2012-2015 VW Passat TDI B7 Fuel Filter Replacement (Fast Method) No Scan Tool Needed!

Hey Guys,
Here’s a quick and easy tutorial on replacing your Fuel Filter on your 2012-2015 VW Passat TDI. Keep in mind the 2015 uses a slightly different filter but the replacement process is the same. This repair should only take a few minutes and needs to be done every 20k miles or 32k km.
Tools Needed:
T20 Torx with Ratchet
Hook Tool
Nm Torque Wrench
We always order from FCPEuro since this part is guaranteed for life and can be swapped out for free on the next service.
Parts Links:
TDI Fuel Filter for 2012-2014 -
www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-f...
TDI Fuel Filter for 2015 -
www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-e...
Enjoy the Video!!!
Cheers!
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If you liked the video, remember to give it a "thumbs up" and consider subscribing. Thanks again for hanging out!
#VW #repair #diy
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of BradleysGarage, we cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. BradleysGarage assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. BradleysGarage recommends safe practices when working on vehicles and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of BradleysGarage, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not BradleysGarage.

[@Just1nobody1]

No bs just straight to the work. Thank you!

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. Here is our video collection for the B7 Passat -kzbin.info/aero/PLFnK0z3T00fUdCPKGUOVn-zfdehEpOKK8&si=vYrcUweHYAb2Zocs Cheers!

[@themattavery]

Great instructions. Just changed mine on my TDI Sportwagen. Thanks for the clear info!

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the kind words Matt, glad you enjoyed the video. We have posted a few videos on the TDI here -kzbin.info/aero/PLFnK0z3T00fUdCPKGUOVn-zfdehEpOKK8&si=7DgCr3n_4V5aHFuZ Have fun with your TDI, Cheers!

[@Sprchgjeep]

Another great DIY video!

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed the video, Cheers!

[@jetttskiman]

Awesome to the point video. Thanks.

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the comments, appreciate the feedback. Glad you enjoyed the video, Cheers!

[@crossbredmushing]

Subbed, great diy video and straight to the point. Thank you for putting this together, i prefer to work on my own vehicle then i know it done properly and with the best parts

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. We have put together a few videos on the channel for the B7 Passat and will be adding more soon. We always try to use OEM VW parts on our projects so everything just fits/works the best. Thanks again for hanging out. Cheers!

[@BignorbScratches]

Thank you for sharing this, Great job

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the comments BigNorb, appreciate the feedback. Glad you enjoyed the video, Cheers!

[@mikestein8325]

Great job. I have all the confidence I need!

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the comments Mike, glad you enjoyed the video. Good luck on your TDI project. Cheers!

[@pcgrey69]

Brilliant video Bradley. A great help thank you so much. Uk vehicles don't prime on the key so I just filled the filter bowl to the top prior to re assembly

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. Appreciate the tip about the UK cars. If you fill up the filter housing there should be very little air in the fuel lines. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!

[@januszcholewinski5268]

What do you mean they don't prime of course they do lol

[@pcgrey69]

@@januszcholewinski5268 not on the UK they don't

[@januszcholewinski5268]

@@pcgrey69 not sure what car you have cos i did it on my passat and its uk passat lol

[@superboy536]

Thank you for this video !

[@BradleysGarage]

You're very welcome SuperBoy, hope it helps you out with your TDI project. Cheers!

[@tontoscout9974]

Good Video. Well Done

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the kind words Tonto, glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers!

[@balwndersingh564]

Nice video

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers!

[@bigdog4574]

Thank you very much!!!! Dealer wanted to charge $150 for this!!!! Come on man!!! 4 bolts for $100 labor!!!

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the kind words BigDog, glad you enjoyed the video. This is one of those common maintenance items that is so easy to do yourself, there is no reason to give the Dealer your hard earned cash. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!

[@paulrothman2237]

cool video

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the kind words Paul, glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers!

[@eLio.q]

Thank you. I just bought a new filter Mann for passat b7 2.0 TDI 2012, it's slightly shorter than the previous filter. But fits perfectly. Does it matter?

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the question, as long as you are using Mann Filter # PU8008 for the 2012-2014 TDI, you should be good. The 2015 TDI uses Mann Filter # PU8028, so be sure they didn't send you the wrong one. Cheers!

