It takes a lot of different components to keep your car moving down the road day after day. Making sure these parts are working their best will improve the performance and elongate the life of your car or truck. One thing that many car owners don't think about very often, but is still very important is changing the air filter in your vehicle.
Dirty Air Filters Lower Fuel Efficiency
When the air filter in your car of your truck gets clogged with dust and dirt, it causes the engine to have to work harder to perform. In turn, this makes it use more gas to operate than it should. Keeping your vehicle running as the manufacturer intended with a clean air filter will help to keep the costs down at the gas pump.
Frequency of Changing the Filter
There are several factors involved when it comes to car maintenance in regards to your air filter. Depending on where you live and where you drive your car, you may need to change it more frequently. If you live or drive in rural areas across dirt roads frequently, you will need to get it checked out more often. Also, if you are in an urban area with frequent construction, the dust and debris from the sites can also clog your filter. Many manufacturers recommend changing it every 5,000 miles, but this could be more or less depending on the air quality in your location.
Performance of Your Engine
A clogged filter can also reduce the horsepower of your engine. Over time, it can even be so detrimental as to make your engine stall. Prevention is the key to good maintenance of your vehicle, and having mechanics check the air filter during routine services such as oil changes is an easy and smart thing to do to keep your car or truck running down the road for many miles to come.