Different Types of Car Filters and Reasons to Replace Them

Like any other machine, car filters are essential for straining and expelling impurities before they can harm your vehicle. Failing to change automobile filters severely damages the car's vital parts. Clean car filters are the only solution to avoid such trouble.

A vehicle has four types of filters in cars. This blog will take you through types of automobile filters and reasons to change them.

A car has four main filters, namely- air filters, cabin filters, fuel filters and oil filters. All of them act as a protective barrier to not just your car but to you as well. If you do not replace them in time, they cannot protect your vehicle from dust or friction.

The types of each filter used in cars are given below:

Just like humans require clean air for a healthy life, automobiles need clean air for proper functioning. Air filters prevent impurities from entering the vehicle engine. They function just like the filters in your nose and windpipe.

The air filter traps dust particles, pollens, sand, and insects that can enter with air. By filtering out these impurities, air filters ensure that an adequate amount of air and fuel enters the car engine.

Without an air filter, the cylinder walls of an engine will get damaged. The air filter screens are breathable materials like cotton, paper or foam. They come in different shapes like circular, panel and cylindrical.

What Are the Reasons to Change an Air Filter in Car?

Air filters help cars inhale fresh and serve you smoothly. It is beneficial for automobile owners to replace their car filters regularly for the following reasons.

• Reduces Emission: Damaged air filters can directly impact a car's exhaust system. In modern cars, blinking service engine light indicates it is time for your car to get a new air filter. As you replace the air filter, the car will no longer emit black smoke. Changing the air filters will save your car's engine and environment.
• Improved Engine Life: Small particles like sand or pollen grains can cause major damage to the vehicle's engine parts. Repairing them can be very expensive. However, you can protect them by regularly changing the air filters and letting clean air pass through them.
• Conserves Fuel: A dirty air filter limits the proper mixture of air and fuel in the engine. This reduces acceleration and puts lots of pressure on the engine. Changing the air filters allows clean air to blend properly with fuel. This ultimately increases fuel efficiency and acceleration.

Cabin filters are a type of air filter present in a car's interiors. They function to filter air that passes through the air or heat conditioners. Impurities like dust, pollen, bugs, debris and other airborne particles are filtered out.

Usually, these car filters are rectangular and made of paper or fibrous materials to trap impurities. Cabin air filters accumulate these impurities instead of letting them pass through the car. Hence, after a certain time, these filters need changing.

What Are the Reasons to Change a Cabin Filter in Car?

Following are the reasons you must change a full or damaged cabin filter.

• Health Issues: Neglecting a full cabin filter means compromising your health. When you switch on the AC, you will inhale the contaminated air. This may cause severe lung issues or health problems as a whole. On replacing cabin filters, the air you breathe is fresh and clean. Thus, making your journey safe!
• Improves the Lifespan of the Car AC: Clogged cabin filters interrupt airflow through it. By replacing them, airflow is maximised, and the quality of your car air conditioning is improved.
• No Foul Odours: Foul odours are a sign that the cabin filters need changing. By replacing them at regular intervals, you can avoid the stench caused by clogging cabin filters.
• Avoid Visibility and Safety Issues: A clogged cabin filter makes airflow in your car difficult. This causes an issue while you try to defog the windows.

Third, in the list of car filters comes the fuel filter. This guards the car’s internals against impurities that enter with fuel. It consists of a cartridge placed in the fuel line. A screen in this cartridge traps the impure particles.

Fuel filters in vehicles running on petrol function differently from those of diesel vehicles. In petrol-operated cars, these filters only strain the impurities from fuel. Fuel filters in diesel cars are necessary not only for filtration but also for preventing corrosion.

By protecting your vehicle fuel injectors, fuel filters extend the car’s life.

What Are the Reasons to Change a Fuel Filter in Car?

Following are the reasons to regularly change your vehicle’s fuel filters:

• Keeps the Car in Good Condition: If one does not replace these automotive filters, impurities entering with fuel can corrode your car's engine. Thus, to keep every part of the car in good condition, timely replacement of fuel filters is necessary.

• A Clogged Filter Weakens Engine Performance: Replacing a clogged fuel filter also helps in improving your car's acceleration. The fuel pump no longer has to spend more power to draw fuel. As a result, you can smoothly start your vehicle.

Oil is crucial in ensuring the smooth functioning of your car. However, impurities present in the oil are hazardous for your vehicle and can cut short its life. That is why oil filters are necessary.

Oil filters are the type of car filter that keeps your car engine lubricated and free from impurities. It filters debris and impurities while the engine is running. An efficient oil filter improves mileage and smooth running of your vehicle.

It is advised to change oil filters every time you go for an oil change.

What Are the Reasons to Change Oil Filter in Car?

Following are the reasons why changing oil filters is necessary.

• Saves the Engine From Wear and Tear: A clogged filter does not allow sufficient oil flow to the car components. This increases friction and heat, leading to wearing out of car parts. Changing these car filters will allow adequate clean oil to flow through them, thus protecting your car’s engine from friction.

• A Clogged Filter Contaminates Fresh Oil : Changing an oil filter while you go for an oil change is necessary. If left unchanged, fresh oil passing through the clogged filter will get dirtier and accumulate waste in your vehicle.

• Lowers Air Pollution: Failing to change clogged oil filters leads to the accumulation of dirty oil and hydrocarbons in areas around the engine. The emission of these hydrocarbons with smoke is very harmful to your lungs and the environment.