Everyone knows that every 3,000 to 5,000 miles your oil must be changed and that every 6,000 to 7,500 miles your tires must be rotated and balanced, but did you know that you also need to change a few important, sometimes forgotten filters on your vehicle occasionally?

Engine Air Filter – If your engine air filter is not changed or cleaned at the right time, it will affect your engine’s ability to breathe and make power, causing you to push the gas pedal a little more to get where you need to go. Additionally, the engine air filter keeps dirt and debris from entering your engine.

Cabin Air Filter – Keeps you and your passengers breathing fresh air, despite the environmental conditions. Many people don’t know that almost all vehicles now have a cabin air filter, and how easy it can be to change. If you or your passengers have allergies, take a few minutes to replace this filter, it will make a big difference!

Fuel Filter – Does exactly what its name states, filters dirt and contaminants out of the fuel pumped into the engine from underground tanks. Fuel filters clog over time. You may not realize the filter is filling up with particulates and creating the need for a little more gas pedal while driving. Have it changed every 30,000 to 45,000 miles.

Transmission Filter – Catches particulates and contaminants in the transmission fluid. Change this filter every time you change transmission fluid, it will go a long way I protecting the highly sensitive internal components of your vehicle’s tranny.

"Don’t wait until filters become blocked to replace them," says Bryan Gregory, Advance Auto Parts director of consumer education. "Both fuel mileage and engine performance will suffer from a dirty filter. Clean, properly functioning filters deliver free flowing air, fuel, and oil in vehicle systems, enabling maximum power and potential that in turn, yields lower operating expenses for owners."

Additionally, Gregory recommends changing the oil filter at every oil change. "Contaminants and dirt get into the engine two primary ways, trough the fuel system, and through the air intake, hence the need for high quality filter media in each system," he added.

Advance Auto Parts stores keep a wide variety of automotive filters on hand to ensure that you will be able to get the correct filters that you need for your vehicle in order to keep your engine in top shape. This simple do-it-yourself project is rated "easy" by Advance Auto Parts and will take an estimated time of 15 to 45 minutes to complete, with an estimated cost savings of $16.00 to $65.00. The number of filters that you are replacing will affect the amount of time and the total cost of this project.

For more information on any vehicle related problems, feel free to stop in any one of your local Advance Auto Parts Stores and talk with one of our knowledgeable Team Members, or check out our website at www.AdvanceAutoParts.com, where you can find free pod-casts, video know-how demonstrations and much more information.