A few things you need to know about replacing car air filters.

What is the function of car air filters?

The air contains impurities. If these impurities are not filtered out and enter the engine directly, they will cause excessive wear on the engine's mechanical components. The function of the air filter is to remove particulate impurities from the air.

For car air filters, their main working principles are: high filtration efficiency, low flow resistance, and the ability to be used continuously for a long time.

How often does a car air filter need to be replaced?

In reality, the replacement cycle for car air filters varies among different brands. Some may only need cleaning with 20,000 kilometers or 2 years of use(whichever comes first), while others may require replacement every year or with every 10,000 kilometers. The specific brand requirements can be found in the maintenance manual.

However, it's important to note that the replacement cycle and mileage for car air filters are not fixed. This is mainly determined by the air quality of the area where the vehicle is located and the long-term usage environment of the vehicle. If the area has a high level of dust, frequent haze, or if the vehicle frequently enters dusty construction areas, then the replacement cycle and mileage for the air filter should be shortened. After all, in areas with poor air quality, the clogging of the filter will occur faster and more severely. Therefore, in areas with poor air quality, it's necessary to replace the filter earlier based on actual usage conditions.

What are the consequences of irregularly replacing the filter and using low-quality filters?

Some car owners, in order to save maintenance costs, try to avoid replacing the air filter as much as possible, basically relying on tapping or blowing to make do. There are also some car owners who use cheap, unidentified brand filters. In fact, both of these practices are very damaging to the car!

Irregularly replacing the filter and using low-quality filters will definitely affect the air intake. This is because if the filter is not up to standard and the filter is severely clogged, it will increase air resistance, leading to inefficient engine combustion and increased fuel consumption.

Moreover, some low-quality filters may allow impurities to enter the engine due to aperture issues, thereby causing excessive wear on the engine.

Some low-quality filters may also experience issues such as detachment and breakage due to size and quality problems.

Therefore, purchasing genuine filters and regularly replacing them is particularly important.