"Clean fuel filter" message on C350 CDI

[Ductman]

Yesterday morning we left the Dordogne region of France to head for home and I had noticed for the previous couple of days there was a slight hesitation when gently accelerating with the engine cold. Shortly after leaving yesterday, the "clean fuel filter" message came up in the dash. It was accompanied by the same slight hesitation I had noticed previously, but other than that, all seemed ok.
I decided to press on, having acknowledged the warning message. I had filled the tank about three days previously, so didn't need a refill for another 400 miles or so and assumed I must have taken on some contaminated diesel and hoped it would be ok. Anyhow, I refilled later on and after starting, the message hasn't reappeared, the hesitation has cleared and I've done a further 525 miles with no problem.
Given that any dirt in the fuel wouldn't clear itself, I'm now wondering if there was water in the diesel I had taken on, which somehow partially clogs the filter, but eventually clears. There had been rain of biblical proportions in the region a few days before, so is it possible it might have got into the filling station storage tanks? Would water in the fuel filter cause this?

 

[Corned]

It's possible, I guess.

It's one of those "keep an eye on it" kind of issues. May resurface; may not.

If so, change the filter; if not - get on with life and forget about it!

 

[st4]

The systems in those cars are proper good. The fact the car was hesitant wound mean it was running on poor or contaminated fuel, once you burned it then replaced with good fuel the cars warnings turned off.

I'd not worry about this until it comes back and maybe replace fuel filter come service time

 

[Ductman]

Thanks. I'd kind of convinced myself that's all it was, but wasn't sure if water contaminated fuel would cause this effect and maybe I might need to renew the fuel filter anyway. My worst fear was that it would go into limp home mode, as I really needed to be back home by last night.
Anyhow, all seems well now and it is back to rude health, so I'll just wait to see if the problem reoccurs, but at least I can do it myself now I'm back home.