How to Change the Fuel Filter in a Dodge Caravan
by Chris MooreUpdated November 07, 2017Items you will need
Fuel filter
Wrench
Jack stands
Floor jack
Plywood
To keep your Dodge Caravan's fuel system running cleanly, you need to change the fuel filter every 12,000 to 20,000 miles. The bulk of the fuel system is located around the rear left wheel well on the Caravan, which includes the fuel tank, pump assembly and fuel filter. You need to lift up the van on the rear side and slightly lower the fuel tank to reach and remove the fuel filter.
Relieve all pressure from the Caravan's fuel system. Open the gas cap, start the engine and remove the fuel pump relay from the fuse box. The engine will stall after a few seconds; crank it a couple of times to ensure it doesn't start again. Turn off the ignition and disconnect the negative battery cable.
Raise the Caravan's rear end on jack stands. Locate the fuel tank near the left rear wheel well. Support the tank with the van's stock floor jack, placing a sheet of plywood between them to keep the jack from damaging the tank.
Remove the strap bolts on the fuel tank and lower it slightly, without removing it altogether, so you can reach the fuel filter.
Disconnect the fuel filter from the fuel delivery and return lines at their quick-connect fittings. If they are two-tab fittings, squeeze the retainer tabs inward and pull the line and fitting apart. For a retainer ring fitting, push the fitting toward the line while pushing the retainer ring into the fitting and pull them apart with the ring depressed.
Remove the fuel filter by removing its mounting bolt.
Mount the new fuel filter onto the van and tighten the mounting bolt. Connect the filter to the delivery and return lines.
Secure the fuel tank to the van by raising it back up and placing it back in the straps. Lower and remove the floor jack once the tank is secure, then lower the vehicle from the jack stands.
Re-connect the battery cable, fuel pump relay and gas cap. Pressurize the fuel system by turning the ignition on for two seconds and shutting it off for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat this ignition switch procedure five to ten times.
Writer Bio
Chris Moore has been contributing to eHow since 2007 and is a member of the DFW Writers' Workshop. He received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Texas-Arlington.
