Hyundai Repair: Hyundai Sonata fuel filter?, 2000, Hyundai

Question
My daugheter's 2000 Sonata seems toi be having a fuil filter issue.  It will start and stall unless you can get it over 3000 RPM.  She fueled up right after a station's tanks were filled making me think sediment.  I can't effectivly find the fuel filter under the back seat... there are two plates supprting the seat, do I pry them off or what?  Thanks,  Brett

Answer
I could not find anything in the manual on how to access your fuel filter, but I believe it is located near the fuel tank on the underbelly of the 2000 model Sonata. The plates supporting the back seat should be removable if that is where the fuel filter is located. I would never suggest "prying" on anything necessarily. If you are meant to access somewhere on your vehicle, then there should be a way of reaching it without using extreme force.

One thing that I would point out is that I have not really experienced many problems with a fuel filter causing some kind of mechanical problem. In my opinion, it sounds more like a faulty intake system. If the intake system is being limited somehow, then at low RPMs the car does not have enough oxygen to support it so it chokes and dies. When pushing it above 3000 RPM, the car begins to suck in more air through the bellows, creating a better fuel/air intake ratio. Be sure that the intake filter is clean, that there is nothing blocking the intake tube itself or clogging it in the line somewhere, and be sure that the air flow sensor is also hooked up properly.

If your check engine light is on, then I suggest running an engine diagnostics on the vehicle to see what exactly is causing the problem. Autozone typically will do these for free, considering they know that you will probably buy what you need to fix it with from them then.

I hope it is just the fuel filter, but that would surprise me. I am sure that you will be able to get it worked out, and if there is anything else I can answer for you, I will do my best.