Air quality has certainly become a hot issue in our modern world. We install air filters on our ventilation systems and in our vacuum cleaners. There’s a filter that cleans the air going into our vehicle’s engine — so why not one for the air in the passenger compartment?

Foreign and domestic vehicle manufacturers haven’t been ignoring the issue. Cabin air filters are becoming a standard feature on newer vehicles. These filters can clean particles out of the air down to three microns, which accounts for pollen, dust and most pollutants. St. Peter residents who suffer from allergies or have a respiratory disorder should be a lot more comfortable. And even if you don’t have a medical need for the filter, the cleaner air in your car just might help you breathe better, figuratively as well as literally.

Cabin air filters are still fairly new in the St. Peter area, so you’ll have to check your vehicle owner’s manual to see if you have one. If you do, your routine car care will have to include changing the filter as part of your preventive maintenance. The owner’s manual will give recommendations on how often the filter has to be changed, but if the air where you live in MN is particularly dirty or if you’re prone to hay fever, you may want to change it more often.

Your friendly service advisor at Autotronics of St. Peter can also offer suggestions on how often to change your cabin air filter in your St. Peter area. They’re the ones who actually see the dirty filters, after all.

There is no standardized location for cabin air filters. St. Peter residents can usually find them in the vehicle engine compartment or under the dashboard, but they might be somewhere else. So the ease of changing the filter will depend on its location. Some are readily accessible, but others make you wonder how they got installed in the first place. Bring your car into Autotronics of St. Peter and we will locate your cabin air filter for you.

However, if you have a newer vehicle, it’s good auto advice to find out if it has a cabin air filter. If it does, you should change the filter regularly. A sure sign that a filter needs to be changed is that the interior of your vehicle will start to smell bad. That smell is exactly how some St. Peter drivers discovered that they had cabin air filters in the first place!

Cabin air filters are just one more way we have to stay safe, stay healthy and stay on the road in MN.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

If you’re like most people and drive a gasoline-powered vehicle, you need to be up to speed on its fuel-related components.  They’re pretty basic: the fuel, the fuel filter and the fuel pump.

The fuel’s the easy part.  You probably gas up your vehicle yourself and, if you’re like most drivers, price is a big factor in what you put in your vehicle. Maybe you think it doesn’t matter what kind of gasoline you buy, but one major automobile association has found it does make a big difference. 

Their study showed that the additives that are put in different brands can affect your vehicle’s performance.  Certain gasoline retailers sell gasoline that meets performance standards called Top Tier.  The detergents used in Top Tier gasoline help protect newer engines from carbon buildup and deposits on intake valves, all things that can affect how smoothly your engine runs, how it accelerates and what kind of fuel economy you get.  You can check online or ask your service advisor where to buy Top Tier gasoline.

Another fairly simple component is the fuel filter. Depending on the age of your vehicle, you either have a separate fuel filter or one that’s part of the fuel pump.  The fuel filter keeps the crud out of your engine’s fuel injectors.  You’ll get a hint that your fuel filter might be clogged if you notice your vehicle won’t start, your power isn’t what it used to be, your fuel economy is suffering or your Check Engine light is on.

Check with your service advisor to see what your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations are on how often to service your fuel filter.  Regular maintenance can prevent expensive repairs in the future. 

Finally, the most complicated part: the fuel pump.  As you may have guessed, it is the part that gets the gasoline out of the tank and into the engine.  If the fuel pump starts to fail, it can make a clicking or whining noise when your vehicle is running.  Your engine may misfire, lose power while driving or might be hard to start in the morning.  And that Check Engine light might go on.  One thing that helps prolong the life of a fuel pump is keeping your gas tank at least a quarter-tank full at all times.  It helps lubricate and cool the pump.  If you’ve detected some of the symptoms of fuel pump failure, tell your service advisor.

Knowing a little about your fuel system really can be a gas!