[@SuperXiomara92]

Hello @BradleysGarage, I just bought a Passat TDI 20103, do you have any comments about these models? Any recommendation you can give me. Thank you. Excellent information on your channel

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for stopping by the channel, appreciate the feedback. The most important things to do on these are the (3) most common routine maintenance items. Oil changes every 10k (7500 miles if more city driving) Fuel Filter every 20k DSG Service every 40k If you stay on these three items, you will be very happy with the TDI for many thousands of miles. The only major service is done at 130k miles which is the timing belt/water pump job. Be sure to check out our other Passat videos on the channel - kzbin.info/aero/PLFnK0z3T00fUdCPKGUOVn-zfdehEpOKK8 We will be posting up the DSG service video shortly to show how you can easily change the fluid and filter yourself, without needing a scan tool. Thanks again for hanging out and good luck on your VW projects. Cheers!

[@andresm9649]

I always thought I need the vagcom tool to perform this change. I been scared to do it myself cause I don’t want air bubbles on my fuel line. So if I do it your way my engine should be all good?

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the question Andres. You will have no issues changing out your fuel filter without VAGCOM. Just follow the steps outlined in the video and you will be all good. We have VAGCOM and we still just use this method as it's faster and more convenient than loading up the laptop and hooking up the cable. Let us know how it goes on your Passat. Cheers!

[@KaranBagga]

Awesome video, I am working on getting the smog certificate on my 12 VW Golf tdi, all monitors are ready except fuel. I have completed 5 drive cycles and have no codes in pending or permanent. Any ideas or inputs?

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the comments Karan, glad you enjoyed the video. Here is the link for the "Special Driving Conditions" that need to be met in some cases. static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2015/MC-10123033-9999.pdf Do you currently have any scan tool that you are using? There cannot be any current DTC's or it will never complete the readiness. Here is an old writeup for the drive cycle on our TDI's- Cold Start ECT Less than 122°F (50°C) Idle 2½ min. in Drive, A/C & Rear Defrost On Accel to 55 MPH ½ throttle, A/C off Steady State Cruise 55 MPH for 3 minutes Decel to 20 MPH (Clutch Out) No Brake Accel to 55-60 MPH ¾ Throttle 5 minutes Steady State Cruise 55-60 MPH Decel No Brake End of Cycle For the most part it may take (3) cold start ups, followed by getting the engine up to normal operating temps. Just driving like grandma for the most part seems to work the best. No sudden acceleration or aggressive driving. Let us know how it goes, Cheers!

[@KaranBagga]

@@BradleysGarage I appreciate the detailed response. I have completed 5 driving cycles after resetting the CEL with the same driving instructions. All monitors are set except fuel. I am wondering if I should get the fuel trims read yet

[@KingTen91]

I just bought a 2012 tdi Passat and I had a shop change my timing belt since I didn't think it had ever been done, once they had it in the shop I asked them if they could change the fuel filter as I'm not sure the last time it was done. They quoted me $500 (give or take, once I heard the 5 number I quit listening lol) I thought this was insane as they gave me a great price for the timing belt at $1375. Every other quote I was getting was $2000, so I would have thought the quote on the fuel filter would have been more honest than $500, but maybe they wanted to make some money back from the timing belt job 😂

[@BradleysGarage]

Hey King, thanks for sharing your dealership experience. We would also be running for the hills if quoted $500 to perform a fuel filter change on the TDI. As you can see in our video, it literally takes a few minutes and costs less than $50. Curious how many miles are on your TDI? It seems like there are a lot of opinions on when the timing belt should be changed on these. The complete timing belt kit from FCP is currently $273 which uses OEM parts but not VW stamped. For 100% VW parts the total is around $650 so $1375 is not bad if they did all new parts and the water pump. Hope our video helped you knock out the Fuel Filter and save $450! Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!

[@KingTen91]

@@BradleysGarage Hey there BG, I bought it May I think with 107k miles, it's sitting at 119k right now. I bought the car mostly for work with the excellent fuel economy. I had never owned one of these cars but I called some shops and they said the car will last 300k with the right maintenance but everyone stressed how important the timing belt job was. I didn't have any thing telling me it had ever been completed so I felt more comfortable just having it done than risking it breaking on the interstate lol

[@BradleysGarage]

Congrats on the purchase, we have been very happy with ours. Just remember the routine maintenance and it will run forever. Oil changes every 10k Fuel Filter every 20k DSG trans fluid/filter every 40k Timing belt every 120k We made videos for all of them except the timing belt but we will be doing ours very soon and it will be posted as well. Enjoy your TDI, Cheers!

[@chadluck7671]

Did this worked as intended I think the caveat is keying it 5 or more to prime I’ve read on newer models 14 and newer keying does not pre prime might check that out also replaced timing belt kit German made $230 ford power stroke teck 450 for labor dealer vw quote $2000.

