Much like humans, vehicles need a steady flow of air to run efficiently and operate correctly. Your vehicle’s air filters are important to ensure proper airflow throughout your car, truck, or SUV, and it is imperative that you regularly check the air filters and replace them when needed. Let’s review why.
What is a Vehicle’s Air Filter?
There are several types of filters that your vehicle uses to help keep debris from entering parts of your vehicle where it could cause damage. We are going to review the air filters that are important to the functionality and your comfort in your vehicle.
- Engine Air Filter: The engine air filter serves to keep harmful impurities from entering your engine. If this filter becomes dirty or clogged it can cause major issues to your vehicle, including engine failure.
- Cabin Air Filter: Cabin air filters help prevent dust, pollen, dirt, and other contaminants from entering the interior of the vehicle through the air conditioning and heating vents. This air filter helps to capture exhaust fumes as well.
Why Are Your Vehicle’s Air Filters Important?
As mentioned above, the filters in your vehicle help to filter and keep out things that should not make their way into your car’s components. When your air filters become soiled and obstructed, the air that your vehicle needs to function cannot flow properly and can cause performance issues and larger problems. Let’s review further.
- Engine Air Filter: When the air flowing into the engine is clean, the mixture of fuel and air supports maximum power; however, when it’s dirty, performance issues occur. Engine air filters directly impact your vehicle’s fuel consumption and one that is blocked can decrease fuel efficiency (something we all want to avoid). Also, a dirty air filter can create exhaust odors and smoke, making your driving experience less than enjoyable.
- Cabin Air Filter: Having a clean cabin air filter is extremely important, as it directly impacts the air that you and your passengers are breathing. If your filter is dirty you can be breathing in bacteria, pollen, and other pollutants, that can trigger allergies and cause health problems. If the airflow coming into your vehicle is obstructed, it can also cause visibility issues. Keep in mind, having a clean cabin air filter also impacts the longevity of your vehicle’s heating and cooling systems. Much like a home HVAC system, if air can’t properly get to these components, it can make them work harder, causing them to fail sooner.
Your vehicle’s air filters are important, and you need to treat them as such. Having grimy air filters can impact your vehicle’s performance, air conditioning and heating systems, the air that you breathe, fuel efficiency, the longevity of vehicle components and the engine, and more.
Advanced Transmissions & Emissions is your local Phoenix automotive repair shop. We are here for all of your vehicle’s needs, big or small. Advanced Transmissions & Emissions specializes in transmission repair, rebuilding, and remanufacturing, and all of your other automotive repair needs from clutches, air conditioning, steering, suspension, and more. We are a full-service auto mechanic repair shop. Contact us today.
