If I don't see an object, then it doesn't exist. This rule is widely used by us in normal conditions, but when we talk about the microworld, rules that contradict common sense come into force here. Many people, not seeing anything in the inhaled air, except perhaps dust particles (and even then under certain lighting conditions), are confident that nothing threatening to health is contained in it. And they are deeply mistaken. We will not talk about strains of influenza, cholera, African plague and other similar things - today it is really exotic. But what is missing on the streets of a big city is a whole spectrum of microparticles, which are very well distinguishable only with a multiple increase. We are talking about ordinary dust, rubber crumbs that get into the air from car tires, the smallest particles of asbestos that peel off from brake pads, heavy metals, soot, high-molecular hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide - combustion products. Their concentration on city roads exceeds all conceivable norms, and it is naive to believe that by inhaling this explosive mixture every day, you will not feel any consequences for the body. It is even more irresponsible to think that being inside the car, you are reliably protected from this cocktail. Everything is exactly the opposite - it is estimated that in the cabin of a vehicle that is not equipped with a filter, the concentration of harmful substances exceeds their amount on a city highway by 25 times!
Installing a carbon cabin filter.
The purpose of the cabin filter
Fortunately, on most cars of the latest generations, such protection is present in the form of a cabin filter, which can be installed in different places, but most often in front of the stove radiator. In this case, the air is heated after cleaning and enters the passenger compartment, being distributed through the air ducts. This is the most successful design solution, because if the filter was after the radiator, the air would have time to cool down. In addition, in this case, the radiator does not get dirty inside, which significantly increases its service life. In addition to small mechanical impurities such as plant pollen and dust particles, SF also retains volatile substances, as well as high-molecular gases, and models with an activated carbon layer also resist the penetration of unpleasant odors into the cabin.
Types of cabin filters
The principle of operation of any filter installation is unchanged: the working element, standing in the way of the flow of uncleaned air, due to its fine-meshed structure, retains particles of a certain size, freely passing air. Modern ones are capable of retaining particles with a size of the order of 0.1 microns, which is enough to screen out almost any mechanical impurities. The classification of cabin filters according to the filtration method involves their division into two more groups: mechanical and adsorption. The former are conventional paper/synthetic corrugated products that have a certain mesh size between adjacent fibers through which air passes but dust does not. Adsorption-type SFs, in addition to the usual filter element, have a layer with activated carbon, the principle of operation of which is based on another chemical phenomenon - the ability to absorb other substances, including volatile compounds and gases. In other words, they also absorb unpleasant odors, which is an important factor in the conditions of a modern metropolis.
According to the type of design, SFs are divided into case and cartridge types. Housing devices are a soft filter element enclosed in a rigid frame (plastic or cardboard). Such a filter is easier to insert into the seat, but provides a greater degree of tightness. Cartridge products are corrugations without rigid edging, with soft cardboard edges located around the perimeter or on the sides. They are cheaper than case counterparts, and if the sizes do not match, you can always purchase a larger version that is easy to shorten. The prevalence of frameless cabin filters is higher, but this, as they say, is a matter of taste.
Since modern passenger cars are literally crammed with a variety of components and assemblies, finding a place for a filter can be difficult. It is this that can explain the fact that the shape of the SF is different, from square or rectangular to round, in the form of a trapezoid and other exotic shapes. This is dictated by the availability and configuration of free space, but makes it very difficult to replace clogged devices. Many drivers, especially those who have never dealt with SF before, have problems understanding which side to put coal on, especially if there are no explanatory inscriptions and pictograms on it. We will consider this issue a little later.
Charcoal filters: a qualitative step forward
Cabin filters began to be installed in serial models relatively recently, about thirty years ago. Over the past time, they have evolved considerably, having gone from primitive paper filter elements with minimal efficiency to the current multilayer structures that protect against most of the impurities present in the atmospheric air. The degree of filtration of current carbon filters is so high that it allows trapping particles of molecular size. Unfortunately, it is impossible to improve this parameter indefinitely, otherwise the filter will not be able to pass air. That is why even the most perfect carbon filter is powerless against harmful gases whose molecules are small in size, for example, against carbon dioxide, but they fight it in a different way - by including catalytic converters in the exhaust system that absorb such gases at the exhaust stage.
