Fuel filter change without VCDS?

Gingy22

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Location
Currituck, NC
TDI
2012 Passat SE
New to the tdi and i do not have vcds capability. The reason i ask is that I've had issues with a nox sensor code and VW wants to reflash my injectors, replace the injectors, replace fuel filter and housing and drain the fuel tank because they say the fuel (that passes VW quality tests) is an odd color and is not agreeing with the injectors that are throwing this code. Car runs fine just a P2201 code. New nox sensor and all. I say all that to say, i aint going through all that to fix a car that runs fine. But i do want to change the fuel filter. Ive owned the car for 3k miles (75k miles total) and im not sure when the filter was last changed. Is it possible to do this myself or do i have to have the computer to purge the system? I really do not want to take this car back to VW for the 5th time. 2012 passat TDI
 

jrm

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Location
Oregon
TDI
2013 Passat SE with nav (totaled)
Can you here the fuel pump run when you turn on the key? its pretty loud- if yes then yes no vcds required as a few cycles will fill the can, if no sound is herd then VCDS is required- Being a 12 its more than likely they pump wont run when you turn the key on as VW did a rolling change in early 2013
 

Rico567

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Location
Central IL
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
Our '13 Passat with KESSY won't run the pump in "ignition" mode, either. I have used my VCDS, and once, when our son had borrowed it, I just changed the filter out, topped up the canister with Power Service White, and it fired up and ran as normal. Plenty of people have changed it without running the pump, but of course it is not "by the book."
 

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
Maybe the pre 2015 Passat TDI is different from my 2015 TDI.
There is/was nothing to change the fuel filter in my car. There are detailed instructions to be found on the web.
All I did was to follow instructions and before closing the lid I completely filled the cavity to the brim with PowerService.
The car started on the first try! NO VCDS, even though I have one!
 

gforce1108

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Location
Newburgh, NY
TDI
04 Jetta GLS BEW, 14 Audi A7 V6 TDI, 13 Porsche Cayenne V6 TDI
Some can, some can't self prime. There is a how-to somewhere on jumpering the fuel pump relay if you do not have VCDS. Best to make sure you have no air before starting it up.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Just top off the filter canister with fuel or power service- no VCDS needed.
 

eugene89us

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2014
Location
Southern USA
TDI
2014 Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL Premium
I have almost 70,000 miles. Have changed fuel filter myself twice at 40,000 and 60,000 miles. Easiest thing to change. No priming, no topping off, no special cranking procedures. Slowly pull the old filter and put new one without spilling. Car cranks a little longer, but starts just fine. It is a push to start 2014 model.

Just got a BMW 328d and that sucker requires you to take the car's underside just to get to the fuel filter. It will be a pain to replace compared to VW.
 

Mark_J

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Location
Deer Park, Washington
TDI
2015 TDI Passat SEL Premium, 2017 Fiat Spider, 2017 Ford F350 6.7 Diesel crew cab PU, 2016 Harley Trike, 2016 Tesla Model X P90D (I know went to the dark side)
I've had VW diesels sense the 1st Rabbit. Have had mostly Jettas and later year Passat TDI's, 1998 to the current 2015 Passat TDI and even though I have VDS, I have never used it when changing my fuel filter. I just fill the new filter with clean diesel, install the lid and it fires right up and runs without any issues.
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
This discussion arose during the early CR days (2009), and it was a very colorful discussion, as we were all scrambling to find the reason why HPFPs were failing at an alarming rate. Speculation/fear: air in the system causing the pump to run dry.

We still don't really know the cause, probably a combination of early HPFP design (internal coatings were improved later) and early ULSD not having enough lubricity.
 

jrm

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Location
Oregon
TDI
2013 Passat SE with nav (totaled)
early ulsd was so dry it would evaporate off my shop floor faster than mineral sprits!
 

Mark_J

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Location
Deer Park, Washington
TDI
2015 TDI Passat SEL Premium, 2017 Fiat Spider, 2017 Ford F350 6.7 Diesel crew cab PU, 2016 Harley Trike, 2016 Tesla Model X P90D (I know went to the dark side)
I work at a refinery and the specs for ULSD has not changed sense we were forced to go to it and we supply fuel as far as Oregon. But the distributers, Shell, Chevron, etc may or may not add their own recipes of additives. ULSD has never had the lubrication that pre-ULSD had. So I have been adding a shot of Stanadyne to each fill up.
 

Gingy22

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Location
Currituck, NC
TDI
2012 Passat SE
Sounds good guys. Thanks for the input. This is the first thread i feel the input was consistent! Got me a jug of power service white and the filter gets here tomorrow. Y'all have a great weekend.
 

251

TDI Owner/Operator
Joined
May 11, 2002
Location
NW IN
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SEL
Just changed my fuel filter two weeks ago. It's a 2014 SEL with KESSY. Removed old filter, let it drain into fuel filter housing, slowly put new filter into housing, put cover back on. Turned ignition on but did not start engine, kept ignition on for about 20-25 seconds. Shut ignition off then back on - repeated ignition cycle two more times. Then went to start engine which started right up with zero issues and ran smoothly. No VCDS was used.
 

Gingy22

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Location
Currituck, NC
TDI
2012 Passat SE
Filter was super dirty. I'm not sure the last time it was changed but the mfg date was 2013. A good bit of sediment in the bottom of the housing as well. All cleaned out and topped off. Started right up. I put around 1000 miles on it this past weekend and I'm still getting the p2201 code. I believe that it leading to increased def consumption as i had to top my tank off during my trip. Even with it being recently serviced. Regardless, thanks again for the on point advice. Everything went as advertised.

 

251

TDI Owner/Operator
Joined
May 11, 2002
Location
NW IN
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SEL

Gingy22

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Location
Currituck, NC
TDI
2012 Passat SE
Thanks for that. I purchased the car at 72k and the carfax shows regular services but doesn't list the details. so i believe it's been changed once at least. i'm coming up on my 80k service and i'll get it changed again then just to see how dirty 5k miles looks.

FYI the fuel filter should be changed every 20K. Date on filter is not important -
number of miles it has been in there is. Here's a VW maintenance chart for the 2014 Passat to help you out with various recommended change intervals:
http://www.vwcorporatefleet.com/vw/documents/pdfs/2014%20Passat%202.0L%20TDI.pdf
 

gforce1108

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Location
Newburgh, NY
TDI
04 Jetta GLS BEW, 14 Audi A7 V6 TDI, 13 Porsche Cayenne V6 TDI
The miles isn't that important really - I've had TDIs in with 8+ year old (well over 100k miles) that ran perfect, and I have personally had filters clog within 1500 miles. It all depends on the quality of the fuel you are getting. 20k is a good number and filters are cheap enough, but you never know when you might get a bad batch at a fill-up.
 

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
Thanks for that. I purchased the car at 72k and the carfax shows regular services but doesn't list the details. so i believe it's been changed once at least. i'm coming up on my 80k service and i'll get it changed again then just to see how dirty 5k miles looks.
Save your money and change the fuel filter yourself. It's a 15 minute job. Complete and detailed instruction can be found on the internet!:D
 
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