What does a fuel hose do?

A fuel hose, or fuel line, is made of a braided, reinforced rubber and rapidly transfers fuel from the fuel tank to the engine. It is designed to withstand the pressure of modern fuel delivery systems and is resilient to the heat and compact design of the engine unit.

A failing or split fuel hose can have serious and dangerous consequences for you, your car and your passengers. Not only can a leaking hose ruin your fuel efficiency and increase the cost of running your vehicle, it can potentially leak highly flammable fuel directly onto your engine. A blocked hose can deprive your engine of fuel, which can lead to very expensive or even irreparable engine failure.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen (often shortened to VW) is a German automobile manufacturer founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front, a Nazi labour union.

Volkswagen is the flagship marque of the Volkswagen Group, who in turn is majority owned by Porsche. They own and operate a vast number of cars under other brand names—at the time of writing, they have 342 subsidiary companies.

How popular is Volkswagen in the United Kingdom?

Possibly its most well-known model of the current generation, the VW Golf, was the 2nd best selling car of 2018, behind the Ford Fiesta, which consistently takes the top spot year after year.

The Golf’s 64k registrations in 2018 added to the vast tally of 3.4million Volkswagen cars on the road today.

High quality, highly rated, appropriately priced cars

VW cars achieve consistently strong reviews and are highly respected by critics and drivers alike. They are renowned for investing more money into research and development than almost any other marque and distributing their wealth of motoring knowledge across the many partner brands under the VW Group umbrella.

The Volkswagen Beetle: The ‘people’s car’

A classic of its time, originally named the Volkswagen Type 1, it soon became nicknamed the Beetle due to its unique shape, and subsequently the bug. The unique looking car was designed by Ferdinand Porsche for Adolf Hitler, who wanted a cheap and simple mass-produced car to travel around his country’s new road network.

The new model Beetle, originally launched to celebrate the original classic in 1997, and with an updated successor in 2011, was designed around the VW Jetta platform sharing much of its build with the Jetta and Golf. VW announced in 2018 that the Beetle would finally be removed from production in July 2019.

How often should a fuel hose need replacing?

A fuel hose replacement shouldn’t be part of regular car maintenance. These hoses can last anywhere from 10,000 to 50,000 miles depending on what they are made of and how often you use your car. If you keep your vehicle well-maintained and use high-quality parts, your fuel hoses could last years.

The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT

Any fuel leak will result in an instant MOT failure. Be sure to check for any signs of leaks under your car before the test and have your car inspected or serviced if you suspect there may be an issue with your fuel system.

What happens when we do a fuel hose replacement on your car?

Our certified mechanics will:

• Inspect the entire fuel system for any issues

• Remove the fuel cap

• If necessary, they will remove the defective fuel hose

• The new fuel hose is installed

• Refit the gas cap and start the engine to check for fuel leaks

• Test drive the car and check the entire fuel system for leaks

What causes a fuel hose to break?

Fuel hoses are in constant use and must function under high pressures and high temperatures. Despite being designed to withstand these conditions, the hoses can crack and split as they become worn over time. As fuel leaks can potentially be very dangerous, it’s important to be extra vigilant of this issue and have it inspected if you notice any of the symptoms below.

When should a fuel hose be replaced?

A fuel hose replacement shouldn’t be part of regular car maintenance. These hoses can last anywhere from 10,000 to 50,000 miles depending on what they are made of and how often you use your car. If you keep your vehicle well-maintained and use high-quality parts, your fuel hoses could last years.

What are the signs of a bad fuel hose?

Usually, there a few signs you can look for:

• Fuel smell in your car

• Visible cracks on the fuel hose

• Visible fuel leaks - either small drips or puddles under your car. Learn more about fluid leaks here

• Your car starts hard or not at all

How often should you replace your fuel hose?

Typically fuel hoses can last anywhere from 10,000 to 50,000 miles depending on what they are made of and how often you use your car. If you keep your vehicle well-maintained and use high-quality parts, your fuel hoses could last years.

What happens during a fuel hose replacement?

During the repair our certified mechanics will:

• Inspect the entire fuel system for any issues

• Remove the fuel cap

• If necessary, they will remove the defective fuel hose

• The new fuel hose is installed

• Refit the gas cap and start the engine to check for fuel leaks

• Test drive the car and check the entire fuel system for leaks

What is the average life of a fuel hose?

The lifespan of a fuel hose will depend on the quality of the parts, the driving conditions and how frequently you use your car. Typically they can last anywhere from 10,000 to 50,000 miles. If you keep your vehicle well-maintained and use high-quality parts, your fuel hoses could last years.

Can you drive with a broken fuel hose?

Do not drive if you suspect your fuel hose is broken or leaking. A failing or split fuel hose can have serious and dangerous consequences for you, your car and your passengers. Not only can a leaking hose ruin your fuel efficiency and increase the cost of running your vehicle, it can potentially leak highly flammable fuel directly onto your engine. A blocked hose can deprive your engine of fuel, which can lead to very expensive or even irreparable engine failure.