2003 Highlander: where is fuel filter?

New to Toyotas.

On a 2003 Highlander, where is the fuel filter located? How often does
it get changed?

On Apr 14, 2:32 pm, franz fripplfrappl <bo...@bogus.net> wrote:
> New to Toyotas.  
>
> On a 2003 Highlander, where is the fuel filter located?  How often does
> it get changed?

After looking online it appears that fuel filter is located in the
tank. That being said -- on my 2002 Corolla, the fuel filter is also
in the tank. I also believe I am correct in saying that it's not part
of a regular maintenance schedule. On mine, you can remove a kick
panel and get access to it. It has a pickup screen you can clean.
I've never bothered with mine... never needed too.

On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:56:51 -0700, mrsteveo wrote:

> On Apr 14, 2:32 pm, franz fripplfrappl <bo...@bogus.net> wrote:
>> New to Toyotas.
>>
>> On a 2003 Highlander, where is the fuel filter located?  How often does
>> it get changed?
>
> After looking online it appears that fuel filter is located in the tank.
> That being said -- on my 2002 Corolla, the fuel filter is also in the
> tank. I also believe I am correct in saying that it's not part of a
> regular maintenance schedule. On mine, you can remove a kick panel and
> get access to it. It has a pickup screen you can clean. I've never
> bothered with mine... never needed too.

Thanks. I was afraid it might be in the tank. If it remains a low
maintenance item, great!

Hopefully Ray O will spot your query and give better poop - but in meantime
it is my understanding that when a typical filter is about gone, Toyota in
tank filters still have 95% of their life. So as I've been told they are
essentially a lifetime filter, assuming decent gasoline cleanness.

"franz fripplfrappl" <bogus@bogus.net> wrote in message
news:RBSMj.1674$pS4.1286@newssvr13.news.prodigy.ne t...
> On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:56:51 -0700, mrsteveo wrote:
>
>> On Apr 14, 2:32 pm, franz fripplfrappl <bo...@bogus.net> wrote:
>>> New to Toyotas.
>>>
>>> On a 2003 Highlander, where is the fuel filter located? How often does
>>> it get changed?
>>
>> After looking online it appears that fuel filter is located in the tank.
>> That being said -- on my 2002 Corolla, the fuel filter is also in the
>> tank. I also believe I am correct in saying that it's not part of a
>> regular maintenance schedule. On mine, you can remove a kick panel and
>> get access to it. It has a pickup screen you can clean. I've never
>> bothered with mine... never needed too.
>
> Thanks. I was afraid it might be in the tank. If it remains a low
> maintenance item, great!

On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:32:14 GMT, franz fripplfrappl <bogus@bogus.net>
wrote:

>New to Toyotas.
>
>On a 2003 Highlander, where is the fuel filter located? How often does
>it get changed?

Like Ray said, under normal conditions the fuel filters do not
normally need changing for 200,000 miles plus, essentially the life of
the car, unless you show symptoms of fuel system blockage. Or you
live on a small island or in a third world country and buy your
gasoline in drums, and they aren't all that careful with the storage
and cleanliness of the drums.

The fuel at almost all reputable filling stations is scrubbed
multiple times before it gets into your car. Once when leaving the
refinery, and on arrival at the pipeline company, and on arrival at
the regional tank farm, and when it's loaded into the delivery tanker,
and filtered one last time before it is dispensed into your car.
There's not a whole lot that gets past all that.

There's a primary sock filter on the pickup tube in the fuel tank,
you have to follow the procedure for changing the fuel pump to service
that one.

And a micron filter inline, usually tucked up high under the car
near the framerail near the engine. Get the car up on a lift, and
they are fairly easy to spot - and a bugger to change, the fittings
take special flare wrenches to remove without rounding off the nuts
because they are usually on there insanely 'gorilla tight'...

Unless you are ready to deal with totally rounded off flare fitting
nuts, or replacing broken fuel lines because they twisted off rather
than the nuts loosening, let a pro change that inline filter.
Experience counts when the screw-ups get really expensive.

--<< Bruce >>--