The cabin filter in the vehicle prevents pollen penetration into the salon, various bacteria, asphalt dust, soot from hydrocarbons and certain particles of smoke due to burnt oil. In addition, it protects from the sedimentation of particles in the windshield, which reduce the driver visibility.

Cabin filter that's why it is needed

The cabin filter in modern cars is an extremely important component for air purification, which is supplied by means of air ducts into the cabin space. With this part, it is possible to avoid penetration into the salon of a variety of diverse toxic and malicious particles, which are in the air, from ordinary dust to exhaust gases of other cars, which sometimes reach a particularly critical scale in large cities with reinforced movement.

As a rule, the cabin filter looks like a rectangular small product, which is filled with absorbent material, most often coal. Install or replace this item can be addressed to specialists or yourself. In some models, cars may need to be additionally made a hole for the filter from the passenger side in the lower section of the plastic front panel.

Such an element of a vehicle as a cabin filter is often underestimated by car owners in its importance.

Where the cabin filter is located

Most of the interior air filters is located in the inner wall of the glove box and their replacement is quite simple. You only need to remove the glove box with fasteners and pull out the element holding the filter.

Others are located under the instrument panel and get to them are not so easy.

Also, the cabin filter can be located under the hood, where the air enters the air conditioning and ventilation system.

How often the cabin filter change

Recommendations for the replacement of the air filter, as a rule, vary depending on the manufacturer - on average, this procedure must be carried out every 25,000 mileage kilometers. However, it also depends on the conditions of operation of the vehicle. In the User Guide, you will see a schedule of maintenance, which indicates the recommended time for the replacement of the cabin air filter of the vehicle. In urban conditions of movement, where the air quality is bad, it is necessary to replace the air filter once a year, and sometimes more often. The same problem occurs for cars, which are operated in the desert climate, where quite a lot of dust.

If you have noticed that the air flow through the air conditioning, ventilation or heating system has become less, then it's time to replace the cabin filter. For example, you put ventilating to the maximum, but get more noise than the result. In addition, the air filter needs to be changed, if the cabin fades windshield or a persistent unpleasant odor appears.

However, even if you do not see the above described features, check the cabin air filter at least once a year. Because under the influence of the time on its surface, fungus is formed, mold and a harmful microflora, with the result that air flowing through the filter will adversely affect the driver and passengers, especially for the people of old age and children.

How to choose a cabin filter

Undoubtedly, only high-quality salon filters should be chosen, since, as usual than the quality of the filter below, the more harmful bacteria appears on its surfaces. Also there are filters with different antibacterial impregnations, which only slightly increase the period for which the cabin filter is covered with fungus. In addition, there are methods for cleaning filters using compressed air, but, as a rule, such procedures are not fairly effective to completely remove harmful microorganisms from the filter surfaces.

When buying a new cabin filter, be extremely neat, as very often the inscriptions on the packages are notified of an effective antibacterial coating, which is used in the product, but, in fact, the usual synthetic materials are used, which are ideal for microflora activity.

Good cabin filters as an absorbent only use coal coconuts, because its indicators for absorbing various particles from outside air are several times higher than similar numbers of ordinary absorbing coal. Here, it should be no less neat when buying, since, in some cases, the fillers of salon filters absolutely have nothing to do with coconut coal, despite the inscription on the package.

In addition, it should be reversed on the thickness and density of the coal filler of the salon filter, which is also important. It is worth noting that the fillers for the salon air filter must be selected according to the possibilities of air-conditioning and ventilating vehicle systems.

Tools assistants when working

To replace the cabin filter, you will need such tools:

1. Pliers.
2. Puller for plastic clips.
3. A screwdriver with a straight tip.

Replacing the cabin filter, step-by-step instructions on the example of Citroen C4

To replace this filter, open the hood and find its location.

The cabin filter in the Citroen C4 car is located in the engine compartment under noise insulation on the right side. With the help of a special puller for clips, you need to sweep the lid of noise insulation, which is attached by three clips. To disassemble the clip, you need to pose it with a screwdriver and carefully, so as not to break, remove it with the puller or pliers. Now let's get the lid of noise insulation.

Next, open the filter compartment cover by pulling the handle. After removing the old filter, mount a new one in a free niche. The opening valves should be from the bottom, and the slots are at the top. Insert the filter until you stop and check the strength of the installation. Then I mount the cover. Do not forget to fix noise insulation and insert clips into place.

Tips of professionals

As you can see, replacing the cabin filter is a fairly easy and fast process that does not require special knowledge and equipment. However, by replacing this filter in a timely manner, you can be sure that sitting in your car, breathe really clean air.