How to Change Your Car's Engine Air Filter (5 Minutes)

Your engine breathes through an air filter, and when it's clogged, it can't breathe well. Changing it usually takes about five minutes, and often no tools at all. Here's how.

1. Step 1: Get The Right Filter

Buy the filter that matches your car's year, make, model, and engine. The parts store can look it up, or check your owner's manual.

2. Step 2: Find The Air Box

Turn the engine off, let it cool, then pop the hood. Look for a black plastic box, usually near the top of the engine, with a big tube running from it toward the engine.

3. Step 3: Open It Up

Most boxes are held shut with metal clips that you just flip open. Some use a few screws. Lift the lid, and notice which way the old filter sits, so the new one goes in the same way.

4. Step 4: Check The Old One

Pull out the old filter, and hold it up to a bright light. If light barely gets through, or you can see dirt packed into the folds, it's time for a new one.

5. Step 5: Drop In The New One

Wipe out any leaves or dirt from the bottom of the box, without letting anything fall into the tube. Set the new filter in, with the rubber edge seated all the way around. Close the lid, and snap the clips shut.

6. How Often?

Follow the schedule in your owner's manual. For many cars, that's somewhere between twelve and thirty thousand miles. If you drive on dusty roads, check it more often.