Summer – An Ideal Time To Change Your Air Filter

Once again, it’s that season of the year when you need to start planning to replace the air filter on your engine. Many people put this task off because they don’t know how to do it or they think it’s too difficult. In this blog post, experts at BMW of Fort Walton Beach will talk about the perfect time to change your engine’s air filter and provide tips on how to do it yourself!

Why do you need your engine air filter changed this summer?

The hot summer months are tough on your car’s engine air filter. The combination of dust, pollen, and increased engine temperature causes the filter to clog more quickly. This can lead to several problems, including:

Reduced efficacy:

A clogged air filter can force your air conditioner to work harder. As an outcome, your air conditioning system will become loud or inefficient. It will take much longer for your cabin to cool down if your air filter is clogged with dust and debris, which can be pretty annoying during the hot summer months.

Increased fuel consumption:

A faulty or dirty air filter will restrict the amount of air that can enter your engine. This can cause your car to work harder to cool or heat your automobile’s interior and use more fuel.

Malfunctioning parts:

Your engine’s other components may malfunction if it is not getting enough air. For instance, a restricted air filter might cause your car’s spark plugs to wear out faster.

When should you replace the air filter in your car?

Ideally, you should do it every 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. However, the answer is based on a variety of variables, such as:

The type of air filter you have

The three most common types of air filters are:

• Disposable paper air filters must be changed more often, typically every few months or every few thousand miles.
• Reusable cloth air filters can last several years but must be cleaned regularly.
• Electronic air filters can last the life of your car, but they still need to be cleaned regularly.

The type of engine you have

The type of engine you have will also affect how often you need to change your air filter.

• Gasoline engines: typically need their air filters changed every 12 months or 12,000 miles.
• Diesel engines: typically need their air filters changed every 24 months or 24,000 miles.
• Electric vehicles: typically do not have an air filter (or they have a tiny one that does not need to be changed).

The driving conditions you typically encounter

If you reside in a dusty location or frequently drive on dirt roads, you must change your filter more often. The same goes for if you do heavy towing or haul a lot of cargo in the bed of your truck.

On the other hand, you can go longer between changes if you typically travel on clean roadways.

Bottom line:

So, there you have it. The perfect time to change your engine’s air filter depends on many factors, including your driving habits and your owner’s manual recommendations.

Visit BMW of Fort Walton Beach, serving Longwood, FL, for all your air filter problems. Our experts can help with any service needs.

Schedule your service today!