United Tire and Service News

You probably know about the air filters in the cabin of your car, but did you know there is an air filter for your engine as well? Under your hood you’ll see a box near the engine with an air intake hose leading into it. Inside the compartment is a filter, similar to any other kind of air filter. To run properly, engines need a steady flow of air. The filter weeds out any particles, dust, debris, etc so it doesn’t get into the engine. Much like how the cabin air filter prevents you from inhaling anything you shouldn’t.

So, as the owner of your vehicle, how often should the engine air filter be changed, for your specific vehicle?

 

You should know that every car manufacturer is different when it comes to making recommendations about changing the engine air filter. The recommendations can be anywhere from every 15,000 miles to 40,000 miles. 

In the manufacturers' defense, the recommendations do take into consideration the hot weather, off-road driving, unpaved or dusty roads, and what they call “severe” conditions, as contributing factors for changing an engine air filter more frequently. As a general rule, changing an air filter every 30,000 miles is usually appropriate, regardless of the make and model. However, the fact remains, it takes a visual inspection to know for absolute certainty when an engine air filter needs to be changed, especially with the air quality concerns throughout Philadelphia and the entire country.  

 

If you haven’t changed your engine air filter in a few years, it’s vitally important to have it inspected immediately. An engine air filter that becomes completely clogged can restrict the airflow, which typically will activate the dashboard indicator light on your vehicle dashboard. Although it’s convenient, that is not something you want to rely on. By the time the light comes on, the lack of airflow may have already caused mechanical issues.

Failing to bring the maintenance up-to-date can cause decreased engine performance and lowered acceleration by about 6 to 8 percent, as well as a marginal impact on fuel economy. A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy concluded that fuel-injected engines have a lower chance of being significantly affected by a dirty air filter. However, if you're still driving a vehicle with a carbureted engine, the study might not be as good news to you.

 

Inspecting your engine air filter frequently is your greatest defense against low air quality and preventing a clogged or dirty filter. While having a dashboard common indicator light is helpful, the light is not designed to replace visual inspections. Although manufacturer recommendations are important to consider, the knowledge of a technician, who performs air filter replacements on a daily basis, should be relied upon to know how often should the engine air filter be changed. If it’s been long enough where you’re experiencing problems with your engine, it may be time to schedule engine repair.

 

If you would like to learn more about this topic, please reach out to United Tire & Service at any of our 13 independent locations. Our shops have served the Philadelphia community for several decades and it’s our pleasure to help in any way that we can. Our team is committed to being there for all of your repair needs and providing exceptional customer service with each repair order. Need to make an appointment? Use our online service scheduler, or give us a call!