Patent ID: 8361317

Claim:
A filter device for a motor vehicle, the filter device comprising: a filter element including a porous ceramic support body provided with one or more liquid passages receiving a liquid to be filtered, said liquid subject to freezing, said liquid expanding in volume within said filter element passages upon freezing; and filter membranes formed on inner walls of said one or more passages, wherein the liquid to be filtered passes through said filter membranes into said support body and exits from said support body through a circumferential surface of said support body; and at least one compensation element is arranged at an end face of said support body, wherein said one or more liquid passages open through said end face of said support body, wherein said at least one compensation element is an elastically deformable membrane, wherein said at least one compensation element closes over and seals off ends of said one or more liquid passages, wherein said at least one compensation element is adapted to elastically deform in response to expanding liquid volume in said one or more liquid passages generated when the liquid expands due to freezing.