7 facts about the cabin filter that you didn’t know

Every modern car is equipped with a filtration system designed to clean the air that enters through the heating system. There are several varieties of this cleaner, so the list of capabilities of each varies widely. Coal ones, for example, additionally eliminate unpleasant third-party odors.

The basic version absorbs all the dust and dirt that comes from outside. A completely logical question arises: how often to change the cabin filter? We will try to deal with this problem in this article, because the process itself is an integral part of vehicle maintenance.

To the exact address

You can find many products on the market that look good and have an attractive price. Many buyers make their choice based on the appearance of the product and its low price. But there is a huge distance between the appearance and the quality of operation of the cabin filter. Sometimes you just want to wonder: is such a filter even capable of fulfilling its duties?

There is a simple rule that can suggest the right choice. On a high-quality filter, the country of production must be indicated: made in... You can find products that mimic Japanese or German ones, but have nothing in common with them, and only because the country of origin is not indicated. The rule is this: if you can’t find out where the filter was made, don’t buy it without regret!

How often to replace

Most drivers consider this process optional. But it is important not to forget that road safety directly depends on the well-being of the car owner. At the same time, clean air flow should always prevail in the cabin.

• The expiration date of the cabin filter is indicated in the instruction manual. But the period of use of one filter must be calculated depending on what conditions prevail in the environment while driving.
• The situation on the highway is different in each locality.
• In the Russian Federation, the filter will last less than the specified period.

It is impossible to understand on your own that it is time to replace this part. Even if there is no dust on the surface, this does not mean its cleanliness. There is a category of motorists who prefer to remove this part in the winter. This is due to the use of the stove. This is only permissible when there is no dust and debris on the roadsides and roads. The manufacturer also plays a big role in the operation of the cabin filter.

Most foreign manufacturers advise replacing this important element in the cleaning system after the next 20-25 thousand mileage of the car. A more accurate frequency can be found in the manual for your vehicle. If the machine is used in a big city or metropolis, then the part must be replaced after every 10,000 kilometers traveled.

The smell has nothing to do with it

There is an opinion that activated carbon in the cabin filter is only needed to absorb odors. This is true, but only partly. In fact, the absorption of odors is a side effect, a free bonus if you will.

The main task is not to allow nitrogen oxides (which, by the way, caused a Volkswagen fire at the diesel gate), ozone, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide to enter the cabin. These are substances that are very harmful to human health, which the filter is actually supposed to absorb - it is them, and not some odors. Therefore, assessing the performance of a filter by whether it allows odors to pass through or not is incorrect.

How to replace the cabin filter

The easiest way to replace the cabin filter is when it is located near the engine compartment. The replacement procedure is performed as follows:

1. Open the hood of the car, this will give you access to the front panel (not for all models).
2. Further actions may vary. For example, some cars have a removable panel or hatch, and in order to get to the filter compartment, you need to remove this hatch. But most often you can get to the filter through the space between the windshield and the engine compartment. There is a shield that must be carefully removed, and then we will gain access to the filter compartment. The method of fastening the shield can also be different, for example, sometimes there are sealing profiles fixed with bolts.

3. You can now release the cartridge. Typically, latches are used to secure it; carefully push them aside and the filter will snap off. In the future, you will have to act differently, since it depends on the developer’s imagination. Sometimes you have to slide it up to get the element out, and on some cars it just comes out straight out. The filter element can be solid, but it also happens that it consists of several parts. Be sure to remember how the cartridge is correctly positioned in the compartment; this is necessary in order to correctly install a new filter in the future.

4. On many models, the cabin filter is located in the cabin, under the glove compartment or passenger seat, for example. Then there is no point in going under the hood.

   
   The process of replacing the cabin filter on Lada Vesta

5. Some car versions have a dust sensor, so remove the filter carefully, otherwise the sensor may be damaged.
6. Vacuum the place where the filter is attached well, and use a rag to completely remove dirt.
7. Carefully and slowly insert the new filter element. Sometimes the filter may not work, do not try to use force, this often happens due to a mismatch of the filter. If you continue to push it further, you may break all the fasteners in the cell. Sometimes it’s worth paying attention to the marks; maybe you’re just not inserting it correctly.

8. After the new filter is installed, you can begin assembly, but only in reverse order.

If you want to watch and understand even better how to replace the cabin filter, you can watch this video:

How much does comprehensive body protection cost?

Such a high-tech filter costs about 800–900 rubles. Expensive? How to say. We breathe every day. If we divide the price of a filter by the number of days in a year—filters must be changed at least once a year—we get clean air for 2.3 rubles per day. And this is the price of health! For just over two rubles, you will rid your body of such harmful substances from roads and streets as the aforementioned nitrogen oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide, as well as carcinogens, soot and even microscopic particles of rubber dust swirling over the asphalt.

