Dirty Cabin Air Filter Symptoms

Read on to learn the signs your vehicle needs air filter maintenance so you can keep it healthy and on the road for years to come.

Dirty cabin air filter symptoms. But what are the signs of a clogged air filter. The cabin air filter is the filter responsible for filtering the air that is fed into the vehicle s heating and air conditioning systems. A dirty or clogged air filter can restrict the engine s airflow thereby decreasing the amount of air available for combustion while also throwing off the air fuel ratio. 1 unusual engine noises.

Symptoms of a clogged fuel filter. A cabin air filter that s dirty or clogged won t filter those contaminants causing problems for those who suffer from allergies or have breathing difficulties. The air temperature increase caused by a clogged cabin filter may be gradual or significant depending on how the filter is clogged as well as other factors such as the outside temperature and amount of sunlight heating the air as it passes through the car s windows. An unclean air filter greatly impedes the amount of airflow to the engine which in turn causes an overly rich air fuel blend.

These conditions will reduce performance in acceleration and fuel economy. Luckily dirty air filter symptoms are easy to identify once you know what to look for. Another symptom of a bad or failing cabin air filter is an unusual odor coming from the vehicle s interior vents. Since they work in essentially the same fashion as a regular engine air filter cabin air filters get dirty and should be.

Here are eight tell tale dirty air filter symptoms. An overworked air conditioning system with reduced airflow is less able to keep the a consistent cabin air temperature. As noted above a bad air filter can significantly affect the performance of your car s engine. One of the easiest symptoms to recognize is the appearance of the filter itself.

The filter traps dust pollen and other foreign particles preventing them from entering the vehicle and polluting the cabin. Over time the air filter can become dirty and clogged and the lack of air can affect the overall performance of your car. Highly concentrated air fuel mixtures can pollute the spark plugs which will cause your engine to misfire or miss. Most auto companies recommend that you change the air filter every 10 000 to 15 000 miles or every 12 months.

Clogged air filter symptoms. If you re noticing that the engine does not start up easily it may be due to a dirty air filter. An excessively contaminated filter may produce a dusty dirty or musty smell.