The oil filter in your Mercedes-Benz vehicle collects impurities in its motor oil, plus whatever else builds up while the oil lubricates engine parts. If that car or SUV you love didn't have one, its oil pump, bearings, and other engine components would wear out fast.

The greater oil filtration system is a little more complicated than this, though. For instance, in addition to the filter medium, it's also got a housing and a gasket.

The oil filter housing, you can find inside the engine bay; it's often right next to the engine cover. The housing contains the oil filter and connects it to the engine. The oil filter housing gasket, however, is a rubber attachment that helps seal the filter and keep oil from spilling out. It's used to plug up both kinds of oil filters -- external and internal.

The location of the oil filter assembly itself, though, varies. Most of the time, you access it from underneath the compartment, and, to do so, you may need to remove an undertray. On some Mercedes-Benz models, however, the filter is accessible from above the bay. (Check your owner's manual for more information on this.)

None of the parts of an oil filter are permanent, unfortunately. Filter media, for example, can clog over time, or wear out because of age, affecting its ability to keep capturing contaminants effectively. Housing gaskets, on the other hand, can get brittle and start to crack, leading to oil leakage, worsening oil pressure, and, invariably, an engine oil warning lighting up the dash. Of course, this isn't to mention the most obvious result when one, the other, or both happen: a marked reduction in engine performance.

Luckily, you can avoid these problems. Just be sure to change your oil filter regularly, about every 3,000 miles or every 3 months, according to most owner's manuals. That means during each oil change or during every other one. When you do, it's critical to reinstall a filter that fits your vehicle. This is because, like a bad housing gasket, the wrong-size filter can also cause an oil leak. Worse yet, it can cause the filter to completely detach from the oil pump, and this often causes serious and expensive engine damage.

Keep Your Mercedes-Benz Engine Up to Speed | Install a Genuine OEM Oil Filter

When it's replacement time, your best choice for your car or SUV will be an oil filter made by Mercedes-Benz. The same goes for housings and gaskets. After all, your brand designs them guaranteed to be the right size for its models. That's true whether you're driving a Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 coupe, a sedan like the 2010 Mercedes-Benz C 300, a Mercedes-Benz CLK 320 sports car, or an SUV like the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 or GLC 300.

Our auto parts store carries it all, too. You can order whatever you need online, too, right here. Buy today and we'll ship to your address immediately.