Water in diesel filter

L

Lozsing

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Sep 11, 2016
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nottinghamshire
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45,072
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Since 2017
Advice needed, I have a fiat Ducato base 2014, and the water in diesel filter light has come on. Only done about 600 miles since we bought it? . Been looking around on internet for info. I have found the filter it's in a metal case , at the bottom is an electric plug with wires on it. I think I should disconnect this plug then unscrew the plug thus releasing the water. Can anyone tell me if this is correct.thanks in advance
 
Lozsing said:
I have found the filter it's in a metal case , at the bottom is an electric plug with wires on it. I think I should disconnect this plug then unscrew the plug thus releasing the water. Can anyone tell me if this is correct.thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Yes if you're lucky there will be a drain on the bottom of filter housing ( un-plug wires) just twist it to drain water out, then reconnect.
This could have been caused by condensation. Any space in the fuel tank above the fuel level will be air. This will contain moisture, as does the air around us. When the temperature is cold, the moisture condenses on the sides of the tank, and drains down into the fuel. The fuel rises above the water, so some water is drawn forward to the filter, which is designed to separate it out.

Pete
 
This might sound mad but mine some times comes on if the van has been stood and I have the cruise control on.........
Some sort if bad earth damp problem

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If your fuel filter looks like the one below you only need to slacken the nylon fitting on the bottom approximately 1/2 turn to drain an egg cup full of fuel/water, wear a disposable glove though !
8434ACC9-19DC-4A29-AAEA-E5CEE26684E5-4126-000004D2FFA21D01_tmp.jpg
If you find that yours is fitted with the earlier style black plastic filter housing then you'll just need to slacken the drain screw on the side with a screwdriver
6753514D-8470-4BDB-87AA-3E92EC3B6A99-4126-000004DB43D3F17E_tmp.jpg

Bear in mind that it's possible to have the warning lamp lit due to the well known dashboard fault which is a foc warranty job, even when past the 3 years
 
Not that it's any real help but reading a couple threads now about water in diesel lights or codes been generated... most probably in the majority of cases it's just a fault with the electronics and you don't actually have water in fuel...
Mk 7 transit I have used to generate that fault code.. couldn't understand what was going on... it is a Base specked model and there isn't even a sender on the filter for such a code.. and draining the filter produced no water...
In the end I found out it was quite a common fault and if memory serves me right was put right with an ecu update by ford..
Andy..
 
Ok so the light is only dim and you can check if there is a real problem by turning the C C off. So what happens if you save the cash and hassle and ignore the lights for ever?
 
Spanner said:
If your fuel filter looks like the one below you only need to slacken the nylon fitting on the bottom approximately 1/2 turn to drain an egg cup full of fuel/water, wear a disposable glove though !
View attachment 140116
If you find that yours is fitted with the earlier style black plastic filter housing then you'll just need to slacken the drain screw on the side with a screwdriver
View attachment 140117

Bear in mind that it's possible to have the warning lamp lit due to the well known dashboard fault which is a foc warranty job, even when past the 3 years
Click to expand...

Mine doesn't look like either of them

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I've just gone to take a photo of ours but the bonnet if covered in ice and frozen shut !
Most filters have a drain at the base, just use a mirror to get a better look at the base of yours.
 
At the base of mine is an electric plug with wires coming off it nothing round the sides
 
colmorangie said:
Ok so the light is only dim and you can check if there is a real problem by turning the C C off. So what happens if you save the cash and hassle and ignore the lights for ever?
Click to expand...

Ignoring dimly lit warning lights is not a good idea.
Dimly lit warning lights are a sign of a failing dash cluster, we had this fault followed by ABS and oil pressure lamp, glowplugs etc.
Certain illuminated warning lamps are an MOT fail item.
 
Reading lots of threads of things going wrong with engines etc I'm getting a bit of a motorhome hypercondriac. So, regarding the problem of condensation in the fuel tank, would this account for the high amount of white exhaust smoke I get when the van has been standing for a while?
 
Sorry being a bit thick here but what is a dash cluster and what happens if it fails ?

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Along way from Blighty presently and as per scattycat getting a bit paranoid...........
 
colmorangie said:
Sorry being a bit thick here but what is a dash cluster and what happens if it fails ?
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The instrument panel i.e. Speedometer, tachometer, fuel, temperature gauges and all the pretty lights below that shouldn't be lit unless there is a fault
 
Last edited:
Ok thanks at worst I could drive home with no warning lights and the speedo on my sat nav (y)
 
Ok just in case some other poor sole has this problem consider this tale.
I had not used my van for 6 to 8 weeks before getting in it to go to Portugal.
Set of and put the cruise control on when I got on the motorway and very nearly turned back as the other light fuel in filter came on.
I turned off the cc and carried on 2 days latter after lot of driving I put the cc back on and everything appeared fine that was nearly 2 months ago and I have never seen a fuel in filter light since....
I very nearly canceled my ferry and postponed my trip but pretty pleased I didn't.
 
You say it's a foc warranty job? Mine will be 4 year's old in June and my lights came on.
Spanner said:
If your fuel filter looks like the one below you only need to slacken the nylon fitting on the bottom approximately 1/2 turn to drain an egg cup full of fuel/water, wear a disposable glove though !
View attachment 140116
If you find that yours is fitted with the earlier style black plastic filter housing then you'll just need to slacken the drain screw on the side with a screwdriver
View attachment 140117

Bear in mind that it's possible to have the warning lamp lit due to the well known dashboard fault which is a foc warranty job, even when past the 3 years
Click to expand...
Warranty

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laurieash said:
You say it's a foc warranty job? Mine will be 4 year's old in June and my lights came on.

Warranty
Click to expand...

If you have dimly lit warning lights displayed then what have you got to lose by trying your luck at your local Fiat dealer ? After all it is a very well known fault.
You could ask the likelyhood of a successful warranty claim before they charge you a possible £80 diagnostic fee, but if successful even if you had to pay a 1/2 hour labour charge it still works out better than an independent repair of your faulty display (approx £150 )
 
Is anyone aware of a claim being rejected for a dodgy dashboard light cluster while being out of warranty? My first Peugeot was less than a year old so not an issue and then my Fiat was just out of warranty when replaced. I know of someone with 3 successful claims. Assuming the van was serviced then I would think that Fiat would pay up without too much of an issue apart from claiming there isn't an issue with the light cluster.
 
It is such a common & recurring fault & with people with multiple claims that I cannot see that they could ever refuse one ?
 
Disconnect the wiring ,unscrew the sensor until it drains ,retighten and refit wires .open the little nut/screw on the top of filter (about 2turns) turn on ignition until clear fuel comes out of top and retighten , if light stays on you will need to reset it with a computer

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