When a Bobcat Filter Plugged Code Is the Correct Service Trigger
Bobcat filter plugged codes work differently by model: the T770 says check the display and service the air filter only when required.
Table of Contents
Bobcat filter plugged codes: what they mean for service
On some Bobcat loaders, a filter plugged code is the service interval itself, not just a fault.
The four filter codes at a glance
| Code | Filter | Legacy format | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|---|
| M0117 | Engine air filter, plugged | 01-17 | Owner (O&M manual item) |
| M0116 | Engine air filter, not connected | 01-16 | Dealer if it persists |
| M0217 | Hydraulic / hydrostatic filter, plugged | 02-17 | Owner (O&M manual item) |
| M0216 | Hydraulic filter, not connected | 02-16 | Dealer if it persists |
Source: Bobcat T110 Operation & Maintenance Manual service schedule (M0217). Other definitions await OEM confirmation. Verified Sept 29, 2026.
Is this code your service interval?
On the T110, Bobcat’s schedule calls for a new hydraulic/hydrostatic filter after the first 50 hours. After that, it is replaced when M0217 appears or at the scheduled interval, whichever comes first. For whether a code should stop work on your model, see which Bobcat fault codes stop work on your machine.
Jump to:
- Planning PM (preventive maintenance) → the model schedule table.
- Machine down now → can you finish the shift.
- Code back after a new filter → what owners found.
ℹ️ Safety Note: Hydraulic systems can hold pressure after shutdown. Hot fluid or a pinhole leak can penetrate skin, and that injury needs immediate surgical treatment. Raised lift arms can drop without warning if unsupported. This article is for general understanding: follow your machine’s Operation & Maintenance Manual, and have a qualified technician do any work beyond it.
Which filter each Bobcat code points to
The code number tells you which filter circuit the controller is flagging.
Plugged vs. not connected
“Plugged” means the restriction switch is reporting that flow through the filter is blocked. “Not connected” points to the switch circuit (the sensor, its wiring or its connector), not the filter element itself.
Third-party code lists disagree on M0217’s name: some say “hydraulic implement filter,” others say “hydraulic/hydrostatic filter.” Bobcat’s own T110 schedule ties M0217 to the hydraulic/hydrostatic filter element, so use that name.
Legacy 01-17 and 02-17 on older loaders
Older loaders show codes in a two-part XX-XX format. For how the two formats map to each other, see how Bobcat’s two code formats map to each other. The legacy equivalents in the table above come from an unofficial list and stay flagged until OEM-confirmed.
Does the code replace the hour interval on your machine?
Bobcat’s schedules treat filter codes differently by model and era. That is why forum answers contradict each other.
| Model | Air filter | Hydraulic/hydrostatic filter | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| T110 | Service only when required | First 50 hr, then on M0217 or as scheduled | S/N |
| T770 | Check display panel; service only when required | Scheduled replacement; no code trigger listed | S/N |
| T190 (older) | First 50 hr, then on transmission warning light or at 500 hr | S/N |
Sources: Bobcat T110 service schedule and T770 service schedule (Operation & Maintenance Manual schedule pages); T190 from a rehosted OEM manual. Verified Sept 29, 2026.
Machines where the code is the trigger
On a machine like the T110, a plugged code is a scheduled service event, not a breakdown. Log it against engine hours.
Machines on a fixed interval
On the T770 schedule, the hydraulic/hydrostatic filter is replaced on hours, and the air filter is serviced when the display calls for it. A code before the interval is therefore a signal to investigate, not routine.
Older machines with a warning light
Pre-display loaders used a warning light instead of a code. Pull the schedule for your exact serial from Bobcat’s historical maintenance schedules, or find the schedule for your serial number.
The first 50-hour filter change and dusty jobsites
Both the T110 and T770 schedules call for the first engine oil and filter change at 50 hours. The T110 also calls for its first hydraulic/hydrostatic filter at 50 hours.
Why the break-in filter change matters
🔍 Why It Fails: A new machine sheds assembly debris into its fluids during the first hours of running. The first filter catches that debris. That is why the first change comes early and the later ones stretch out.