However, as the carbon filter is used, the pores of its filler are gradually clogged with those particles that it is designed to trap, worsening the air permeability, and as soon as saturation turns out to be critical, the reverse process can begin - desorption, in which all these accumulated substances leave the filter in different ways, clogging all around. That is why the coal is on time, without waiting for critical clogging. Another issue is the correct determination of the moment when it is necessary to perform a replacement. Some particularly sophisticated cars are equipped with sensors that signal the need for an early replacement. Everyone else has to either strictly observe the scheduled deadlines, which is far from always justified, or focus on symptoms that indicate a deterioration in the cleaning properties of the cabin filter.
In most cases, the procedure is not difficult, since it is located in the area of \u200b\u200bthe stove radiator. But even if access to the cabin filter is facilitated (for many car models it is located either directly in the glove box or behind the glove compartment), this does not mean that installing a new one in place of a clogged SF will be a simple matter. The fact is that in this case it is necessary to observe the required orientation of the filter element. This is especially important when using a carbon filter, for the reasons described above. It is good if the design of the SF does not allow it to be installed against the rules, but this rarely happens. Rectangular filter cartridges (also called cartridges) usually allow symmetry that allows them to be installed incorrectly. As a rule, there are arrows on the original products indicating the correct direction of the air flow (the point of the arrow is always directed towards the deflector, that is, towards the passenger compartment).
But such designations may not exist. In this case, you can use the universal rule that applies only to carbon filters: the dark side (with a carbon layer) is placed on the filter to the air duct that provides air from outside. With ordinary dust filters, both sides are the same, but there is no longer such strictness regarding the installation of the device, so a mistake will not have such unpleasant consequences.
The air in the car interior is constantly supplied from the environment through the fan ducts in order to keep enough oxygen inside the car for the driver and passengers. In a dense stream of cars, air is directed towards the vehicle in a mixture with exhaust gases coming out of the car of an oncoming car. It is unsafe to breathe such air, and a cabin filter is installed to retain harmful impurities.
Why do you need a cabin filter in your car?
Many drivers underestimate the importance of the element that filters the air that enters the car interior. According to studies, the cabin filter is able to retain up to 99.5% of harmful impurities contained in the incoming air. In the absence of a filter element, the driver and passengers have to breathe the products of fuel combustion, which contain: soot, nitrogen oxides, sulfur and carbon, heavy metals, aldehydes and more than 200 other substances harmful to the body.
According to studies by environmental monitoring services, air pollution on roads in large metropolitan areas exceeds the established norms by 20-40 times. Spending several hours a day in a car, the driver risks getting chronic diseases of the respiratory tract and nervous system. In addition to exposure to toxic substances, microparticles of dust from tires, soot, asphalt and other things cause damage to the driver's respiratory organs.
In addition to maintaining the health of the driver, the cabin filter performs the task of slowing down the aging of the car. Not allowing dust and fumes into the cabin, the filter element helps prevent clouding of the windows.
How often to change the cabin filter
There is no single answer to the question of how often it is necessary to replace the cabin filter. Each car manufacturer sets its own recommended intervals for replacing the filter element, which, in most cases, vary from 20 to 25 thousand kilometers of the car. It should be noted that these values are given for European cities, where the environment is better than in large Russian cities. Russian experts in the field of ecology recommend that drivers change cabin filters every 10-15 thousand kilometers.
Since it is quite difficult to navigate according to such disparate recommendations, it is easier to determine the clogging of the cabin filter by obvious symptoms:
- When the air ventilation system is turned on, dust appears in the cabin;
- During the movement of the car, an unpleasant smell began to be felt in the cabin;
- Glass began to fog up from the inside.
If you are concerned about these problems, the right solution is to remove the cabin filter and make sure it is dirty or clean.
Important: A dirty cabin filter has a negative effect on the air in the cabin. Over time, harmful bacteria, fungus and mold develop in the filter. If the filter, due to contamination, cannot retain microelements, they will begin to enter the cabin, having a negative impact on the health of the driver.
Where is the cabin filter
Car manufacturers can install a cabin filter in various places in the cabin, but they try to take into account the fact that the filter element has to be changed quite often, respectively, access to it should be easier. It is only possible to say unequivocally where the cabin filter is located in the operating book for a particular car model, in which this information should be displayed.
Most often, the cabin filter is installed behind the glove compartment or under it. You can find cars in which the filter element entering the passenger compartment is installed on the driver's side, for example, under the dashboard. Some car manufacturers put a filter at the air inlet, that is, they place it under the hood in a special housing or recess, in which case it is easiest to replace it.
How to replace the cabin filter
The cabin filter is very easy to replace, just find its location in the car and get to it. When removing the plastic inserts behind which the filter element is located in the passenger compartment, it is important not to damage the latches on which they are held. It is better to look once again in the instructions for the car how the mount is removed than to restore it or completely change the part due to a breakdown.
