Drivers and their passengers spend a significant amount of time inside their cars. The automotive industry has been quick to account for this, equipping more and more Mills Toyota vehicles with air filtration systems as standard. This is undoubtedly a good thing, but it presents drivers with something else to think about as part of a general auto maintenance schedule.

Air filters are used in most cabin air conditioning systems to filter out particles and pollutants in the air that is drawn into the vehicle. According to the make, model, and specification of your car, your air filter may be designed to trap soot, dirt, and pollen. Even larger items, such as leaves, dirt, insects, and debris from the road can find their way into your air supply, and air filters will protect this from happening. As well as reducing the quality of the air in the cabin, these pollutants can reduce the performance of your heating, cooling, and air conditioning system.

You cannot assume that your vehicle is equipped with a cabin air filter, and if it is, it may not be as easy to find as you would imagine. Your owner’s manual should include details of this, but if in doubt, you can also consult the servicing department at your local dealership.

It is critical to ensure that the cabin air filter is working at its optimum performance for as long as possible. The life of your air filter will depend on a variety of factors. Of course, the more that you use your air conditioning system, the quicker your filter may become clogged or dirty. Driving conditions can also affect this. Hot, dusty, rural locations, for example, will greatly accelerate the decline of your filter due to grass pollen, dust, and other particles. As the filter becomes clogged, the system becomes less efficient, meaning that more pollutants make their way into the cabin air supply.

Guidelines on the frequency with which your filter should be replaced vary according to the source of advice. The owner’s manual in your vehicle will provide the manufacturer’s guidelines, along with any other factors to consider. If you don’t have the manual (or if there are no details within it) you should consult the service department at your dealership. General guidelines indicate that such filters should be changed every 12,000 to 15,000 miles of driving, subject to the sort of conditions in which you normally drive. Regular inspections can give a visual indicator of the condition of the filter too, although you may need to ask for your dealer’s advice to ensure that you do not damage the filter when inspecting it.

Cabin air filters can be replaced at a relatively inexpensive cost, so it is worth ensuring that it is changed at regular intervals to maintain the performance of your air conditioning system and the quality of air in the car’s cabin.