There are components set out to ensure that debris does not make it way to the engine combustion chamber; air filter is one of them.
Hence, the function of the air filter is to clean the air entering the engine.

The air filter ensures that contaminants such as road debris, dirt, bugs do not make it into your engine.

Just like most car components, a dirty or bad air filter is accompanied with some signs.
These signs alone will tell you all is not well.

When the air filter becomes dirty, it can clog, which will lead to not enough air getting to the engine.
When this happens, the overall performance of your car will be compromised.

These are the 6 symptoms that shows your air filter needs replacement

1. Your car consumes more fuel than normal:

Since the bad air filter can limit the right portion of air going to the engine, your engine will end up compensating the lower amount of air it gets with fuel.
This is the reason why the fuel economy will be affected.

2. Engine starts misfiring:

Inefficient air to the engine will result to some fuel not being burnt completely. This unburnt fuel will normally exit the engine in form of soot.
The soot will accumulate on the plugs.
There is also a possibility of your car to jerk and not start up easily.

3. The engine sounds unusual:

A coughing or popping sound is normally noticed. Everything being normal, your car should give out smooth sound when the car is stationary and engine turned on.
Accumulated soot on the spark plug can give rise to this.

4. Check engine light:

Bad air filter can trigger the check engine light. This doesn’t mean that all check engine light is as a result of bad air filter; numerous things can cause it to come on.

5. Sooty smoke from exhaust:

The soot is as a result of incomplete combustion in the engine. The unburnt fuel in soot form exit through the exhaust pipe.

6. Gasoline smells when you start your car:

Excess unburnt fuel due to inefficient air will make it out of the exhaust pipe. This is the reason why you’ll perceive gasoline when you start your car.

If you start noticing some or all of these 6 symptoms, then know it’s high time you checked you air filter.