A bad air filter can cause a range of issues, from harmful emissions and fuel waste to damaged spark plugs and engine buildup. It's important to monitor parts that suffer from a lot of wear and tear, as a dirty air filter can reduce the amount of air supplied to the engine. This can lead to an increase in unburned fuel that turns into soot residue, which can build up on spark plug tips and cause the car to move abruptly, idle, or even fail. Most automotive companies recommend changing the air filter every 10,000 to 15,000 miles or every 12 months.
However, if you drive in dusty or rural areas, it's a good idea to have your mechanic check and change it more often - for example, every 6,000 miles. Driving in busy areas where there is a lot of traffic also requires you to replace the air filter more often. Most vehicles also have a cabin air filter that is used to clean the air entering the interior of the car, but it has a different maintenance program than an engine air filter. Our certified mobile mechanics perform more than 600 services, including diagnostics, brakes, oil changes, scheduled mileage maintenance, and will come to you with all the necessary parts and tools.
A clogged air filter can be avoided by changing the air filter approximately every 12,000 miles, depending on driving habits. If air can't easily flow through the air filter, your HVAC blower has to work harder to circulate air around your home. Inadequate air supply can cause some of the fuel not to burn completely in the combustion cycle. If it seems like your car is slower and a little sluggish, checking the condition of your air filter should be the first step (always look for the cheapest and easiest cause possible when diagnosing any automotive problem).
As dirt and debris from the outside accumulate on the surface of the filter, its color will begin to progressively darken. When stepping on the accelerator, the engine is required to draw in more air to burn the fuel that is injected for power. Replacing the air filter is actually one of the easiest DIY tasks you can perform on your vehicle. Neglecting a dirty air filter can result in poor fuel consumption as the air used for each fuel unit is constantly reduced. Simply changing your air filter regularly can reduce stress on your HVAC system, make your home temperature more comfortable, save you money on your bills, and even improve your health.
The faulty air filter will not allow enough air to exist, which in turn will mark the engine control unit to match the fuel accordingly, resulting in delayed throttle response and overall weak engine performance. For every gallon of gasoline consumed by a car, it must be able to ingest thousands of gallons of air to process that fuel efficiently. However, you can clean reusable and foam filters with specific applications - but you must dry them before replacing them. When airflow is restricted by dirty or clogged filters, you will start to feel hot or cold spots all over your home. The air cleaner is mounted on the engine to prevent dirt and debris from being sucked into the intake manifold and causing it to block. If you neglect a dirty air filter, you may notice progressively poor fuel consumption as well as black smoke or flame in the exhaust that smells like gasoline.
