There are many components around your vehicle that require filtration — whether it be for air or fluid. There are many filters throughout your vehicle, and although they all have similar jobs and seem rather simple, they are crucial to ensuring your vehicle’s health and longevity. Replacing these filters can vary between necessity and regular maintenance, and knowing what the important filters are in your vehicle and what exactly they do is an important part of vehicle ownership and maintenance.

Fuel filters

Your vehicle’s fuel filter isn’t as much of a maintenance item as it is a filter that is changed when necessary for most people. While the fuel you pump from the gas station is refined, it isn’t always free of particles and debris that can damage the inside of your engine during the combustion process. Whether it’s debris from the gas station’s tank, residual particles from the refinement process, or a bit of gunk in your gas tank, the fuel filter protects your engine from potential harm while still providing it with the fuel it needs to run.

Cabin air filters

Your cabin air filter is quick and easy to replace, but it’s also just as easy to forget. Maintaining your cabin air filter is a crucial part of keeping your vehicle’s interior air the highest quality possible, as it filters out debris and allergens from the outside air. According to Valvoline, the concept is very similar to how your home’s air filter works: the air is pushed through the system, and the filter removes potentially harmful debris and particles that can reduce your cabin air quality.

Air filters

Air filters for your vehicle’s engine work similarly to the cabin air filters in reducing the amount of debris and particles that are brought into the system. Clean air is an essential part of the internal combustion process that powers your engine and moves your car, and the removal of harmful particles and debris from that air is crucial to maintaining your engine’s health as well as longevity. Because airflow is an important aspect of the internal combustion process, having adequate, clean airflow can greatly affect your vehicle’s engine performance and even fuel economy.

Oil filters

The oil filter is one of the most important pieces of mechanic maintenance in your engine. Every time you take your car in for an oil change, your oil filter should be replaced. The oil filter, as the name suggests, filters and removes debris from the engine oil. This debris, although seemingly small, can damage the internal components of the engine. Checking the oil filter in between oil changes can also help in identifying any major issues within the engine that need immediate attention — like having metal shavings in the oil and filter can indicate damaged internal components.