What Does Replacing an Air Filter Do For Your Car?

Casey Louw
Casey Louw
Extended Warranty Specialist
April 11, 2022
5
min. read
car engine

Your car has all types of filters. We will be looking at engine air filters and cabin filters. We will be answering the question: what does replacing an air filter do for your car? We will also look at will replacing your air filter make your car faster? Next, we will decipher how to know if your cabin air filter needs replacing? And finally, we will answer the question: what does replacing your cabin air filter do for your car? Car filter maintenance protects both you and your car. It’s ideal to know how the various filters work and how often you need to change them.

What is the Engine Air Filter?

Imagine your car’s engine as a simple air pump. An engine air filter can also be called a vehicle air filter. It maintains the air that goes into the engine as clean and dirt-free, as well as clear of other contaminants that can make their way into the intake system.

Will Replacing Your Air Filter Make Your Car Faster?

We will answer the question: will replacing your air filter make your car faster? Having clean air helps proper combustion in the engine to occur. A clogged engine’s air filter can have a negative impact on performance. Replacing a clogged up air filter can improve fuel efficiency as well as acceleration so your car can go faster, depending on your car’s make and model. A clean air filter also promotes engine longevity.

Are there Various Types of Engine Air Filters?

It is known that there are two major types of engine air filters. These are paper or cotton gauze. Paper is found more commonly but needs to be replaced more frequently. Gauze filters need similar maintenance, but can also be cleaned and then reinstalled, which helps you save. Your car’s manual will specify which type you need.

How Often Do I Need to Change the Engine Air Filter?

You need to check or service your engine’s air filter once a year or every 15, 000 to 30, 000 miles. The driving environment in which your car finds itself also affects this period. If you drive on dirt roads a lot, it may be necessary to change your engine air filter more often. You can get your car inspected to get a professional mechanic’s opinion on when you need a change.

How Do I Know If My Engine Air Filter Needs Replacing?

You can sometimes tell if it needs replacing by looking at it more closely. Open your hood and find the air filter. Your manual will specify its exact location. It usually is housed in a black box next to the engine. Open the casing, take out the old filter and check for contaminants. If you see contaminants in between the pleats area of the filter it needs to be replaced.

Cabin Air Filter

A cabin air filter is actually part of the car’s ventilation mechanism that takes away odors from the air breathed in the car’s main cabin. The cabin air filter is situated in the cowl section under the hood or sometimes at the back of the glove box in your car. It stops dust, dirt, pollen and fumes from moving through the ventilation system.

What Are the Different Types of Cabin Air Filters?

There are various types of cabin air filters that work slightly differently. The most commonly seen is the particulate air filter that traps contaminants that pass through a fibrous material. More advanced is electrostatic cabin air filters. These use statically charged fibers that will attract and trap any particles or odors like smoke or exhaust fumes. The best-performing cabin air filters have charcoal or activated carbon components. Activated carbon air filters do the same as mentioned above and remove bacteria or any microorganisms in the air. These filters are more expensive and need to be changed more.

How to Know if Your Car Cabin Air Filter Needs Replacing?

We will answer the question: How to know if your car cabin air filter needs replacing? You can tell if you need to replace your cabin air filter if you notice moldy smells in your ventilation system. You can also tell if the vents whistle with the fan on or if you get bad air flow from your vents. You will need to replace your cabin air filter.

What Does Replacing Your Car Air Cabin Filter Do For Your Car?

We will now answer the question: What does replacing your car air cabin filter do for your car? If you replace your cabin air filter, you will have a better driving experience, your defrosting function will work better as well and your heating and cooling systems. A new cabin air filter will mean any odors will disappear that were wafting through your ventilation system.

It’s Good to Keep an Eye on Your Engine Air Filter and Cabin Air filter

It’s wise to keep an eye on these two air filters in your car. A clean engine air filter affects your car’s performance, speed and acceleration positively. A clean cabin air filter removes any odors and improves the heating, cooling and defrosting functions of your car.

Ensure You Have Breakdown Protection in Place

Chaiz allows you to compare quotes easily online so you can find the protection plan you need. A vehicle service contract is commonly referred to as an extended car warranty. Vehicle service contracts are offered by third-party warranty providers.

This way, when your vehicle has a mechanical breakdown you will have coverage for your car and the repair bill will be accounted for so you won’t have to reach into your own pocket. You can potentially save thousands of dollars. Our marketplace has a very simple search tool where you can input your car’s make, model and mileage and the top vehicle service contracts will appear brought to you by third-party warranty providers.  The coverage level varies and affects the price so you can choose a warranty that suits your financial needs.

With Chaiz auto protection, you can drive with peace of mind knowing your car has adequate coverage.

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