Proper maintenance of your vehicle helps keep it operating in peak condition, and changing your Toyota RAV4 air filter, or air filters, is an important part of that process. Whether it’s your engine intake air filter or your cabin air filter, the filter is important to keep impurities out of your vehicle.
What’s the best air filter for a Toyota RAV4?
Toyota Parts Deal has great prices on OEM Toyota RAV4 air cleaner filters between $15-$20. Vehicle History‘s experts recommend OEM filters, but if you prefer to use aftermarket parts, carefully check that they’ll fit your specific RAV4 year and trim.
Air cleaner filters? OEM? Engine intake? Cabin air filters?Aftermarket? Frequency? What are these terms? It’s okay, by the end of this article you’ll know what to do and what’s needed to change your Toyota RAV4 air filter.
What is an Air Filter and What Does it Do?
Most Toyota RAV4’s have two air filters — one for the interior air, called a cabin air filter, which was added after 2000, and one that filters the air entering the engine, called the engine intake air cleaner filter. When most people talk about air filters, they’re talking about the engine intake.
Is it really a big deal that the air be filtered? Your engine works by adding air to fuel and creating a spark to ignite it. Without air, it can’t do that job effectively. The air filter prevents dust, leaves, bugs, trash and other debris from entering your engine and causing problems with its operation.
Because the air passes through the air filter, this debris is removed, preventing wear on your engine. However, it also clogs the filter, and over time, it restricts airflow to your engine, causing it to run inefficiently if at all. That’s why you should replace your air filter regularly.
How Often Should the Air Filter Be Changed on a 2015 Toyota Camry?
Your owner’s manual or maintenance schedule will tell you how often to change your air filter, but generally speaking, it should be changed every 15,000 to 30,000 miles, though in dusty or extreme conditions, every 10,000 miles is appropriate because the filter can become clogged more quickly.
Don’t know when it was last changed? It’s easy to simply pop the air filter out and see what shape it’s in. If it looks dirty, you can go ahead and change it. If not, just set a reminder to check it in another 5,000 miles to see what shape it’s in.
Can You Change Your Toyota RAV4 Air Filter Yourself?
Of course you can — it’s a really simple process. Replacing your air filter is a good first step in learning vehicle maintenance for your RAV4. You don’t even need tools, though if your air cleaner housing clips are stuck, a small pair of pliers can make the job easier. It only takes a few minutes.
To start, open your hood and look for the air cleaner housing on your right as you’re facing into the engine compartment. It’s typically a square box with a fair-sized hose coming out of it. Then you’ll just need to follow the easy steps in one of these videos:
1994 to 2000 RAV4
There were no videos available for the first-generation RAV4, covering model years from 1994 to 2000, but given the similarities in the below videos between generations, the following videos should be able to guide you.
2001 to 2005 RAV4
2006 to 2012 RAV4
2013 to 2018 RAV4
2019 and Later RAV4
Simple, right? You’ve got this, just give it a try. Changing your RAV4’s air filter is an easy introduction to vehicle maintenance.
How Expensive is it to Replace the Air Filter on a RAV4?
As was mentioned above, the replacement cost of an original manufacturer’s equipment (OEM) air filter for a RAV4 is usually between $15-$20. Taking your car to a shop will add a labor charge, but with the short time it takes, it shouldn’t amount to much.
However, you do have options beyond OEM. Many owners use aftermarket filters, whether due to their lower cost, specific features or because they require frequent filter changes, but be aware that they may not last as long or fit as well as OEM filters.
Should You Choose Aftermarket or OEM for Your Air Filter?
Now that you know how easy and inexpensive it is to change your RAV4’s air filter, the next question is OEM or aftermarket. Vehicle History always recommends OEM parts designed for your specific vehicle to keep it running at peak efficiency.
OEM air filters are designed to match your vehicle’s exact measurements and airflow requirements. For these reasons, they tend to fit better and are generally constructed from better materials, making them last longer. Aftermarket filters are less expensive but have performance options to customize the filter to your situation.
As an example, if you frequent dusty roads, your filter will require more frequent changes. An OEM filter may last longer and deliver better protection through a better fit, while aftermarket filters designed for dusty conditions may fit the situation better, but could allow dust to leak into your engine.