[@BradleysGarage]

@@chadluck7671 Thanks for the comments Chad. We have done both 2013 & 2014 TDI's and haven't had any issues with priming the fuel pump with the key cycles. We will most likely go with this timing belt kit from FCP Euro since it will be warrantied for life. www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-timing-belt-kit-continental-tb346kt Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!

[@recrevs963]

does one do this on full or empty tank or it does not matter? dealership asked for $285 for this and told me to come back once fuel is drained - though i am on 1/3 of a tank atm. wonder if there is anything i can mess up if i follow exactly what you're doing and do this on my own? thanks for posting this informative video!

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the question recrevs. It does not matter how much fuel is in the tank, that doesn't affect this maintenance. Not sure why they are even recommending that? Just follow the steps in the video and you can save that $250. Good luck on your TDI, let us know how it goes. Cheers!

[@recrevs963]

@@BradleysGarage forgot to respond so here we go: so the replacement filter was about $50 and i did this under 10 mins or so. the engine light did come one again - not sure why perhaps sensor takes a bit to catch on, but once i filled up the diesel and did the reset you mentioned by pressing start button several times it was gone. old filter was completely black and dirty. i was ready to pay the full price at the dealership just to have the engine light gone but they told me something weird about coming back once the fuel is low in the tank?? then i found this video and this is another small maintenance thing that i can start doing myself now. Thank you!

[@BradleysGarage]

@@recrevs963 Awesome news recrevs, glad you were able to get the fuel filter done on your Passat. Just remember to replace it every 20k miles and you should never have any issues with the fuel delivery system. Nice that you also saved over $200 by doing it yourself. Have fun with your TDI, Cheers!

[@ngt547]

I just got problem with TDI 2015 Passat Recently it suddenly stopped on street at stop sign and the car like slipping gear very quick at gear 3 I brought it to dealer to find trouble here so far what I have done: -/ New MAF -/ new transmission fluid (fluid level checked and OK) -/ Battery and Alternator checked OK -/ new fuel pump replaced 6 months ago -/ fuel filter was replaced at 42000 miles now it is 68000 miles I would be very appreciate if you could give me some advice

[@BradleysGarage]

Sorry to hear you are having trouble with your TDI. Did you have a check engine light on and have error codes? The DSG trans are very durable and rarely have issues if they are serviced properly every 40K miles. Did the dealer recommend the parts above? Are you still having issues after these were changed? Not that I think this is causing your issues but the Fuel Filter needs to be changed every 20K miles. You are a little over that by 6k but like I said, most likely not causing the issues you are experiencing. Let us know about the questions above and we can try to sort things out. Cheers!

[@TheBurgosvm]

Thanks for the video. VW 2016 Passat SE doesn't need this process? I'm having these codes: P2338 and P192F I read that it could be related to a bad fuel filter.

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the question, since you have a 2016 we are assuming it's a gas engine? It sounds like you are on the right track with suspecting the Fuel Filter as the cause. Especially if they both come on simultaneously and you are getting the EPC light as well. If you have the 1.8L (CPRA) or (CPKA) we posted a video for the Jetta which uses the same fuel filter. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnSsinSDZ9erqZI Good luck on your Passat project, Cheers!

[@TheBurgosvm]

@@BradleysGarage my bad I didn't specify. It is a gasoline car. VW Passat 1.8T TSI. And yeah, they were triggered at the same time (I verified it with the mileage when they occurred in the diagnosis tool). Regards.

[@BradleysGarage]

@@TheBurgosvm No worries, check out that video. It should help you swap out your fuel filter real quick. The parts link is in the video description. Let us know how it goes, Cheers!

[@admirali6239]

the priming does not function in the EU version of the passat, just that people know, just add some more fuel in the filter housing after change and thw car will start

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the feedback, not sure why VW would do something different in the EU? Making sure it's full should help get things primed without an issue. Even if it took a couple of cranking sessions, it will get that little bit of air out. Cheers!

[@StellarSailor]

@@BradleysGarage Thank you for this, I noticed this on my British Passat. It took a few cranks but the fired up nicely. Is it ok to let the car crank for a few seconds?

[@BradleysGarage]

@@StellarSailor It's not ideal for the HPFP to run for any amount of time without fuel. Just make sure the filter housing is completely full of fuel beforehand and you shouldn't have any issues. There will be very little air in the line going to the HPFP so you should be good. Cheers!

