Cabin Air Filter Replacement

What is a cabin air filter?

A cabin air filter helps prevent contaminants such as dust, pollen, and dirt from passing through your air conditioning system and entering your vehicle. This allows for a much cleaner breathing environment for everyone in the vehicle. Cabin air filters are particularly useful for drivers/passengers that suffer from allergies or respiratory problems. It works by using a pleated piece of cotton inside the air conditioning which filters the air.

How do you know when to replace a cabin air filter?

A new air filter versus an old one.

If you regularly drive on unsealed roads, your cabin air filter will become dirty at a faster rate. This is because unsealed roads will force contaminants into your vehicle. If this situation applies to your own driving habits, you may want to keep an extra close eye on the signs that you need to replace your air filter. These could include:

Musty/bad smell, especially when air is on
Less air coming out of air conditioning
Increased dust on interior surfaces of the vehicle
After roughly every 24,000-48,000 kilometers, your cabin air filters should be replaced

The air filters to your cabin are not the only air filters in your car that need to be replaced regularly; see more about air filter replacement for the air filter that feeds oxygen to the engine. Also, see when to replace this air filter.

What happens if you don’t replace your cabin air filter?

A cabin air filter helps prevent contaminants such as dust, pollen, and dirt from passing through your air conditioning system and entering your vehicle. This allows for a much cleaner breathing environment for everyone in the vehicle. Cabin air filters are particularly useful for drivers/passengers that suffer from allergies or respiratory problems.

Over time, your vehicle’s cabin air filter will lose effectiveness. This is due to particles becoming stuck in the filter. A dirty cabin air filter will result in poor airflow from your air-conditioning/heater system. A dirty cabin filter may also produce a damp, musty smell inside your vehicle.

You may decide you want to attempt to replace the filters yourself as it is a job that can be done without too many tools. However, you will need to know what replacement to buy and follow a guide on how to do this successfully. If you are looking for cabin air filters to purchase, you might consider washable air filters as these can be reused and will save you money.