Does Your Kia Need a New Car Air Filter?

If your engine’s losing power, sputtering, stalling, or puffing black smoke out of the tailpipe, you might feel a little worried. But the problem could be something as simple as a clogged air filter, which is easy to replace. If your car’s airways become obstructed by an aging filter, then your engine is naturally going to run into trouble. Let’s take a look at four signs you should visit your local Kia dealer for a new car air filter.

You’re Accelerating Sluggishly

Many drivers forget how important it is to keep their engine’s air filter clean. This one, small, easy-to-replace car part serves a vital function of keeping your engine’s oxygen airways clear of dust, sand, and other airborne debris. If the filter clogs up from all the contaminants it collects, then your engine will struggle to breathe.

As a result, the oxygen component of the fuel-air mixture in your combustion chambers is inadequate. This impacts overall engine performance and reduces the power of your acceleration. So if you’re finding it hard to accelerate, take a look at your air filter.

You Experience Rough Idling

A well-maintained Kia’s engine should purr quietly and smoothly while sitting in idle. If your engine’s clearly struggling and emitting sputtering, popping sounds, then it might have an unbalanced fuel-air mixture. If the situation’s really bad, then the engine might even stall.

When a clogged air filter restricts oxygen, one result is an excess of fuel in the combustion chambers. This excess, unburned fuel will coat your spark plugs in a sooty residue, which hinders the spark plug’s ability to ignite the fuel-air mixture. This is what causes rough idling and stalling.

Your Exhaust Is Emitting Black Smoke

When a filter becomes clogged, a great deal of the excess, unburned fuel escapes from the tailpipe in the form of black smoke. Sometimes, you’ll even see flames in the smoke as the escaping fuel ignites. So if you notice black smoke or flames behind your car, don’t panic. Your filter might be to blame.

Your Fuel Efficiency Is Falling

An oxygen-starved engine begins to waste fuel, and cannot use your gasoline as efficiently as before. As a result, you’ll be getting less mileage bang for your buck. So if you find yourself visiting the gas station more often, pop your hood and check your filter.

Replace When Visiting Your Kia Dealer for Yearly Servicing

Most Kia drivers visit their local dealership for an engine diagnostic and full servicing once a year. This is usually every 12,000 miles of driving. It’s recommended that you also replace your air filter every 12,000 to 15,000 miles. So, it makes sense to hit two birds with one stone and replace your filter each time you go in for an annual checkup.

To have your filter or any other car part inspected by certified technicians, visit Crain Kia of Sherwood. Our friendly, highly-experienced staff are committed to providing the region’s very best purchasing and servicing experience to each and every customer.

Image via Kia.

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