[@j3fftombstone936]

I have a 2015 passat TDI SEL... just today the engine light went off and I went to get a diagnostic test at autozone... it says that "The most likely solution" is to replace the DPF... but I had no idea that my car even had a fuel filter to be replaced since I got the car, so i have never done it.. I really, really hope it's just the fuel filter and not the DPF as the diagnostic said it was... so much money!!... If somebody could let me know if the diagnostic test was not accurate or something or am i screwed into paying $2,125 for a new DPF plus labor😭

[@BradleysGarage]

Sorry to hear you are having trouble with your TDI. Is this the error code you are getting - P2459/08863 DPF Regeneration Frequency ? Depending on how many miles you have, you may still be covered under the emissions warranty. With the diesel gate scandal VW is covering anything related to emissions for 10 years/123k miles from the in-service date. So if you are lucky enough to be under that mileage (since you are under 10 years) you should have no problem getting things covered by your local VW dealership. Let us know, Cheers!

[@collinnissley4752]

How do we dispose of the old one in the US?

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the question Collin. Since we purchase all of our parts from FCP Euro, we actually send the used fuel filter back to them for store credit. This means you only have to purchase the fuel filter one time and every time after that it will be replaced for free. If you purchase from another source and have a used fuel filter, you might be able to take it the same auto parts store that takes your used oil. If not, you can check with your local city to see if they have a collection for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) as they will most definitely take the fuel filters. Good luck on your VW project, Cheers!

[@aleKaneki]

Is this the same for 2015 vw passat tsi?

[@BradleysGarage]

Hey Alejandro, thanks for the question. On the gasoline engine (TSI) the fuel filter is integrated into the fuel pump assembly which is located under the backseat. It is not a serviceable filter like the Diesel (TDI) engine is. They claim it's a "lifetime" part which basically means it should be good for 10 years/120k miles. You won't need to worry about it until you have a fuel delivery related issue. Cheers!

[@aleKaneki]

Thank you ! I didn’t know that I’ll right that down my vw passat is at the 90,000 mile mark just trying to maintain it

[@BradleysGarage]

@alejandroayala2751 No worries, glad we could help you out. Just remember that the transmission service needs to be done every 50k for the TSI (Non-DSG) trans. Other than that it's just oil changes every 10k. Enjoy your Passat, Cheers!

[@reneguay1347]

I was told that my 2014 jetta will not cycle with the ignition????

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the question, it will depend on where you are located. In the US, the NMS Passat will run the lift pump when the key is cycled. In Europe, this is not the case and you either need to completely fill the fuel filter housing or utilize a scan tool to run the pump. The goal is to make sure the HPFP never runs out of diesel for lubrication. Good luck on your VW project, Cheers!

[@ZoubeirsWorld]

I did the priming thong more than 20 times and still no fuel that comes out.

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the comments, sorry to hear you are heading trouble with your Passat TDI. Not sure what you mean by no fuel is coming out? You are just priming the fuel bowl after everything is back together. There will not be any fuel that comes out anywhere. Let us know how it goes, Cheers!

[@ZoubeirsWorld]

@@BradleysGarage if you don't connect the output tube, diesel must come out of the fuel filter, so you know the filter is full. But there is no diesel pumped in my new filter when doing the ignition switch.

[@BradleysGarage]

@ZoubeirsWorld Not sure what's going on with yours. We have never disconnected the hoses so not sure what happens when you do. There is no reason to disconnect anything when doing the fuel filter. We have used the technique in the video more than a dozen times as we have (3) TDI's in the collection. Never ran into issues during those repairs. Good luck on your TDI project. Cheers!

[@vanhouten_cz]

@@ZoubeirsWorld because common rail engines dont pump fuel after you turn key.

[@ZoubeirsWorld]

@@vanhouten_cz is it harmful to turn the keynwhen replacing the filter without priming?

[@beni22sof]

Not sure about this. You should empty the filter housing of old diesel. The filter keeps the water which accumulates at the bottom so you should get that out just in case. Refilling with new diesel three quarters should do the trick. Also, if you spend the money on a passat you might just as well buy a scan tool which can run the fuel pump for 100 bucks. Nevertheless, the procedure is illustrated nicely.

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the comments Ben, appreciate the feedback. We don't have any experience with water being in the bottom of the bowl but it will not hurt anything if you want to swap it out with new fuel before reassembly. If you decide to remove the fuel it will give you an opportunity to remove any sediment that may be there and be able to wipe down the bowl. Having a scan tool is the best way to "prime" the system but it is not necessary in most cases, especially if the bowl is full of fuel. Thanks again for hanging out, glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers!

[@peterchajewski8065]

Amators job

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the comments Peter, it is a very easy repair to perform. Cheers!

[@beersr5810]

Where the f are the oil filter?

[@BradleysGarage]

Thanks for the question Beers. Here is our Oil Filter video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHK2mneFbbOlerM Let us know how it goes with your Passat TDI project. Cheers!