The importance of cabin air fi lter replacement
Filtering contaminants from entering the cabin air can be a health
benefi t to drivers and protect the A/C and ventilation system.
By Zafar Hussain, Senior
Product Engineer, Luber-finer
Logging those long miles during the
summer months can put a serious
strain on fleet vehicles and their
operators. For the occupants of a
heavy duty vehicle’s cabin, comfort is
critical to remaining alert and staying
safe behind the wheel. In hot weather,
a properly functioning air conditioning
system is a must, but a component
that’s equally essential (if not
more so) is a quality cabin air filter.
IMPACT OF POOR CABIN
AIR FILTRATION
Extremely high temperatures
during summer months can wreak
havoc on drivers. Even without
cracking a window, drivers are still
susceptible to allergens, pollutants
and other seasonal nuisances
that enter a vehicle’s passenger
compartment through the air conditioning
and ventilation systems.
When these systems draw in
outside air and the windows are
closed, contaminants such as mold
spores, bacteria, pollen, diesel
soot, dirt, dust, exhaust gases and
smog begin to accumulate inside
the cabin, potentially multiplying to
18 Fleet Maintenance | July 2018
concentrations of between five to
eight times higher than normal. A
poorly ventilated passenger compartment
can also become covered
in a fine layer of dust as contaminants
settle on all of the surfaces.
This allows the contaminants to
remain in the cabin even longer.
Heavy duty cabin air filters provide
protection to help prevent
contaminants from reaching the
vehicle’s interior. These filters
are available in two types:
A particulate filter that can
remove up to 98 percent of airborne
pollutants. This filter type features a
multi-layer pleated design for more
particle-capturing surface area.
An activated-charcoal filter, like
the Luber-finer Extreme Clean HD
Premium Cabin Air Filter. This filter
also has baking soda to capture
particulates and absorb odors as
well as most toxic or foul-smelling
gases such as ozone, sulfur dioxide,
hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide.
BENEFITS TO THE
A/C SYSTEM
Cabin air filters contribute to the
proper operation of the vehicle’s air
conditioning system, which keeps
extreme summer heat at bay. Vents
blowing air with noticeably less
force are one of the symptoms of
an excessively dirty cabin air filter
that needs to be replaced. Poor air
flow can reduce the overall cooling
capacity of the air conditioning
system and also place an additional
strain on the A/C blower motor.
This can lead to system failure and
uncomfortable driving conditions.
Ideally, fleets shouldn’t wait for
restricted air flow to occur before
considering changing the cabin
» Drivers can be susceptible to
allergens, pollutants and other
seasonal nuisances that enter a
vehicle’s passenger compartment
through the air conditioning and
ventilation systems, especially if
the cabin air isn’t properly filtered.
Photo courtesy of Luber-finer
air filters in a fleet’s vehicles. At
minimum, fleets should replace
the cabin air filter with a new unit
every 12,000 to 15,000 miles.
Seasonal replacement to protect
against pollutants created during
different times of the year is also
recommended for vehicles that
regularly experience harsh temperatures
or severe climate changes.
Fortunately, installing a cabin air
filter is not difficult and should not
discourage regular maintenance.
In most trucks, the cabin air filter
is located under the hood at
the outside air intake along the
firewall on the passenger side.
This is where outside air passes
through the filter before it enters
the cabin. The filter’s housing is
often clearly marked and easy to
access, so a service technician can
usually complete a cabin air filter
replacement in 15 to 30 minutes.
Whether it is minimizing the
possibility of allergic reactions or
ensuring that a heavy duty vehicle’s
air conditioning system is keeping
the operating environment as
comfortable as possible, a cabin air
filter should be considered essential
equipment for the summer season.
ZAFAR HUSSAIN is a Senior Product
Engineer at Luber-finer. He has worked in
the filtration industry since 2002 and has
multiple patents under his name, including
Luber-finer’s Heavy-Duty Time Release
Technology (TRT) Oil Filter.
©2018 Meritor, Inc.
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