Car Air Filter Function, Must Know!

In this era of globalization, air pollution is increasing day by day, especially in the Jakarta area and its surroundings. Therefore, components such as air filters in cars are very much needed by every driver. So what are the functions of car air filters that make them so important? To find out what their functions are, let's look at the following review.

Functions of Air Filters in Cars

Car air filters have several important functions that you need to know. Here are the complete functions.

1. Filtering Air

The main function of the air filter in a car is to filter the air. As explained earlier, the air quality in urban areas is considered unhealthy and full of pollutants. If that air enters the car without an air filter, it can cause respiratory infections or other diseases.

Therefore, an air filter is needed to filter out dirt or pollutants from outside so that they do not enter the car. This way, the air inside the car becomes clean air.

2. Preventing Scale and Rust

Next, the car air filter can prevent the formation of scale and rust on engine components. This is because the car air filter, besides preventing dirt and dust from outside the car, can also block rainwater mixed with air. As is known, accumulated dust and dirt can cause stubborn scale on car components. Meanwhile, rainwater mixed with air can cause car engine components to rust easily.

3. Preventing Decreased Engine Performance

Next, the air filter can prevent a decrease in engine performance. This is because the air filter can maintain the cleanliness of the combustion chamber. As is known, if the combustion chamber is dirty, the engine combustion process becomes less optimal, making the engine performance limp.

With the air filter, the injection system and engine combustion system are always clean from dirt. This will optimize the distribution and combustion process of fuel in the engine combustion chamber, making the engine performance more powerful.

Tips for Maintaining Car Air Filters

To ensure that the air filter in the car functions well, you should always check the condition of this component. If the air filter is dirty, clean it immediately. Here’s how to do it.

Use gloves and a mask before removing the air filter.
Remove the air filter from its place.
Use a compressor or vacuum cleaner to clean the dust or dirt attached to the filter. Before cleaning, you need to ensure the air pressure to be used. Make sure the pressure is low to avoid tearing the filter.
Avoid washing and scrubbing paper-type filters when cleaning them because these filters are easily torn. For foam and cloth filters, you can wash them.
Check again and evaluate the condition of the air filter. Are there any small tears or signs of damage? If not, slowly reinstall the air filter in its place.
After installation, check the car's performance again.

Impact of Not Maintaining Car Air Filters

There are several negative impacts caused when car air filters are dirty and not maintained.

The air inside the car is unhealthy, increasing the risk of disease.
Engine components are prone to scaling and rusting, and can even cause corrosion.
Car performance decreases during maneuvers.
Causes thick smoke accompanied by the smell of burning gasoline.
Fuel consumption becomes more wasteful.

To avoid these issues, make sure you always clean your air filter when it gets dirty or every distance of 10,000 kilometers to 15,000 kilometers. Replace it at the nearest official Daihatsu workshop if the air filter is worn out or the car has traveled 15,000 kilometers to 25,000 kilometers.