Understanding the Cabin Air Filter

Let’s talk about cabin air filters. There seems to be some confusion about them among drivers that we should be able to clear up. Much of the confusion starts because cabin air filters are relatively new. Not all vehicles in Ohio have them, so some of our customers we see in North Olmsted 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 vehicle passenger cabin a much more pleasant environment.

When the cabin air filter gets dirty,  your local auto repair center can replace it. Your owner’s manual may have a recommended interval for changing it. If not, our automotive mechanics can inspect it at our North Olmsted auto repair center. Many Cleveland drivers don’t realize they need to change their cabin air filters until it starts to get smelly.

Some vehicle cabin air filters are very easy to access when it’s time to replace them. Others, not so much. At our automotive repair shop, sometimes our auto mechanic will have to get behind the dashboard and it takes some time.

A clean cabin air filter keeps out smog, allergens and other harmful pollutants. Whether it’s time to get your cabin air filter changed or if you’re not sure when you need to, stop by our North Olmsted auto repair shop and let us help!