When dust and heat shorten filter life
Both schedules shorten the oil and filter interval to every 100 hours under severe conditions. Bobcat’s E88 excavator schedule notes that filter and oil life drop in high-dust or extreme-temperature work. Treat that as class-level guidance: it comes from an excavator document, not a loader schedule.
Can you finish the shift with a filter plugged code?
Whether the machine limits itself depends on the code and the model.
What the machine may do on its own
One 2019 owner of a T650 showing M0117 reported sudden loss of lift and tilt functions, and a service technician suspected a faulty sensor had triggered limp mode. That is a single report, not a rule.
Owned vs. rented machine
✅ Do This: Check your O&M manual’s service-code page for the exact code. On a rental, stop and call the rental house before opening anything. If you own it and the code keeps returning, ask a Bobcat-certified technician whether the switch or the filter is at fault.
Before anyone opens the filter housing
Filter access on some loaders involves raised lift arms and a pressurized hydraulic system.
Lift arm support and stored pressure
📜 The Rule: 29 CFR 1926.600(a)(3)(i) requires end-loader buckets and similar equipment to be fully lowered or blocked during repair, with controls in neutral, the engine stopped and the brakes set. An OSHA interpretation letter names Bobcats among the covered equipment.
⚠️ Hazard: Unsupported lift arms can drop onto someone working beneath them. Residual pressure can inject hot fluid into skin. Use the approved lift arm support device and the procedure in your O&M manual.
Owner job vs. dealer job
Bobcat’s service literature limits owners to the procedures in the Operation & Maintenance Manual. Anything beyond it goes to qualified Bobcat service personnel.
Filter code back after a new filter? What owners found
Documented owner reports point to three causes when a code returns early (n=3, 2019–2025; a small sample).
Sensor and wiring faults
A 2019 T650 owner with new air filter elements still saw M0117, and a technician suspected the sensor. The full troubleshooting path is in why M0117 stays on after a new filter.
Contaminated fluid and filter damage
In 2025, a fleet running a high-flow mower on loaders including a T770 saw repeat M0217 codes. The owner found filters with deformed or detached bottom plates. In 2021, a 334 mini excavator (cross-class, different code format) threw its code again within 10 hours of a new filter, with grayish oil.
If the fluid looks off, check the next hydraulic signal as well: what a charge pressure code means.
FAQ
1. What is Bobcat code M0217?
Bobcat code M0217 flags a plugged hydraulic/hydrostatic filter. On the T110, the schedule treats it as a filter replacement trigger.
2. What is 01-17 on a Bobcat?
01-17 is the legacy-format air filter plugged code on older Bobcat loaders.
3. What does “filter not connected” mean on a Bobcat?
A Bobcat filter “not connected” code points to the switch, wiring or connector, not the filter element itself.
4. Do I change the Bobcat hydraulic filter on hours or on the code?
It depends on the model. The T110 uses the M0217 code or the schedule; the T770 lists hours only.
5. When is the first Bobcat hydraulic filter change?
On the T110 and T190 schedules, the first hydraulic/hydrostatic filter change is at 50 hours.
6. Can I keep running with a Bobcat filter plugged code?
Check your O&M manual’s service-code page for that code. Derate behaviour varies and isn’t confirmed here. Call your dealer if unsure.
7. Why does a Bobcat filter code come back with a new filter?
Owner reports point to faulty sensors, contaminated fluid, or damaged filter bottom plates. Have a Bobcat-certified technician diagnose it.
8. Does dust shorten Bobcat filter intervals?
Yes. Bobcat schedules shorten oil and filter intervals to 100 hours under severe conditions such as heavy dust.
9. Should I change the Bobcat charge filter at the same time?
The T110 schedule replaces the charge filter with the hydraulic/hydrostatic filter; the T770 lists it on a separate line.
10. Do Bobcat excavators use the same filter codes?
No. Bobcat excavators use a separate code format, so check your excavator’s own manual or code list.
Where this leaves you
If the code matches your schedule, log it against engine hours and change the filter as your O&M manual describes. If it returned early, go to why M0117 stays on after a new filter and book a Bobcat-certified technician to test the switch circuit before buying more filters.
The inputs you need are filter kit price, change interval in hours, and annual machine hours.
Every fact here traces to Bobcat service literature, OSHA, or dated owner reports. None of it comes from first-hand operation.