On which cars does the ventilation system fail more often?

The lowest quality units for filtering the air entering the cabin are installed on budget versions of cars. For this reason, car owners have to pay a lot of money to car repair shops for ventilation processing. And all this happens due to the fault of the manufacturers, who did not work out some elements.

Here are the models you most often encounter difficulties with:

• Daewoo Nexia is a car brand with the worst ventilation system, which is also completely ineffective.
• Lada Priora is a well-known domestic car, and it is a leader in ventilation difficulties. Although the car does not have air conditioning, the filter needs to be changed very often, and car owners also have to deal with a number of other problems.
• Chevrolet Lacetti - this car is also common in Russia, its roots come from Daewoo. That’s why you shouldn’t be surprised at the shortcomings in the ventilation system, but unfortunately, this information doesn’t make things any easier for owners.
• Renault Logan 1 is a car that has a number of significant shortcomings, but this was only in the first generation of cars. When the second modification came out, motorists appreciated it, since all the problems were worked out well and now the system functions correctly.

Sometimes air filtration systems break down not because the designers didn't think through the system correctly, but because of the owners. For example, many motorists try to save money on servicing their car, so they buy cheap Chinese filters. For this reason, the entire ventilation system may fail. Treat your car well and have it serviced by specialized services.

Filter types

For the first time, air purification elements began to be installed on cars in the early 90s. At that time, if not identical, they were very similar to standard filters. Subsequently, the structure and design of the component was significantly altered and improved. The first two-layer options appeared: the first layer retained street dust, and the second eliminated the penetration of microscopic particles of pollution into the cabin. After some time, models began to appear on the market equipped with an additional layer of activated carbon, which significantly improved the quality of air filtration .

Conventionally, modern filters are divided according to the method of cleaning the air supplied to the cabin. There are 2 broad categories:

• mechanical;
• adsorption (carbon).

In the first case, the air overcomes an “obstacle” in the form of a mesh of very thin special fibers. In the second, activated carbon is included in the work, so the element additionally absorbs harmful substances and unpleasant odors.

Introduction

Any vehicle consists of many components, and one part of the units is ready to actively function for more than one year, while other elements of the device must be regularly changed to ensure the overall performance of the car. For example, a device such as a cabin filter is designed to clean the air that enters the car interior through the heating system. Many motorists do not know how often to change the cabin filter in a car, although service center specialists consider replacing this type of element an integral part of any technical work. A car equipped, for example, with a charcoal device “protects” the driver and passengers from unpleasant odors coming from the street. Therefore, the unit, which absorbs dust and dirt, must be changed regularly. Let's consider the reasons and frequency of replacing cabin filters in cars.

Experts and experienced motorists recommend replacing the cabin filter once a season.

Replacing the air filter

Replacing the air filter is not particularly difficult; you can easily do this work yourself using simple tools. You will need to study the instructions for the car, which indicate where such a cabin filter is located. Next, open the casing, usually it is secured with clips, after which they carefully remove the filter, install a new filter element in its place and snap the casing into place. Typically, such work takes no more than 5 minutes; the car does not need to be driven by a service center, which allows the car owner to save some money.

Let's sum it up

The car owner needs to regularly replace the air filter, which prevents the appearance of a characteristic unpleasant odor in the car interior and eliminates malfunctions of the air conditioner and ventilation system. Typically, such a cabin filter replacement is performed every 20,000 kilometers; you can do all the work yourself, saving on contacting specialists.

The cabin filter in a car is changed every 20,000 kilometers, but if the car is used on unpaved country roads, this service interval is reduced to 10,000.

Which filter is better to choose?

The industry produces two types of cabin filters: with a paper-based filter element and adsorption filters with an additional layer of activated carbon. The adsorption filter not only traps small debris, but also neutralizes harmful substances and eliminates unpleasant odors in the cabin. When choosing a filter, you should rely on the catalog number of the original product. The top ten manufacturers of cabin filters include such well-known brands as:

• MANN;
• RAF;
• DENSO;
• KNECHT MAHLE;
• BOSCH;
• FRAM;
• CORTECO;
• AMD;
• FORTECH;
• FILTRON.

Naturally, the adsorption filter neutralizes exhaust gases from the exhaust of neighboring cars stuck in a city traffic jam. In such a situation, you should not forget about your own health. Of course, which filter to choose depends on personal preference and the thickness of the driver’s wallet; both types of filter elements equally perform the main function of preventing small particles and dust from entering the ventilation system.