (which you can download from this site)

(Note, the diesel version does have a filter under the bonnet which gets changed every 360000 miles... but yours is petrol)

 

[chris3234]

Petrol cars I ky have a mesh strainer in the tank pump no real filter anywhere
Not needed with most European petrol quality

 

[StanZlatan]

Ok so even at 1 million miles i should not worry about it?

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I can only speak for the petrol engined cars but there is one and it's part of the fuel pump assembly inside the petrol tank. We've had several petrol Pandas and a Punto and never changed the filter in any of them. Unless you do starship mileages or are unfortunate enough to take on a fill of really dirty fuel i think you can just forget about it. If you do decide to do it you've got to take the pump and sender unit out of the tank and partially dismantle the pump. I've seen the filters advertised but it's not a task for the inexperienced and, of course, great care has to be taken as the tank will be open to air all the time you're doing it. As Herts Hillhopper says, doesn't seem to be mentioned in any service info.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I've been looking for the video of someone dismantling the pump to get the old filter out but I can't find it - I'd say though that the whole thing is set up to change the pump/filter assembly as a unit and mostly they are for sale as a replacement pump unit. There's brittle plastic parts to take apart if you try to do just the filter on it's own which if you break them means you're buying a replacement pump assembly anyway.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

I've been looking for the video of someone dismantling the pump to get the old filter out but I can't find it - I'd say though that the whole thing is set up to change the pump/filter assembly as a unit and mostly they are for sale as a replacement pump unit. There's brittle plastic parts to take apart if you try to do just the filter on it's own which if you break them means you're buying a replacement pump assembly anyway.

Basically, don’t bother.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Basically, don’t bother.

Absolutely!

The first time I serviced Twinkle, our Ibiza, I couldn't find a change interval recommendation for the fuel filter so assumed it was probably one of the "in tank" types - which seem to be quite the norm on petrol engine'd vehicles these days - I was very surprised to find a very ordinary looking metal canister type filter under the floor on the O/S rear of the vehicle - looks like this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275917025278?fits=Car+Make:Seat|Model:Ibiza&hash=item403defaffe:g:Y4cAAOSw1bZklWBE&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAA0JRaeBM3RI7aTpGkqnhgScc7gB+3vWUeklQsWdHtDUxwv46Ad26LEq84ixBV66y+ahEd8tSS+/Vw8kcmgop5683DnyJxT8kYsN2R5SvoYtpgQwM58kv4lGt3wZOBri1LYogvoOvv1vMTCs2UrxMuXtgRf5sj/SDtGpAE+cK4NBNra0puMgdfmjOLJY5gzTRxZiCdYlc4gKPlyhA80STSAAB5a6wU+Kbx8EV5Ct3WFV0+i8+XFrOEw1ySaWVkGS29U9yoJ1UP6FAhHbFLJ4H33Gg=|tkp:Bk9SR5SCx7G1Yg It includes a pressure regulating diaphragm but is otherwise unremarkable. I rang the SEAT main agent to ask when it should be changed. For life fitment I was told, we only change them if there's a problem which is almost never! So I then rang AVW who gave me the same story. With Twink now in her seventh year, but with only 30,000 miles behind her, I'm playing with the idea of renewing it but there's a wee voice in the back of my brain saying "if it ain't broke, don't mend it, you'll regret it if you break a fixing!"

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Ok so even at 1 million miles i should not worry about it?

Correct

If the pump eventually fails (bet no one on here has had that happen yet), the filter is part of the pump and so will be in the new pump.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Correct

If the pump eventually fails (bet no one on here has had that happen yet), the filter is part of the pump and so will be in the new pump.

However, there are things that are supposed to be changed every 10 years - the airbags for starters. Does anyone do that??

 

[Panda IIs]

However, there are things that are supposed to be changed every 10 years - the airbags for starters. Does anyone do that??

And can you dispose of the old (explosive) devices!?

 

[chris3234]

And can you dispose of the old (explosive) devices!?

Roll of wire some woods with nobody around and a car battery take scar of the charge

 

[The Panda Nut]

Absolutely!

The first time I serviced Twinkle, our Ibiza, I couldn't find a change interval recommendation for the fuel filter so assumed it was probably one of the "in tank" types - which seem to be quite the norm on petrol engine'd vehicles these days - I was very surprised to find a very ordinary looking metal canister type filter under the floor on the O/S rear of the vehicle - looks like this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275917025278?fits=Car+Make:Seat|Model:Ibiza&hash=item403defaffe:g:Y4cAAOSw1bZklWBE&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAA0JRaeBM3RI7aTpGkqnhgScc7gB+3vWUeklQsWdHtDUxwv46Ad26LEq84ixBV66y+ahEd8tSS+/Vw8kcmgop5683DnyJxT8kYsN2R5SvoYtpgQwM58kv4lGt3wZOBri1LYogvoOvv1vMTCs2UrxMuXtgRf5sj/SDtGpAE+cK4NBNra0puMgdfmjOLJY5gzTRxZiCdYlc4gKPlyhA80STSAAB5a6wU+Kbx8EV5Ct3WFV0+i8+XFrOEw1ySaWVkGS29U9yoJ1UP6FAhHbFLJ4H33Gg=|tkp:Bk9SR5SCx7G1Yg It includes a pressure regulating diaphragm but is otherwise unremarkable. I rang the SEAT main agent to ask when it should be changed. For life fitment I was told, we only change them if there's a problem which is almost never! So I then rang AVW who gave me the same story. With Twink now in her seventh year, but with only 30,000 miles behind her, I'm playing with the idea of renewing it but there's a wee voice in the back of my brain saying "if it ain't broke, don't mend it, you'll regret it if you break a fixing!"

Leo is supposed to be 4 years. Its had 2 in 23 years.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Leo is supposed to be 4 years. Its had 2 in 23 years.

This thread is over a year old… have we fallen into a time warp?

 

[The Panda Nut]

This thread is over a year old… have we fallen into a time warp?

Sorry. I think I am a time warp.... A rather dumb one too.