Your car’s air filter plays a crucial role in protecting your engine. In most manufacture’s manuals, air filters need to be replaced after approximately 15,000 and 30,000 miles based on your driving conditions. If you drive often on unpaved roads, all the more reason to change the filter on a regular basis. However, even if you don’t drive regularly, the filter should be replaced after 2-3 years because it ages with time and gets brittle. If its old, reach out to your mechanic or an auto spares shop to get a replacement. When the filter is old and brittle, it can tear giving room for pollutants to enter the engine.
How the Air Filter Works
You find the air filter inserted in your car’s air filter box. If you are looking for it, it designed with pleated paper-like material. Air comes into the car’s engine from the bottom. All dirt, particles, and debris coming with the air get trapped in the filter box. The more you drive, the more the filter gets dirty and with time it limits air flow into the engine. When this happens, you engine finds it difficult to “breathe” and it starts to strain. If you haven’t checked your air filter for a while, reach out to your mechanic or a genuine spare parts dealer for a checkup or replacement.
Signs of a Failing Air Filter
If you notice that your car lacks power even on hard acceleration, your air filter may be clogged up. The car may also start to consume more fuel but this is may be a rare occurrence. However, in extreme cases, you may notice that a warning light indicating “check engine” showing up on the dash. If you have such a problem, reach out to an auto spares dealer or mechanic to have your car filter changed to avoid further damage.
What Can Your Auto Parts Dealer or Mechanic Do
If you take your car for air changes on a regular basis, the air filter is also checked. Genuine parts dealers can check the condition of the air filter and determine if it needs a change. Mechanics and auto spares parts dealers check for a light source found around the filter to determine its condition. If the light is not visible, the filter needs a replacement.
Replacing the Air Filter
If you are one those people who like DIY, you can check your air filter by using the vehicle manufacturer manual to find it in the engine compartment. For some cars, a socket or screw driver may be required to open up the air filter box. In other cars, you simply need to remove the few clips holding the filter box. If you decide to do the replacement yourself, make sure the air filter is properly fitted and the air filter box is tightly closed afterwards. Engine light will warn you on the dash if it is not properly fit
You should know that using a mechanic or a genuine spares parts dealer to replace the filter is not expensive. It is best to have the job done by a qualified auto parts dealer using factory (OEM) parts that enhance the performance of your car. At Auto Plus Dubai you can be assured of high quality services to deal with the unique needs of your car.