Air Filter vs Cabin Filter vs Oil Filter

When it comes to filters, your vehicle has several of them, but the three most important ones are your air, cabin and oil filters.  Your air filter prevents harmful debris, dirt, and contaminants from entering your engine, while your cabin filter prevents dust, pollen, dirt, and other pollutants from entering your car through your A/C and heat vents.  The oil filter helps remove contaminants from your car engine’s oil that can accumulate over time as the oil keeps your engine clean.  Clean motor oil is important because if the oil were left unfiltered for a period of time, it could become saturated with tiny, hard particles that can damage surfaces in your engine.

It is important to routinely maintain these filters to not only protect your vehicle but to also protect yourself.  If you notice problems such as a decrease in your car’s gas mileage, problems with acceleration, or visible soot, dirt or debris on the air filter, that could mean that you need to replace your air filter.  If you don’t notice any such problems, you should always replace your air filter according to the owner’s manual.  A handy tip is every 5000 miles or so to remove the air filter and vacuum the dust and debris off of it, and simple act that can improve performance.

When it comes to your cabin filter, most recommend a once-a-year change as sufficient.  Doing so will improve air quality and help with allergy problems by filtering out pollen and mold spores. When the air is dirty, the A/C will work harder and the motor can burn up.  Oil filters are recommended to be replaced with every oil change.  They are relatively inexpensive, and is a simple and inexcusable maintenance operation.  Our shop can replace any of these filters for you, so feel free to call or stop by our shop today!