After removing the old cabin filter, do not rush to install a new one in its place. It is recommended to vacuum or otherwise clean the area where the filter element has been installed. Next, install the part in place of the old one, paying attention to the pointers on it, which will tell you which side to insert the cabin filter correctly.
Types of cabin filters
When choosing a filter, the first thing you should focus on is its size. Depending on the car model, the dimensions of the cabin filters are different, and manufacturers indicate on the packaging with the consumable item which cars it is suitable for. At the same time, cabin filters differ not only in size, but also in the materials from which they are made.
The air entering the passenger compartment through the fan ducts must contain the required amount of oxygen. This not only creates a comfortable environment inside the cabin, but also provides an extension of the life of important units and components of the car as a whole. And therefore, it is in vain that many motorists consider the cabin filtering device to be an insufficiently significant element to pay special attention to it. In this article, we will tell you where the cabin filter is located, what filters are equipped with modern cars and how to change it if necessary.
In a dense stream of cars, a mixture of exhaust gases from other road users with air is directed towards any vehicle. It is extremely dangerous to breathe such an “explosive” mixture, therefore, a cabin air filter is installed in the car to trap harmful impurities.
Cabin filter installationThe simplest paper filters They began to put on cars from the 80th year of the last century. They were exact replicas of the filters used in engines that require mechanical cleaning. Some time later, special cartridges were introduced with two cleaning layers. The key advantage of such a filter was that the first layer retained relatively large debris, and particles smaller than 50 microns settled on the next layer.
Later, filters equipped with carbon elements were created for cars. which absorb dust particles much better. Today, the most effective and costly filters are those that combine the best qualities of their predecessors. And the most popular devices are filters with a carbon cartridge, which have an optimal price-quality ratio.
How the filter works
Air enters the interior of the car through the air intake openings in the heating system. It can do it in two ways:
- by gravity;
- forced injection by means of a fan.
Based on its functionality, the filter is installed in the body of the heating system. Classic filter devices are made of the thinnest paper, which is filled with electrostatic charges and impregnated with phenolic liquid.
This technology of the filtering device involves not only the retention of large granular air impurities by the device, but also the attraction of smaller particles, in addition, an unpleasant odor is neutralized.
Installation of filters is most effective for people who suffer from respiratory diseases (asthma, allergies, etc.), reacting to all kinds of odors, dust, pollen and other irritants of the inhaled air.
How the filter works Types of cabin filter devices
The cabin air filter is a rectangular block with specific dimensions. Each device is equipped with special material, which performs filtration and has the form of a corrugated plate. The frame is made of plastic, and its main purpose is to protect the plate from jamming and keep it in the socket.
According to the type of filter material used, the devices can be divided into several varieties.
barrier filter
This copy is made from the thinnest paper or canvas (natural or synthetic). Similar filters designed to hold the smallest mechanical suspensions in the air. They clean the air flow inside the cabin only from dust (sometimes from small insects).
Carbon filter device
A small layer of coal is applied to the filter material of such a device. Exactly it promotes the absorption of hazardous impurities contained in the air, and neutralize unpleasant odors. Such a filter is characterized by improved filtration qualities when compared with its barrier counterpart. But it is important to know that from time to time the filtering properties of the key element (coal) are lost, which leads to their transformation into a conventional filter.
cabin air filter Carbon element with special coating
In this embodiment, an ordinary carbon filter has an additional polyphenolic antioxidant coating. Such devices neutralize allergens. In them, a layer of activated carbon is applied to one side of the porous material, and a layer of polyphenols, a natural antioxidant, is applied to the other side. This sample has a higher cost and is most in demand during periods of flowering plants and increased activity of allergens.
Electret filter element
Such a device, in addition to the ordinary linen layer, is also equipped with an additional electrically charged thin fiber layer. The first of the layers is assigned the function of mechanical filtration, while the second - attraction of microscopic particles of various impurities air. Manufacturers of such devices claim that this filter delays:
- 99% of a variety of particles ranging in size from 5 to 100 microns. Such impurities include pollen, fungal spores, dust of various origins;
- over 65% of particles having a diameter of 0.3 to 1 µm (smoke/soot/bacteria);
- up to 35% of microscopic particles having dimensions equal to a hundredth of a micron.
Combination filter
This device combined carbon elements and electret layers. The device has several degrees of purification. In addition, multilayer filter devices are on sale. They have a mechanical cleaning layer combined with an electrostatic, antiseptic and carbon layer.
