How Often Should You Change Your Car Air Filter

Before replacing your car'due south engine air filter, information technology'southward important to understand that most vehicles have ii air filters: A cabin air filter and an engine air filter (a.k.a. "vehicle air filter"). The cabin air filter ensures that passengers have make clean air to breathe. This is particularly important for urban center dwellers or anyone who lives in an area with poor air quality. The engine air filter, on the other hand, keeps the air your engine "breathes" clean and costless of clay, dust, and other particles -- all of which tin affect how efficiently your motorcar runs. A dirty air filter tin can result in ignition problems and lower gas mileage.

Every modern vehicle engine requires a mix of fuel and oxygen to run properly. Imagine trying to exhale through a face mask caked in clay, grit, and other environmental contaminants. That'south what it'southward similar for your engine to run with a dingy engine air filter. Thankfully, changing the filter is i of the simplest and cheapest routine maintenance items to tackle. (Even easier than changing your oil!) Mod engine air filters are piece of cake to admission and typically require few or no tools to supplant. Here's the lowdown on how ofttimes to change the engine air filter and how you can even practice it yourself in less than five minutes.

how often to change the engine air filter man working car tools

How To Supplant the Engine Air Filter In Your Car

Step 1: Open your vehicle's hood. To locate the engine air filter housing, wait for a big, usually black, plastic box sitting atop or to the side of the engine. In that location should exist a big hose coming out of one side.

Step ii: Annotation how the filter housing is secured. In most cases, two easily and some elbow grease are all that's required to open it. Some manufacturers, nonetheless, use clamps, clips, screws, wing nuts, or a combination of these, in which case y'all'll need an appropriate tool.

Step iii: Open the summit of the housing. Remove and discard the one-time air filter. Wipe whatsoever remaining debris from within the housing with a shop rag.

Step 4: Install the new engine air filter by placing it inside the housing with the rubber rim facing up. Ensure it's seated properly and snugly inside the housing.

Step 5: Shut the filter housing and replace any fasteners (screws, clips, etc.) removed in Step Two. Shut the hood. That'south information technology!

How Oftentimes Do I Need To Replace the Air Filter in My Car?

Engine air filters should exist replaced regularly. The short reply for when to replace yours is: It depends. Your vehicle's year, make, and model, how you bulldoze, and even where you drive -- if information technology happens to be in an area that's hotter or more polluted than normal -- can all affect the filter-changing schedule. The easiest way to know for certain how oft to change the engine air filter is to check the maintenance section of your owner'southward manual or simply Google to discover the manufacturer'south recommended service interval. This tin vary widely from 15,000 miles in severe driving atmospheric condition to equally much every bit 45,000 miles.

A unproblematic visual inspection tin can provide a "status check." New filters are stark white or off-white. A dirty engine air filter will usually look dirty with visible dirt, dust, or stains inside the pleats. If in doubt, whatsoever reputable mechanic in your area will be able to tell you for sure. As a dominion of thumb, most boilerplate drivers should be able to go one to two years before needing a new air filter. A word of warning: Whatever mechanic who recommends a new engine air filter every time y'all bring your vehicle in for an oil change (i.e., every iii,000-v,000 miles) is a red flag.

How Often To Replace Motel Air Filter in Motorcar?

Like vehicle air filters, cabin air filters should also be changed regularly as part of your vehicle's routine maintenance. Most manufacturers recommend scheduled intervals between 15,000 to every bit loftier equally 45,000 miles. To simplify things, consider changing both of your auto's filters at the same time. The good news is that replacing the cabin air filter in your motorcar is even easier and cheaper than irresolute the engine air filter. It'south something anyone can do in less than five minutes with few or no tools required.