Let's talk about cabin air filters. There seems to be some confusion about them that we should be able to clear up. Much of the confusion starts because cabin air filters are relatively new. Not all vehicles have them, so some people confuse their cabin air filter with the engine air filter.
Every vehicle has an engine air filter that cleans the air going into the engine, but not all have a cabin air filter that cleans the air going into the passenger compartment. Easy to get mixed up.
The cabin air filter cleans out dust, pollen, spores and other pollutants. To give a point of comparison, a grain of sand is about 200 microns across. A cabin air filter can stop particles that are just 3 microns in size. It really does make the passenger cabin a much more pleasant environment.
When the cabin air filter gets dirty, you just need to replace it. Your owner's manual may have a recommended interval for changing it. If not we can inspect it. You know, it's ironic that many people who don't realize they even have a cabin air filter first find out they do when it starts to get smelly.
Some cabin air filters are very easy to access when it's time to replace them. Others, not so much. We may have to get behind the dashboard and it takes some time
A clean cabin air filter keeps out smog, allergens and other harmful pollutants. If it's time, get it changed right away.
