What Does A Cabin Air Filter Do
Your cabin air filter is the pass-through for outside air before it enters the passenger compartment. Generally made of multi-fiber paper cotton, the cabin filter is installed in your dashboard and filters out dirt, pollutants, and exhaust gases from your cabin air. Some premium cabin air filters are even electrostatically charged to attract and capture contaminants before they reach you.
In addition to the small filtration of dirt and particles, your cabin air filter can help prevent bugs, leaves, and highway debris from entering and wreaking havoc on your HVAC system.
You can get ahead of air quality and car HVAC problems by replacing your cabin air filter as recommended in your owner's manual or whenever signs of problems arise. A few signs that you may need a new cabin air filter include:
- Little to no air blowing from your car's HVAC vents
- Dusty, musty, or old smell is apparent in the cabin of the car
- Whistling sounds coming from the cabin air intake
- Decreased heating, air conditioning, or de-fogging performance
If you sniff out any of these symptoms, your car may benefit from a new cabin air filter.
How Often Should You Replace Cabin Air Filter
Many automakers recommend a cabin air filter replacement about every 15,000 miles, though this may vary depending on the vehicle model, year, and use! If you're driving in highly polluted areas or on dirt roads, for instance, you may benefit from more frequent filter replacements.
Driving with a clogged or overly-dirty air filter can not only decrease the air quality in your INFINITI's cabin, but it can also force your HVAC system to work harder than it needs to, leading to reduced performance overall.
How to Change a Cabin Air Filter
In most cases, replacing a cabin air filter is a job that you can do at home, as long as you have the right tools and a replacement part that fits your INFINITI just right. You'll start by locating your cabin air filter, which is found behind the glove box in most vehicles. Check your owner's manual.
Once you've zeroed in on your air filter, release the spring on the right side of the glove box and then the left, then detach the cable from the right side of the glove box. After unlatching the glove box and releasing any cables attached to it, gently glide it down to reveal the components behind it.
At this point, you should have a clear view of the filter housing, which looks like the tape slot in a VHS player. Slide the dirty filter out and use a clean shop towel or a small handheld vacuum to clean the housing. Then, slide in the replacement filter, ensuring that the airflow indicator arrows face the right direction. Lastly, replace the flap on the housing and re-store the glovebox and its cables to their original positions.
Get The Right Cabin Air Filter for Your INFINITI
Replacing your cabin filters is an essential element of car maintenance, and INFINITI can help. Is your cabin air filter in need of replacement? The sooner you replace yours, the sooner you can enjoy more refreshing air in your vehicle. Get a new cabin air filter that fits your INFINITI's model and year from INFINITI Parts.