Cabin Air Filter

Q: What is a cabin air filter and how often should I change it?

A: A cabin air filter is used to clean the air coming into the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC). This filter does similar things as high efficiency filters in homes with forced air furnaces. It cleans the air in the HVAC system by removing pollen, dust, bacteria, and other contaminants. This cleaning increases the passenger’s cabin air quality. Without a filter or running the system with a dirty filter can cause the air quality inside the passenger cabin to be much worse than the outside air. The cabin air filter should be changed every 12,000 to 18,000 miles, depending on the air quality and road conditions where the vehicle is driven. It is commonly located near the glove box or under the hood in the outside air intake for the HVAC system.