The air filter in your car is an essential component that helps extend the life of the engine. It is designed to trap dirt and debris that can cause damage to internal engine parts, such as cylinders and pistons. By providing clean air flow to the engine, an air filter ensures that the engine receives the correct amount of air needed to operate at its maximum level. This is why it is important to change your air filter on a regular basis. When it comes to air filters, there is a wide range of options available on the market.
It is important to get the right one for the make and model of your car. If you tend to drive with heavy traffic in an urban area with poor air quality, it is recommended to change your air filter once a year, if not more often. A dirty engine air filter will usually look dirty with dirt, dust, or stains visible within the folds. Air filters need to be changed approximately every 12,000 to 15,000 miles, most often in dusty driving conditions.
Fortunately, changing the filter is one of the simplest and most economical routine maintenance items to address. For every gallon of fuel burned, the engine consumes up to 10,000 gallons of air, so it's easy to understand how important a clean air filter is to the proper operation of a car. Dirty or damaged air filters reduce airflow to the engine, which changes the car's air-fuel balance. This imbalance can contaminate the spark plugs, causing the engine to run inefficiently. Like vehicle air filters, cabin air filters should also be changed regularly as part of routine vehicle maintenance. Some manufacturers of newer car models have changed the engine design to make more efficient use of space, and sometimes that means placing air filters in more difficult to reach places, which can slow down the process.
Other names by which automotive air conditioning filters are known are micron air filters, cabin air purifiers, cabin air filtration systems, and cabin air dust filters. If you know where your air filter is located (you can refer to your owner's manual for where to look), you can do a visual inspection. Those who live in areas with large amounts of pollen, especially those who live in areas with large numbers of oaks, should pay close attention to how often they change their air filters. When you drive, you are surrounded by other cars, all of which emit pollution to the air.
