Worn or dirty air filters can have a significant impact on your car's performance. From weaker acceleration to decreased throttle response, a dirty air filter can cause your engine to malfunction. Replacing your engine air filter is an often overlooked maintenance item, but it is essential for optimal performance. The frequency with which the engine air filter will need to be replaced varies depending on the make and model of your car.
Maintenance schedules for different vehicle brands differ in how often the air filter needs to be changed. On most Chevrolet engines, for example, the recommended change interval is every 45,000 miles, while Ford suggests every 30,000 miles on many of its engines. Hyundai also recommends changing the air filter every 30,000 miles, but shortens it to 15,000 for “severe” driving conditions such as heavy traffic in hot climates and frequent driving on unpaved roads or dusty conditions. These rules will apply to other brands as well. If you drive in such conditions, it may be necessary to replace the air filter before the recommended interval.
You may be able to tell when a filter needs to be replaced just by looking at it. If you find black areas in the section where outside air enters, it may be time to change it. The good news is that the air filters on most engines are easy to access and you can check the location in your owner's manual if you need help. If you can't tell by looking, but it's been more than three years or 30,000 miles, you should probably buy a new one (especially if you can save money doing it yourself). However, you should be careful if every time you change the oil, the repair shop says you also need a new air filter.
We expect drivers, in most cases, to spend more than a year, at least, and probably more than two years between air filter changes, depending on conditions and mileage. Replacing your engine air filter has several benefits. It will increase fuel consumption, reduce emissions, allow optimal airflow and improve engine performance. There is no need to replace an air conditioning filter in your car if you have already replaced the cabin air filter. Air filters should be changed approximately every 12,000 to 15,000 miles, most often in dusty driving conditions. An air cleaner is one of the most economical maintenance components to replace and can be done by doing it yourself.
As the name implies, an engine air filter filters the air that enters the engine and traps dust particles, sand, dirt, and other debris that could damage engine parts. You can visually check the engine air filter to see if it looks dirty or if it is full of debris. A particle as small as a grain of salt can pass through a damaged air filter and cause a lot of damage to internal engine parts such as cylinders and pistons which can be very costly to repair. Several aftermarket air filters promise to increase power and acceleration by creating better airflow. However, there is a wide range of air filters available on the market and it's important that you get the right one for the make and model of your car. 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. An independent test of a Subaru Crosstrek found that a performance filter added 4 horsepower (just over 2%) compared to an original equipment filter and improved its acceleration from 20-60 mph in 0.2 seconds - gains that would probably not be noticeable in everyday driving. There are at least 5 benefits of changing your air filter regularly: better gasoline performance; reduced emissions; improved acceleration; longer engine life; and overall improved driving.
