Subaru Air Filters

While people usually know all about why they need to keep up with oil filter changes, there's another extremely important filter you need to change out to keep your engine in great working order mile after mile and year after year.

People often overlook their vehicle's air filter, but it's one of the most important pieces of preventative maintenance.  But how often should you replace your Subaru's air filter, why do you need to stick with the OEM filter, and why is Granite Subaru the best place to take your vehicle for a new air filter? We'll answer all those questions and more for you here.

How Often Should You Replace Your Air Filter?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions about air filters, and for good reason. Your air filter protects your Subaru's engine, and you don't want to take any chances with that!

But while we'd love to give you a straightforward answer right here, the truth is that a lot of factors play a role in how long the air filter will last. From what you drive to what type of filter you're using, it all plays a role.

But with that in mind it's safe to say that most vehicles need a new air filter somewhere between 12,000 and 15,000 miles, or about once a year.

3 Signs and Symptoms It's Time to Replace Your Subaru's Air Filter

While there are some potential signs and symptoms of a severely clogged air filter, the truth is if you're noticing any of these symptoms it's beyond time for you to change the filter. Once you start noticing any of these symptoms there's a good chance some contaminants have already made it into the combustion chamber where it can cause damage and premature part wear.

Poor Engine Performance

As an air filter collects and filters out more and more contaminants it sits on the mesh. It's better than letting it get into the combustion chamber, but it doesn't have anywhere else to go than to continue sitting on the filter.

Over time all these particles start to add up and create a restriction that prevents air from making its way into the engine. When this happens, the engine won't be able to get all the air it needs to run smoothly.

You'll start to notice a drop in acceleration, and it's even possible that you'll have an engine that's running a little rough.

Drop in Fuel Efficiency

While air won't be able to reach the engine as efficiently with a clogged air filter, the engine still expects the right amount of air to get there. Because of this it's dumping the correct amount of fuel in for the expected amount of air.

But to get to the level of performance you want you'll need more air, and to get that you'll need to depress the accelerator further. You'll get to the correct amount of air the engine is going to dump even more fuel into the combustion chamber.

If you keep track of your vehicle's fuel efficiency you'll start to notice a drop, meaning more trips to the fuel pump for you!

Unusual Engine Noises

This is a worst-case scenario, and when this happens there's a good chance that simply swapping out the air filter won't fix all the problems at this point. Unusual engine noises can happen as a part wears out and breaks, and having impure air making it into the combustion chamber can speed this process up.

You'll still need to replace the air filter, but you'll likely need to spend a bit more to get your vehicle back in tip-top shape.

Why It's Important to Get the RIGHT Air Filter

When it comes to air filters for your Subaru, they're not all equal. Of course, you need to get an air filter that's the right size for your vehicle, but you also need to get the air filter that provides the right amount of protection.

Not only will some air filters wear out faster than others, but some might not even give your Subaru the level of protection it needs!

Different air filters leave different amounts of space between the mesh, and this has big implications for your vehicle. If everything is too tight and close together it won't let enough air through, and this will negatively impact performance and fuel efficiency.

Meanwhile, if the openings are too large they'll let in too many contaminants which will wear out and damage various components in your vehicle. This is why it's best to go with the OEM air filter replacement, Subaru's engineers have ensured they're just right for your vehicle.

They'll provide all the necessary protection for your vehicle, and they'll allow you to stick with Subaru's service intervals.

Advantages of Granite Subaru Service

When you're looking for somewhere to take your vehicle for service you're not going to find a better option than Granite Subaru. Not only do they offer competitive pricing, but they provide a premium level of customer service to make everything as easy for you as possible.

They have a 24/7 online scheduling system, free pick-up and delivery valet services, a free shuttle service, and even a complimentary alignment check with every visit. Not only that but they only use OEM parts, and every person that works on your vehicle is a factory-trained technician that knows exactly what they're doing to get your vehicle in tip-top shape.

Final Thoughts

While it's easy to overlook your Subaru's air filter, it's the last thing you want to do. You might be able to get away without changing it for a little while, but before too long you'll find you're replacing parts more frequently than you should need to with your Subaru.

We know it's a lot to keep up with though, which is why we recommend taking your vehicle to Granite Subaru for all your preventative maintenance and repairs. They'll ensure you're vehicle is getting everything it needs with each service, allowing you to enjoy the time you spend behind the wheel without worrying about anything else!