Since the mid 1980’s, many automobile manufacturers have begun including cabin air filters, also known as passenger compartment filters, interior ventilation filters or dust filters in new vehicle designs. Cabin air filters work by filtering the outside air coming into your vehicle.  These filters were initially designed to remove solid contaminants such as soot or dust from the air circulating inside your vehicle.  Cabin air filters work to remove nearly 100 percent of air-borne particles like pollen, road dust, soot and other microscopic particles that decrease the quality of the air being emitted from your vehicle’s air vents. 

Cabin Air Filters are typically located under your vehicle’s dashboard or attached to the glove box.  Others may be located in the engine compartment.  Please consult your vehicle owner’s manual to find out if your vehicle has a cabin air filter and its location. 

The general guideline for replacing cabin air filters is every 12,000 to 15,000 miles, or at least once a year.  In addition to an unpleasant odor, filters not changed after 20,000 miles can result in decreased heating and air conditioning performance caused by restricted airflow through the cabin air filter.  Cabin air filters are a great benefit to anyone, especially those with allergy-related problems, that spends a lot of time in their vehicle.