Your Car’s “Allergy Filter” Might Be the Problem (Savannah + Hilton Head)
If your car suddenly smells a little musty, your vents feel weak, or you swear your allergies get worse the second you start driving… you’re not being dramatic. The likely culprit is your cabin air filter.
What the cabin air filter actually does
Your cabin air filter cleans the air that comes through your vehicle’s HVAC system before it blows into the cabin, catching things like dust, odors, smog, and allergens.
That matters in both of our locations:
- Savannah: pollen ramps up early and gets heavy fast (hello, yellow dust).
- Hilton Head: coastal humidity can make that “damp A/C smell” show up quicker, especially if the filter is holding moisture and debris. (A clogged filter can contribute to persistent odors and poor air quality.)
Signs yours is due
These are the big tells we see in the shop:
- Airflow feels weaker even with the fan on high
- Musty / sour smell coming from the vents
- Windows don’t clear (defog) as well on humid mornings
And if you can’t remember the last time it was replaced… that counts.
How often should it be replaced?
There’s no one-size-fits-all, but AAA notes factory recommendations often fall around
15,000–30,000 miles, and many vehicles benefit from an annual replacement depending on conditions.
Translation: with our pollen + coastal moisture, it’s a “check it regularly” item, not a “set it and forget it” item.
A quick way to stay ahead of it
We’re not trying to turn this into a dramatic repair story. Cabin filters are one of those small things that can make your car feel noticeably better, fast, especially this time of year.
So here’s what we’re doing:
Free cabin air filter check with any service at either location (Savannah or Hilton Head). We’ll pull it, inspect it, and show you what we’re seeing. If it’s clean, great. If it’s nasty, you can decide whether you want it replaced. Either way, the inspection is free, and your allergies will thank you for keeping your air filters fresh!
