How Often Should You Replace The Air Filter in your Car?

Whether you’re driving long distances on a road trip or commuting daily, keeping clean air flowing in your vehicle is important. Your car’s air filter is an essential workhorse, keeping your car’s mechanics clean and clear while you drive it. Occasionally, an air filter change is necessary to keep your vehicle running and performing at its best. In this article, our Meadowland GMC service team explores the importance of car air filters, how often to replace them, and how to tell when it’s time for a change.

What Is an Air Filter?

A car’s air filter is a component that keeps pollutants such as dirt and dust out of the fresh air flowing into your vehicle. There are typically two types of these in a car: the engine air filter and the cabin air filter. These serve the same purpose for two different areas of the car. An engine air filter works with the air intake of your engine’s internal combustion chamber, preventing dirt particles from causing damage to the engine and reducing your vehicle’s emissions. Over time, this engine filter becomes clogged and needs changing to maintain your vehicle’s performance and safety.

The cabin air filter removes debris from the air that flows into your car’s cabin, ensuring that the air you and your passengers breathe is clean. This makes the air breathable, odorless, and safe to be inhaled by anyone in the vehicle. Like the engine air filter, a cabin filter should be replaced periodically to remove contaminants. Otherwise, it will be ineffectual, and impurities will continue to affect the car’s overall air quality. Keep your GMC vehicle comfortable for yourself and your passengers by changing your air filter regularly.

Where Is the Air Filter?

The location of a car’s air filter varies between models and manufacturers, but they’re generally located in very similar positions. A GMC vehicle’s engine air filter is in a housing near the engine, which often looks like a small black box covered with a lid. You can access this housing with a screwdriver or Allen wrench and change the filter, which is a rectangular tray with papery layers of filter media. These filters are easy and affordable to replace since they’re made of inexpensive materials.

A GMC vehicle’s cabin filter is in the interior of the car, usually behind the dashboard. The housing for the cabin filter is concealed and secured behind the glovebox. You can usually get to this section by loosening a screw and removing the glovebox. Once you have found the housing, you can see the cabin filter inside and easily remove it.

Can I Do It Myself?

Replacing your car’s air filters is relatively easy and inexpensive, provided you know their location. Consult your GMC vehicle’s owners manual to locate your model’s engine and cabin air filters. Once you’ve located them, order air filters compatible with GMC vehicles to replace the existing ones. You can then replace them to keep fresh air circulating throughout your car.

How Can I Tell When To Replace My GMC’s Air Filters?

While there’s often no clear indication of when to change your air filter, some telltale signs and symptoms could show that replacing your air filter is a good idea. A dirty air filter prevents clean air from entering your car, so you may find that the air in the car is too warm, smells off, or is difficult to breathe. Engine overheating may also be a clear indication that your engine air filter needs replacing to help circulate cool air while the engine operates. Reduced acceleration power can also point to an issue with your engine filter.

The quickest way to check if your air filters need replacing is to open the housing and visually check them. If the filters have a light layer of dirt and dust, they’re probably fine, but if they’re excessively dirty or have any holes in the fabric, you’ll need to replace them immediately.

How Often Should I Change My GMC’s Air Filters?

You should check your GMC vehicle’s air filters whenever you begin to experience issues with your car’s air quality or engine performance. If you find the filters dirty or damaged, remove them and replace them with new ones. Even if they look like they’re in good condition, you should try to change them every 12,000 to 15,000 miles or at least once a year. If you frequently drive on dirty or dusty roads, consider changing them more often, as the wear on your filters will be more than average.

What Happens if I Don’t Replace My GMC Vehicle’s Air Filters?

If you don’t regularly replace your vehicle’s air filters, it can have a measurable impact on the air quality in your car. If you don’t replace your cabin air filter, passenger air quality can decrease, leading to the cabin air becoming too warm and stuffy. A clogged engine air filter can affect the air quality inside the combustion chamber, decreasing your GMC’s engine performance and fuel efficiency. It would be best to replace your air filters often to avoid these effects.

Speak With Our Team at Meadowland GMC in Meadowland, New York

If you’re struggling to locate your air filters, would like advice on replacing them, or need help sourcing compatible parts, we at Meadowland GMC are happy to discuss your needs. If you’re bringing in your vehicle for a service, we’d be happy to change your filters during the same job. Contact us online or call us at 845-225-8468 to talk to our customer service team, and we can connect you to an expert advisor to help you get what you’re looking for.

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