Air Filters

Air filters are an important part of any car because they help keep the engine running cleanly. Engines must draw in air through an intake, but impurities in the air can dirty the inner workings of your engine and slowly degrade it. Air filters remove these impurities so that only clean air is accepted into the engine and therefore helps to maintain it.

Since air filters capture the pollution present in air, they can quickly become clogged with residue. If the clogging becomes too severe, the engine will not properly be able to draw in sufficient air and may fail to work. Because of this, it is important to change your air filters fairly regularly—the recommended period in between changes is 12 months or 12,000 miles; whichever comes first. Depending on the pollution levels where you live, you may want to change the filters even more regularly for maximum engine performance.

An air filter replacement can be performed by a technician and usually costs around $20, but you can also change the filter yourself if you know how to do it. Replacement parts usually cost between $10 and $15, though high-performance versions can cost more.

Air filters help keep your engine performing at the level it should by only allowing it to run on filtered air. Changing your air filters regularly can prevent loss of performance, including decreased gas mileage and shortened engine life. Make sure your engine is running properly: keep your filters reasonably clean by changing them when recommended.