Is there a musty smell to the interior of your car? Are your allergies aggravated when you drive? Does little or no air flow through your defrost vents? The culprit may be a clogged cabin air filter.\n\nDon’t be embarrassed if your first response was, “What’s a cabin air filter?” Most drivers know their vehicle has an air filter that prevents dirt and other contaminants from entering the engine, but many people have no idea their vehicle also has a cabin air filter. In fact, according to the Car Care Council, about 30 million vehicles in North America have cabin air filters and many of those vehicles’ owners don’t even know it. As a result, there are a lot of vehicles on the road with dirty and clogged cabin air filters.\n\nWhen a vehicle is in motion or its ventilation system is in use, impurities from the outside air are vented into the vehicle cabin. These impurities can build up inside the vehicle and create an unhealthy mix of pollen, pollutants, dust, and gases. In fact, pollen and harmful substances inside a vehicle can be up to six times more concentrated than outside. Rolling down your window doesn’t solve this problem.\n\nA cabin air filter protects you and your passengers by removing pollen, dust, bacteria, exhaust, mold spores, and other contaminants from the air that circulates through your vehicle’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. This is particularly beneficial for people who suffer from allergies.\n\nIf a dirty or clogged cabin air filter is not replaced, it can cause musty odors in the vehicle and may even cause corrosion damage to the vehicle’s heating and air conditioning system. A dirty or clogged cabin air filter can also cause contaminants to become so concentrated in the cabin that passengers actually breathe in more pollen, fumes and particles when riding in the vehicle than they would walking down the street.\n\nIf your vehicle is model year 2000 or newer, there’s a very good chance it’s equipped with a cabin air filter. To check, refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual.\n\nVehicle manufacturers recommend that you check your cabin air filter frequently and replace it as needed. Many recommend replacing the filter every 15,000 miles. Oil Can Henry’s offers Cabin Air Filter replacement for most vehicles.
