Volkswagens are among the most versatile automobiles on the market. Fuel efficient, sturdy, and stylish, the brand has an impressive range of classes and models, from compact to sports utility vehicles, from practical and economical to luxurious and stylish. Whatever your needs, Volkswagen likely manufactures the kind of car you’re looking for.

The historic and culturally-significant Volkswagen line of cars has staked out a large and enduring piece of European and American car culture. Enjoying your Volkswagen to its fullest potential means keeping it in tip-top shape, and that means maintaining all its parts, including the simple but essential air filter.

The Purpose of the Air Filter

Air filters basically keep any kind of dust, dirt, and debris from entering your engine. It’s different from a cabin filter, a newer aspect of cars that was introduced in this century that keeps debris from entering the car’s interior.

Air filters for the engine are an extremely integral part of your car. Without a clean air filter, your engine runs the risk of accumulating all sorts of gunk and debris that will lead to its certain failure down the line. If your filter gets compromised, the smallest particle has the potential to severely damage your engine.

A dirty air filter will also affect your emissions, as the excess fuel in the air-fuel mixture travels to your exhaust.

In general, it’s recommended you change the oil filter on your Volkswagen every three years or 30,000 miles. Feel free to ask us at Rowlett Motorwerks whether it’s time for a change.

Common Symptoms of a Dirty Air Filter

There are quite a few signs that pop up indicating a dirty air filter:

• Reduced fuel economy. Pay attention to how much fuel you’re using. If you find yourself hitting the gas station much more than usual, it could be the result of a dirty air filter. The filter will be messing up the ratio of air to fuel, causing you to burn more fuel.
• The check engine light comes on. This is a common red flag. The check engine light won’t actually pinpoint what’s wrong, but it will indicate that there is a problem, at least.
• Misfiring engine and other unusual engine sounds. A dirty air filter will mess up the spark plugs, causing a rough idle, misfires, and other noises.
• The air filter appears dirty. Through normal use, your filter will accumulate layers of dust and dirt. If you’re in a position to examine the air filter itself, if it looks dirty, it is dirty, and should be changed.

Results of a Dirty Air Filter

Because the air-fuel mixture is directly affected by a dirty air filter, the efficiency of your engine is compromised. The engine will need to do more work with worse results. When you push down on the accelerator, note whether the response is more sluggish than usual.

You may see black smoke or flames from the exhaust. This is one of the more striking effects of a dirty air filter. If you start seeing sooty smoke or even flames shooting out your tailpipe, you may have a dirty air filter. The imbalance in your air-fuel ratio will mean the mixture will be “rich,” or have more fuel than necessary in it, and not all of that fuel will burn before it leaves the exhaust.

You may smell gasoline when starting the car. Because the filter affects the air-fuel mixture, there might not be enough air entering the fuel injection system to actually burn all the fuel. The excess unburned fuel is therefore going to be shunted through the exhaust pipe, causing an unmistakable gasoline smell.

Rowlett Motorwerks Will Help

Air filters are an indispensable component of your car. Keeping your air filter, and all of your car’s parts, in top working condition is key to enjoying your Volkswagen. We have a team of qualified mechanics at Rowlett Motorwerks ready to tackle any of your Volkswagen’s air filter or other issues.

Our specialists will be able to quickly pinpoint the problem and confront it head on. Customers in and around the areas of Garland, Rockwall, Sachse, Wylie, and Rowlett, TX will attest to our dedication and professionalism. Stop in today!