19 April 2002: Opel has begun a campaign to make car owners aware that they should replace their pollen filters every 15,000-20,000 miles.

Pollen or cabin filters that cleanse the air we breathe inside the passenger compartment have been standard fitment in most European cars for at least six years.

“Yet how many car owners take positive action to protect themselves from pollution by having a worn out cabin filter replaced at the next service?” a company spokesperson asks. “Cabin filters enhance comfort and driver concentration by preventing up to 99.5 per cent of outside air pollution such as dust, pollen, soot and tyre particles from reaching the car’s occupants, but as with most components they only have a finite life.”

Filter replacement is included in the service schedules of new cars under warranty, but Opel believes that the importance of maintaining cabin filter efficiency is largely ignored for the sake of cost-cutting when new car warranties expire. Many owners may not even be aware that their car has a cabin filter.

A single-stage cabin or pollen filter on a small car like the Corsa can be replaced in under 15 minutes.

Cars with air conditioning or automatic climate control are equipped with a two-stage carbon cabin air filter, which provides added occupant protection from gaseous substances.

As both types of product are made to the same dimensions, owners of cars without air conditioning can also take advantage of this technology by upgrading their standard cabin filter to a carbon type, available from all Opel dealers.

Meanwhile, owners of air conditioning systems who unpleasant odours caused by condensation in the ventilation ducts mixing with air-borne pollutants should immediately have their aircon system serviced.

Disinfection of the air conditioning system is especially recommended after the long winter months, when overnight condensation is frequently found in cars parked in the open.

©2002irishcar.com