The air filter in your car is essential for keeping your engine running smoothly and efficiently. It is designed to trap dirt and debris that can cause damage to internal engine parts, such as cylinders and pistons. By changing the air filter regularly, you can help extend the life of your engine and reduce emissions. How often you should change your car's air filter depends on how often you drive.
Generally speaking, it should be replaced every 30,000 miles. When the air filter becomes clogged or worn out, it affects the quality and quantity of air entering the engine. This can lead to a decrease in fuel consumption and engine performance. It is generally recommended that you change your vehicle's air filters every 12,000 to 15,000 miles.
However, if you drive mostly on city streets or dusty roads, it's a good idea to change your car's air filter more often or at least inspect it regularly. Just like changing the oil, changing the air filter is one of the car maintenance tasks that you can easily perform yourself. If you know where your air filter is located (you can refer to your owner's manual for where to look), you can do a visual inspection. If you tend to drive with heavy traffic in an urban area with poor air quality, it is recommended to change your air filter once a year, if not more often.
Being the lungs of the vehicle, the air filter prevents impurities from entering the engine and provides a constant flow of clean air. It also plays a key role in maintaining the performance and longevity of your car's engine by removing contaminants that can clog the combustion chambers and prevent proper combustion of fuel. By changing the air filters in your car, it helps extend the life of the engine and reduce emissions. Dirty or damaged air filters reduce airflow to the engine and modify the car's air-fuel balance, which can contaminate spark plugs and cause the “Engine Service” light to come on.
Many people don't realize how much their air filter contributes to a better, less expensive, and healthier car trip. Just as your lungs can become clogged by air pollutants, your car's engine suffers when the air you “breathe” isn't clean. That's why it's so important to change your air filter.