Barrier and carbon filter devices are most in demand among Russian motorists, since they have a minimum price. Filters with anti-allergic characteristics are premium devices.
Cabin filter function When installing a cabin filtering device, it is important to know that any filter, regardless of the type and cost of the device, is a one-time element that must be replaced after a certain period of time.
Location and frequency of replacement
Location of the filter element
Despite differences in filter designs different types and different manufacturers, in appearance, filtering devices often not too different from each other. Although the installation location of the filter element is different in cars of different brands. The most common options are:
- under the main panel, behind the glove compartment, opposite the passenger seat;
- in the space under the hood of the car on the driver's side;
- directly at the steering column above the pedals.
Depending on the location of the filter device(this is affected by the vehicle model), the procedure for replacing it is different. And therefore, when it needs to be replaced, it is better to contact the services of car service masters. Otherwise, there are certain risks of deforming the edge or frame of the filtering device, not fitting the device tightly enough into the seat, or damaging the seat of the filter element.
Filter location
During operation and continuous operation garbage accumulates in the pleated filter element, this leads to its incorrect operation and requires the replacement of this device. The terms for replacing filters are indicated in the operational documentation of the vehicle and, as a rule, coincides with the period of scheduled maintenance.
Note that sometimes the replacement of the air filter is required much more often. For example, when the vehicle is used in conditions of excessive gas/dust contamination. Reducing the period of operation of the filter element is recommended when:
- continuous movement by car on a primer;
- constant trips during the flowering period of plants from which many petals and fluff are shed;
- driving in big cities where traffic congestion is common.
In addition, the quality of the device itself also affects the regularity of replacement. So a solid filter element from a trusted manufacturer will last 15-30 thousand km, then a fake device may not work out even 50% of the period stated in the regulations.
Filter replacement The fact that the time has come to change the filtering device can be determined by some indirect signs:
- The air supplied to the passenger compartment has an unpleasant odor.
- When the fan is turned on, dust appears.
- The strength of the airflow during blowing has decreased, the air conditioner / stove works worse.
- The windows in the passenger compartment of the car began to fog up heavily due to the high humidity.
Violation of the terms for replacing the filter device leads to the accumulation of dirt, which favors the development of fungus, mold and bacteria, which intensively spread through the system ventilation channels. Under such conditions, the device turns from an air-purifying element into a source of the spread of various diseases. You also need to understand that vacuuming, washing or washing do not restore the properties of filter materials.
How to change the cabin filter device
In fact, this element is quite simple to change, you only need to correctly locate it and then get close to him. It is extremely important, when removing the plastic inserts behind which the filter stands, not to damage the snap-in elements that secure them. It is advisable to read the instructions for the car several times, which describes in detail how to remove the mount, how to restore it or completely replace the element due to a breakdown.
Having dismantled the used filter, do not rush to put a new element in its place. Experts advise using a vacuum cleaner or otherwise clean the place where the filter device stood. After that, you can proceed to install a new filter. At the same time, do not forget to look at the indicators on the device - they will indicate which side to install the filter device correctly.
Old and new filters Some companies indicate the installation diagrams of the filter device. Usually, this is an arrow that indicates the direction of air flow: when the pointer is pointing down, then the air flow comes from above.
In the absence of any indicators, it should be established on which side the grooves are more deepened. It is through this side that the air goes before it is cleaned. The logic is that the grooves having a greater depth suggest a longer collection of large debris, leaves. Consider how the filter device changes on some models of machines.
Changing the filter for Toyota
In the Corolla model, the cabin filter is located at the passenger's feet behind the storage box. Nothing is required to change the filter, only a new device.
There are special latches on both sides of the glove box. When they are unfastened, the drawer lowers slightly. This will give access to the filter block. The block is held on 2 latches that must be pressed out. Now nothing will interfere with the installation of a new filter device.
If the drawer lowered during installation, then the micro-lift drive (small piston) should be checked, which ensures smooth opening of the drawer. Most likely, he simply flew out of the mount.
How to change the filter Changing the filter on a Chevrolet Cruze
Replacement sequence filter device is:
- From the sides, inside the glove box, you need to remove 2 snap-on limiters, slightly pushing them away, and then pulling them towards you.
- Unfasten the stroke limiter from the right edge.
- When the glove compartment lowers, the plastic cover of the filter device will become visible. The element can be changed after removing the cover, which is held by three snap elements.
Change the filter to Daewoo
In the Lanos model, an internal filter is installed in the space under the hood. The steps to replace the filter element are performed in the following sequence.
