You likely know there’s an air filter under your hood. Most oil change service centers include checking the engine air filter as part of their oil change service. They’ll even let you know if you need a new engine air filter and most of the time can replace it for you. However, do you know that there’s likely at least one more air filter in your vehicle? It’s your cabin air filter and part of your vehicle’s ventilation system.

Why Your Car’s Ventilation Needs Regular Attention

Do you remember how your car was yellow just a few months ago? All that pollen that sits on your car also gets in the ventilation when you’re driving. The air filters help keep it out of the car’s cabin. Bugs, especially love bugs and their many parts, can also end up in the ventilation system without the help of air filters. In cars that aren’t driven every day, rodents and lizards may find their way into an air filter. Add in construction dust and regular air pollution and you can quickly see why you may need a new cabin air filter.

Where is My Cabin Air Filter and How Often Should I Change it?

The exact location differs on every car, your manual should tell you where to find it. In some vehicles it’s located in the engine compartment and in others it’s accessible from the car’s interior. It is not the same size as your engine air filter so don’t purchase that expecting it to fit.

As for when it needs to be changed, just like the engine air filter, the best answer is whenever it gets dirty. Your driving conditions and the season may impact that. At the very least, you should check it every 6 months and always replace it about 15,000 miles or annually. Breathing clean air is more enjoyable than breathing polluted air.

Oldsmar Automotive Offers Complete Routine Maintenance Services

When your car needs its regular maintenance, whether it’s an oil change, 50,000 mile check up or tire rotation, come to Oldsmar Automotive. If you’ve never checked your cabin air filter, let us know and we’ll check it and replace it if necessary, upon request with our other services. Come in to our convenient location at 3166 Tampa Road in Oldsmar or call us at (727) 784-3501 to schedule your service.

You may think that car maintenance is just a way for your dealership or auto center to make money off of you. Your vehicle manufacturer recommends automotive maintenance for three primary reasons:

1. Safety
2. Performance
3. Longevity

You will also find that proactive maintenance costs less than reactive repair.

Safety

Neglecting car maintenance can lead to all sorts of issues. Not rotating tires can lead to a blow out and an accident. Neglecting the fluids that keep your engine running can have dire consequences including your engine ceasing up. When you neglect your scheduled automotive maintenance, you put your life as well as the lives of people on the road around you at risk.

Performance

There are several performance elements that are impacted when you don’t properly maintain your car. Fuel efficiency is one of the biggest. If you want to maintain the mileage you were getting when you first got your car, keep it maintained. Proper brake maintenance helps your car stop efficiently as does flushing and refilling your brake fluid.

Longevity

We’ve all heard the expression, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This is true with cars as well. Every day we see issues that could be prevented by following the car manufacturer’s maintenance schedule. Some of these issues are catastrophic and the repairs come at a significant cost. When you maintain your vehicle, it will last longer with fewer issues.

Oldsmar Automotive Offers All Types of Vehicle Maintenance

If you want your car to last a long time, have fewer repairs and cost you less over its lifetime, invest in the recommended car maintenance for your vehicle. Oldsmar Automotive has ASE certified mechanics who understand proper maintenance and will make sure your car is in safe operating condition. Call us today at (727) 784-3501 or come by our facility at 3166 Tampa Road in Oldsmar.

Did you gift your child a new (or used) car this holiday? Will you soon have a new driver in your home? As parents, we make take for granted that the school’s driver’s education taught them what they need to know about their vehicle and its maintenance, but sadly, what was taught in decades past, isn’t anymore due to liability and time. Here are some things you should make sure your new driver knows regarding automotive maintenance.

When to Rotate Tires

We did an informal survey of the neighborhood teen drivers, and asked when they should get their tires rotated. Mostly we received blank stares and one response was, “When my dad says to?” Teach your kids the importance of tire rotation about every 7,000 miles. Depending on the vehicle that may mean every oil change or every other oil change. This easy and quick task will help ensure their safety on the road and the longevity of the tires themselves.

Tire Pressure

It’s easy to do once you know what your tires should be inflated to and how to do it. Teaching them how to read the tire or the sticker inside the driver’s door takes just seconds. Once they understand proper inflation, the tires last longer.

How to Change a Wiper Blade

Although you can take the easy way out by going to an automotive store where they’ll do it for you, but it’s not a bad (or hard skill) to master. Because we get such torrential downpours frequently, having good functioning wiper blades is an essential safety tool. Show them how to find the right size wiper blade and how to know it’s time to replace theirs.

The Importance of Checking Oil and Changing Oil & Filters

Because today’s cars make it easy with their lights reminding you it’s time for an oil chance or the oil change center puts the sticker on the windshield, most kids manage to get this done at the proper intervals. Teaching the child how to check the oil between changes is a key skill to teach. It takes just a few minutes but could save hundreds in repairs if it’s topped off when low rather than neglected.

Keep Up with Recommended Automotive Maintenance

Although your young driver is more likely to check out the online manual, show them the book that came with the car. Explain the importance of regular maintenance like tune-ups and how it will help the car last longer. Teach them that following the recommended maintenance schedule also keeps the car as energy efficient as it was designed to be. Then have them google things like “average cost of a new transmission” and “how much does a transmission flush cost” they’ll quickly learn that some of this preventative maintenance is a lot cheaper than the repair they may need if they neglect their vehicle.

We also think you should teach them that Oldsmar Automotive is their local trusted automotive maintenance center. Our services range from oil changes, tire rotation and other preventative maintenance to total automotive repair. Let them know they can come by 3166 Tampa Road in Oldsmar for any of their car services requirements. If they prefer to set an appointment, have them call us at (727) 784-3501.