Why You Should Replace Your Cabin Air Filter

Learn why replacing your cabin air filter is important for regular vehicle maintenance and how it can improve engine performance and reduce pollutants.

Why You Should Replace Your Cabin Air Filter

Contamination is one of the most common reasons for regularly changing the cabin air filter. This filter is the only thing that stands between the outside road air and the inside air of your car, blocking out smog and dirty exhaust fumes from other vehicles. Did you know that your vehicle has a cabin air filter? That's right, it filters the air that enters your vehicle, the air you breathe while you are behind the wheel. Our service technicians usually offer to change it when changing the oil in their vehicle, but many customers reject this offer, either because they think it is too expensive or because they are not aware of its importance.

However, it's ideal to replace the cabin air filter every 12,000 to 15,000 miles (especially if you live in a densely populated area or in a large city). Regularly changing the air filter can also improve engine performance. Read on to learn more about the benefits of regular filter replacement. Failing to replace a dirty or clogged filter will affect the efficiency of your car's heating and cooling system. Poor efficiency can cause other problems, such as reduced air volume, bad odors in the cabin, or premature failure of HVAC components.

Simply replacing a dirty filter can make a big difference in car air quality. It can also cause unfiltered air to circulate inside the car, affecting you and your passengers. It also means that your air conditioning and heating systems will operate much more efficiently, so your cabin will cool down much faster in hot summer months and heat up faster in colder months. If you are driving in heavy traffic in an urban area with poor air quality, you may need to replace your cabin air filter once a year or even more often. However, even if you don't have these warnings, you should have your air filter checked at least once a year, and you may be able to do it yourself.

A new cabin air filter will prevent pollen from entering the vehicle and causing its occupants to start sneezing, or worse. There are many different types of air filters for all the different makes and models on the road, which can make it confusing (and frustrating) if you try to put a random filter on your car or find the specific filter type for your vehicle at a local auto parts store. The best way to ensure that the air is clean is to change the cabin air filter as often as recommended by the car manufacturer. If you're servicing your vehicle at a repair shop or dealership, the technician may recommend a replacement of the cabin air filter. Cabin air filters prevent dust, dirt, pollen, bacteria and exhaust fumes from entering your car's HVAC system. If left untreated, a dirty filter can clog up, limit the amount of clean air entering the cabin, and cause the heating or air conditioning to work harder than necessary.

Those who drive in congested urban areas or places with poor air quality may need to replace their filters more frequently. Most late-model vehicles contain cabin air filters to trap material in the air, which can make it less pleasant to travel in a car. Changing the cabin air filter is an important part of regular vehicle maintenance, and ignoring it can cause some rather uncomfortable effects. If you prefer to have your cabin air filter changed by a mechanic or vehicle technician, you're in luck. Just like an air filter in your home, cabin air filters prevent harmful pollutants, allergens, and other debris from circulating wherever air flows in your vehicle.

If you live in a desert climate, the filter may become clogged with dust more quickly, requiring frequent changes.