Changing Your Air Filter Is a Cinch

ving some basic auto knowledge is important for everyone, not just gearheads. Knowing a thing or two about what’s under the hood and how your car functions will make you a safer, more confident driver. Not to mention, keeping up with your car maintenance will extend the longevity of your vehicle and make it more valuable if you decide to sell or trade-in. Autos 101 is your resource to learn about basic auto maintenance, along with common problems and how to fix them. This week we look at air filters, both under the hood and in-cabin, because they are inexpensive and incredibly easy to replace.

There are two air filters in your car, the internal combustion air filter and the cabin filter. Both improve the circulation of air in your vehicle, which is better for engine performance, the air conditioning system, and the quality of air you breathe inside your car. The internal combustion filter collects all the dust, insects, and other particulates flying around under the hood, keeping it from getting inside the engine. And the cabin filter improves the quality of air circulating inside the cabin, while filtering out pollution.

It's a good practice to inspect your filters at every oil chage or 6,000 miles.”

Both of these filters are inexpensive. I went to my local auto parts shop and bought the cabin filter for $15 and the internal combustion filter for $17. My auto dealer, on the other hand, was going to charge me a whopping $80 to change them both. It is completely unnecessary to fall for this money trap. When you’re getting your oil changed, they might recommend that you get a new filter, but if they’re going to charge you a labor fee on top of the cost of the filter to do so, you’re better of going to buy the part and popping it in yourself. It takes all of maybe five minutes.

Make sure both your filters are the same as the filters you’re pulling out. You can consult your owner’s manual, or your local auto parts shop will be able to tell you which filter you need based on your car’s make, model, and year. Alright, so first, check your car is off — duh! Pop the hood of your engine and secure it. Your air filter unit is usually right on top of the engine. You’ll need to loosen the clamps sealing the air filter cover. If your air intake hose gets in the way, you might need to unplug your airflow sensor in order to remove the air filter cover. Then simply pull the old filter out and pop the new one in. Put the air filter cover back on, making sure the edges are sealed and clamps pressed down. And very importantly, make sure you reconnect your airflow sensor if you unplugged it or you’ll have major problems!

The in-cabin filter, or AC filter, is just as simple. The filter is located inside your glove box, so you’ll need to clear out the compartment so you can take off the glove box panel. Most glove boxes have tabs on either side holding it in place. Pull one of the edges towards you to pop out the first tab, and then do the other. When you remove the glove box frame you should see your air filter tucked in. Just pull it out like a tray, and put your new filter in the same way. Then pop your glove box frame back on, making sure to line it up with the hinges on the bottom of the glove box. And that’s it.

Both these procedures won’t take you longer than five minutes, and in my case it saved me nearly $50 to replace them myself. You can consult your owner’s manual to see how often your filters need to be replaced, but generally speaking, most car manufacturers recommend changing the cabin air filter once a year or every 12,000 to 15,000 miles — whichever comes first. You should change your internal combustion air filter at every oil change, or at least inspect it every 6,000 miles. Hopefully after reading this you won’t ever have to pay for someone to change your air filters ever again … I know I won’t!