Air quality affects us wherever we are. We have become more aware of how air pollution negatively affects our lives over the past few decades. But have you thought about the air INSIDE your car?

Most vehicles model year 2000 and newer have cabin air filters. The filters take care of cleaning the air in the passenger compartment. They can filter enough particles to clean dust, pollen and most pollutants from the air inside your car. This is great news for those who suffer from seasonal allergies.

If you aren’t sure whether you have a cabin air filter, you can take a look at your owner’s manual. If you do, there will be a recommendation for replacing it when it gets dirty. If you live in an area where there is a lot of dust, pollen or pollution, you may wish to change it more often.

When in doubt, ask your NAPA AutoCare Service Advisor!

How difficult it is to change a cabin air filter depends on your vehicle. Some are easily accessible while others take a bit of extra effort to get to. They can typically be found in the engine compartment or under the dashboard.

Since cabin air filters are still new on the scene, some people haven’t heard of them—they many not even know they have one! Often, when a customer complains of unpleasant odors in their vehicle, it turns out the cause is a dirty cabin air filter.

An additional and important note for hybrid owners: your car has a special air filter that cleans the air and cools the hybrid battery pack. This filter should be inspected with the cabin air filter to ensure the battery pack doesn’t overheat.

Visit your local NAPA AutoCare Center today and ask your service advisor about your car’s cabin air filter!