CAR FILTERS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO CHANGE THEM

Car filters are a must. When one of your filters gets clogged, it can cause problems and affect performance. You may notice a loss of power, dirty smoke, oil light or even engine failure. In this article, we’ll look at the different filters in your car and why you need to consider car filter replacing regularly.

Get to know the filters in your car

Every car has four main filters: the cabin filter, oil filter, fuel filter and air filter. The function of all these filters is to enable flows and catch impurities: the dust and contaminants in the air, the impurities in the fuel or the dirt in the motor oil. If your car filters are not replaced in time, they won't work properly and in the end, it could cause an impact on the mechanics. By replacing your filters, your car will be more efficient. Let’s take a closer look:

A. What is a cabin filter?

The cabin filter cleans the air that comes into the interior of your car through the heating and air conditioning. It filters out dust, pollen and other airborne particles. If you’ve got a carbon activated cabin filter it also captures exhaust gasses and odours. Having clean air in your car is particularly important if you have any allergies or respiratory problems.

Reasons to change your cabin filter on time:

• To breathe fresher air
  The cabin filter allows you to breathe clean air, by filtering bacteria, pollen and polluting substances. If you don’t change your cabin filter regularly, you may notice unpleasant odours and could have allergic reactions (sneezing, coughing, etc.)
• To avoid safety and visibility issues
  When a cabin filter is clogged, it may partially block the airflow coming into your car. This can be problematic, especially when you need to defog the windows.
• To increase the life of your car’s A/C heating system
  Having a clean cabin filter will maximise airflow and extend the life of your car’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

B. What is an air filter?

Just as humans need oxygen to breathe, a car needs oxygen for the combustion process. The air filter prevents any insects, dust, particles, sand or debris reaching the engine and ensures a good mixture of air and fuel to support performance. Car air filters come in different shapes:
panels, circular or cylindrical. They are made of a pleated material which filters the air and may be made of cotton, synthetic paper or foam.

Reasons to change your air filter:

• For a better car performance:
  When the air flowing into the engine is clean, the mixture of fuel and air supports maximum power.
• To save on fuel:
  Decrease fuel consumption by ensuring good combustion.
  
• To avoid black smoke:
  When the air filter is clogged, the fuel combustion is incomplete and leads to dirty exhaust smoke – which is a bad sign.