Air Quality Inside Car

[chiangmaibruce]

This may or may not be a dumb question but here goes ....

As many of you would know, the air quality in Chiang Mai (and many other parts) is now fairly putrid. Very smokey and dusty, and today was no exception.

My question is whether any/most/all cars have filters to clean the air coming into the car cabin - or is the cabin air just a dirty as the air outside (assuming the windows are shut of course).

Is the filtering only done when the air con is on? or all the time?

Is the only filter the main air filter for the engine intake or is there a separate air filter/s elsewhere? ie. that should be cleaned/replaced

Are any cars known to be better in this regard (than others)?

We have an old Honda Civic by the way

Thanks in advance for any advice/info

[ronz28]

Many cars have air conditioning filters but most older ones don't. Check a couple of auto parts websites to see if they sell one for your vehicle. If not, your car probably doesn't have one. However even if they do sell one, locate where it is like in the air duct near the glove box to be sure your car has one. Some like the 2002 Expedition are sold but the filters were a dealer installed option and many 2002 Expeditions don't have one even though you can buy a replacement filter. You will need to Google it with your specific vehicle info.

[yumidesign]

Have just put a band aid of 3M filter fabric, bought at Carfore Chiang Mai, and stuck it over the outside air vent with double sided tape (included with the 3M product) to filter air coming in through the A C. Works ok, is cheap, not pretty and don't know what will happen when it rains but the black stuff on the filter means we are not breathing it in - my car 4 yaer old vios, do not think your honga would have an inbuilt filter, check with a dealer

[Lickey]

All cars/pick-ups lorries ect have an air filter fitted to the air cooling/heating system, think about it, would you like to sit there and get you face plastered with flys or crap off the road? a blocked cab filter will burn out your AC or heating motor because it has to work hard to pull in air, trace the ducts into the cab and somewhere you will find a filter.