What is a Cabin Air Filter?
Did you know that houses have a Cabin Air Filter? This doesn’t mean that you live in a “Cabin”. We are trying to explain how your vehicle is similar to your house. The recycled air inside a house cooling/heating system goes thru a filter system in the house to absorb all the ‘smells’ of daily living along with impurities in your home. Those house filters should be changed regularly to help the air system work properly and efficiently.
What does the Cabin Air Filter Do?
Most late model cars have a Cabin Air Filter system. Some cars have more than one cabin air filter, usually when the vehicle has a dual climate control system. This generally involves a filter that is replaceable in more than one area of the car to clean the air as it moves through the vehicle. Our ASE trained technicians know what to look for and recommend the manufactures required repairs.
The BMW, Mini Cooper or Mercedes you drive is much like your house, only cars have wheels. Over time the Cabin Air Filter, which is in your car, needs to be replaced. This is because your car’s ventilation system is always moving air through the vehicle. Even if you just have the outside vent letting air into the car, the Cabin Air Filter is working and cleaning the debris that is coming into your vehicle.
When the Cabin Air Filter is clean, it helps keep the Air Conditioner and Heater system operating efficiently. This can help improve the gas mileage of your vehicle. How you ask? If the Cabin Air Filters are restricted by dirt and other road debris it could make the AC system work harder to maintain the temperature in your vehicle. That means more gas to keep your car comfortable.
Can I drive with my check engine light on?
Sometimes you can, but you really shouldn’t. We can’t stress this enough! Like we said before, this is a warning light. The more you drive around with it on, the more damage you are doing to your automobile. In many cases, if you take your car in right away the issue can be fixed much more quickly and easily than if you wait and keep driving. Bringing your vehicle in sooner can also save you money if your mechanic can catch the issue before it becomes a full-blown repair.
Clean or replace your Cabin Air Filter
Most mechanics will inspect your air filters at your regular maintenance checks. If you happened to have purchased a reusable air filter, your filter may just need to be cleaned so be sure to mention it to your mechanic. However, in most cases, your air filter will simply need to be replaced with a new one.
Come see us at Bavarian Master Care and we help make your BMW, Mini Cooper or Mercedes run as smoothly as it can so that you can take care of what’s important.
Contact Us Today!