Ensuring the right mix of air and fuel gives your car all the ingredients for proper combustion. However, if your air filter is damaged, dust particles could get through it, so how often to replace the air filter in a car?
You should replace the air filter in your car every 12,000 to 15,000 miles, depending on your engine and the user’s manual specifications. Even the tiniest particles of air allergens like dust and dirt could permanently damage your engine’s pistons and cylinders. So, this guide will help you prevent that as we dig deeper into the question and inspect the signs telling you the air filter should be replaced.
What does an air filter do?
Every car comes with two air filters, but what drivers usually mean by “air filter” is the engine’s filter. However, it’s also important to note that the cabin air filter ensures you have clean and breathable air as you drive.
Both these filters serve a significant role in your health and the health of your engine, so let’s start with the engine’s filter. The engine’s air filter prevents any air residues from entering the combustion chambers, and it keeps your engine functional both mechanically and performance-wise.
If it weren’t for this filter, it would be impossible to achieve the clean mixture of air and fuel that your engine needs for good combustion. Let’s say you were driving an SUV on your favorite off-road trail, where sand gets blown in the air by your tires. If your air filter is damaged, those small sand particles could get into the engine and affect the combustion.
Important components of the engine could be damaged every time you step on the gas, so you must replace the air filter on time. As for the cabin’s air filter, it’s there to provide breathable air in the cabin. This is especially important for polluted areas where the filter keeps the air coming from your A/C unit fresh and filtered.