Engine Air Filter Replacement Service

Volkswagen Engine Air Filter 101

Every Volkswagen car and SUV engineered with an internal combustion engine was also engineered with an engine air filter. The engine air filter performs the vital function of filtering ambient air before entering the fuel induction system and ultimately the engine’s combustion chambers where debris will wreak havoc on the engine by causing rapid wear and tear or damage. New engine air filters are able to collect nearly 100% of incoming debris, such as dirt, pebbles, road salt, and dead insects.

Know When You Have a Bad Air Filter

The engine air filter has a simple design including paper and plastic materials that are useful for filtering the air but this paper composite design makes the filter’s life relatively short. Given the value of a new engine air filter to protecting the engine, the little cost of a new filter is negligible compared to the benefits that it provides keeping the engine free of airborne debris.

We recommend following Volkswagen’s maintenance interval for your model’s engine air filter replacement. However, if the filter gets clogged or damaged prematurely, it is an excellent decision to get it replaced before the interval to prevent engine damage. Here are the common symptoms of a bad engine air filter:

Decreased fuel mileage

Engine misfiring

Air filter is clogged or dirty

Reduced horsepower

Smelling fuel when starting the engine

Dark black smoke or flames out the exhaust