How do you change a fuel filter on a 2007 mercury mariner four cylinder?

Answer 1

Just did it for the first time this afternoon, took about 20 minutes start to finish.

1. Unplug the fuel pump relay
2. 1. It's in the driver's side fuse box inside the hood
   2. It's the grey relay sitting in front of a black relay
3. Start the car and let it run until it dies... now the fuel system is depressurized.
4. Jack up the drivers side and place it on jackstands... a little extra room never hurts.
   1. It's a cylinder hose clamped to the underside of the vehicle located under the rear driver's side seat.
5. Locate the fuel filter and place a drip pan under it.
   1. Use a flat blade screwdriver to push the white plastic things OUT out of the black plastic housings.
6. Unclip the fuel lines.
   1. WARNING, it's going to drip some gas... hence the drip pan.
7. Pull the fuel lines off the filter
   1. That should give you enough wiggle room to get the old filter out.
   2. WARNING, it's going to pour gas out... hence the drip pan.
8. Unscrew the hose clamp, and if necessary (it was for me) loosen the two 10mm bolts holding the filter to the vehicle.
9. Take note of the fuel flow direction, it flows FROM the passenger side TOWARDS the drivers side.
   1. You can reuse everything (clips, hoses, etc.) except the filter.
   2. DON'T forget to clip the lines tight.
   3. DON'T forget to check for leaks.
10. Install your new filter in the reverse order
11. Reconnect the fuel pump relay
    1. Repeat that step 4 more times.
    2. This will power up the fuel pump, refill the filter, and refill the lines.
12. Turn the key to on, BUT DON'T START IT. Count to 5, then turn the key off.
13. Start car

DONE.

I did throw a misfire CEL and insufficient fuel pressure CEL in the first 5 seconds. I cleared those and they never came back... I probably didn't prime enough (I only primed 3 times... I told you to do it 5 times in the instructions).