How to Identify a Bad Air Filter in Your Car in Dallas

Posted on | 18 May 2019 By Anita Gaal

There can be times when owning a car can be a bit overwhelming. With a whole host of parts to keep tabs on, knowing when your vehicle is signaling an issue to you can be difficult to identify. This is partly the reason why regularly scheduled maintenance by a mechanic is important, as they have the necessary qualifications to identify thousands of potential issues a vehicle can face.

However, vehicle trouble rarely waits for scheduled maintenance checks, and as a driver it is essential to know some of the more major signs of a part failure with your vehicle. With that in mind, in this article we’ll be taking a closer look at your car’s air filter, exploring the signs and signals of a subpar performance.

What Does the Air Filter Do?

To successfully run, your engine requires both fuel and a steady air flow. However, as it passes through the car, the air supplied to the engine can often become laced with contaminants that could clog up or damage the engine if not intercepted. This interception is achieved via the car’s air filter, which traps undesirable particles, allowing only clean air to pass through to the engine.

What Will Happen if I Don’t Change a Faulty Air Filter?

If your air filter is no longer working because it is either too dirty or too clogged, then it will effectively block the correct amount of air from entering the engine. This will cause the ratio of air to fuel to misalign, and will result in a hard drive, as well as loss of power, and sometimes the illumination of the ‘check engine’ light. If kept this way long term, your engine could become severely and irrevocably damaged.

Signs of an Air Filter That Needs Replacing

There are many signs which may indicate your air filter is in need of replacement, and below are listed the most common. Even without any of these signs however, an air filter should be changed out every 15,000 to 30,000 miles, and maybe more frequently if you regularly drive on dirt roads or dusty roads. On the flipside, if you use your car more infrequently, you should replace your filter every 3 years, as with reduced use and time, it will become brittle.

1. Visual Dirt Build Up

When performing your regular under the hood maintenance, check the air filter under adequate light. If you can visibly see dust or dirt build up, then it may be time to seek a replacement.

2. Poor Miles per Gallon

If you notice your car displays a marked reduction in fuel economy, your air filter could be at fault. This is because when the level of oxygen in the engine is low, the car’s onboard computer will try to compensate by sending more fuel to the engine for it to burn through.

3. Low Horsepower

When an air filter is underperforming, it is common to notice a reduction in acceleration speed, or horsepower. This is because the amount of horsepower your car can achieve is a direct reflection upon the wellbeing of your engine. If your engine is underperforming due to oxygen deprivation, then so will your horsepower.

4. Check Engine Light is Illuminated

There are a whole host of reasons as to why your car’s onboard diagnostic system (OBD) will illuminate the check engine light. One of the main causes for this is poor engine performance caused by impurities having entered the engine through a faulty or worn out filter. If this is the cause of your light coming on, then you should respond to this issue immediately to prevent any more grime from clogging and potentially damaging your engine.

Seeking Diagnosis or Repair

There’s no need to worry if when you pop the hood you’re at a loss as to how to fix your air filter, as any qualified mechanic will be able to correctly diagnose your issue and remedy it for you. If you think your air filter may be at the root of your problems, and you live in the Dallas, Garland, Arlington, Fort Worth, or other surrounding areas of Texas, then there’s no better place to go than Euro Automotive. With over 70 years of experience, and a team of dedicated staff, you’re sure to be satisfied by the high maintenance and repair standards offered by Euro Automotive.