A fuel filter is a component of the fuel system. It filters out the dirt and pollutants from the fuel before it enters the engine. If these filters are not present in the fuel system, debris and rust particles may enter the engine causing damage to the engine components.

The average lifespan of fuel filters is about two years or 50,000 kilometers. Signs of a bad fuel filter can be poor engine performance, hard starting, stalling, random misfire, etc. If you hear the knocking or ticking sounds after your car is warmed up, you may have a clogged fuel filter. Usually, you hear these sounds when you have dirty or cloggy fuel filters.