Cabin Air Filter - How To Change.

[repiv]

Changing the cabin air filter when it gets really dirty will help your HVAC system work more efficiently and if you are allergic to pollen and dust and run with the top up during that time of year, you will appreciate having a new filter. Like almost anything on this car, changing this filter is fairly simple, once you know how.

The following shows you where this filter is located. It's under the plastic panel that the arrow points to:


Begin by lifting up where my finger is. You'll have to grab it, along with the rubber seal and sharply lift up at that location. There is a clip that hold the rubber seal and the plastic panel down. Don't lose the clip.


Then move along the rubber seal and pop up the next clip:

While you're at it, pop the 3rd clip where the red arrow is.

Here, I've removed the rubber seal just to show you where those clips are (you don't need to do this):


What it'll look like with the rubber seal and clip removed:


Here's what one of those clips looks like (in case you lose one and need to go looking for it):


Once you've got those 3 clips lifted, pull up on the corner of the plastic and this is what you'll see (you may also hear a 4th clip pop as you lift here. This 4th clip is near the base of the windshield and will just stay in place. No need to concern yourself with this now.)


Dislodge the filter housing clip (red arrow) and lift up and pull out the whole assembly:

Take note of the orientation so you know how it goes back in.

Here, you see the 3 clips (red arrows) that hold the filter into the housing. You must push out on these and lift the filter out:


As shown here:


With the filter completely out of the housing:


Put the new one in reverse order and orientation and put it back into the car. Note the blue arrow indicates the clip that must go in first. It's a bit of a lose fit so don't worry if it wiggles around a bit after it's installed so long as the blue arrow clip doesn't come up too far.


This is the big "hole" that the filter assembly goes into:


Shove the thing back into place and make sure it fits the hole squarely:


Ensure all clips are installed in the rubber seal correctly:


Push all the clips (with the rubber seal) back down into the bulk head with a snap (in reverse order):


Give that area where the "4th" clip is a good push down (you should hear it snap):


You're done. Now breathe easy again.

[ajay]

You must be a mind reader. I have a filter at home that I picked up when I was last at the dealer. It was on my todo list for the weekend.

Now do I do the entire process while holding a digital camera or not.

[asnbanker]

How often must you do this?

[joe_s2k]

Originally Posted by asnbanker

How often must you do this?

I do mine twice a year here in the hot, dry, and dusty climate we call home in Houston. I should probably replace it more often based on the how black the filter is every time I take it out.

I noticed is seems to help cool the cabin faster when it's clean.

[My_yella_s2k]

honda says every 30k... but on 06+ its every 15k

[rvenom]

I just love these how to forums the support is amazing.

[joe_s2k]

Originally Posted by rvenom

I just love these how to forums the support is amazing.

Becoming an S2KCA member helps support the forum support the members.

[McManus]

Thanks for the write-up! I think I will do mine in a week or two, just in time for the _really_ hot Texas weather.

BTW, being the cheap bastard that I am, I have to ask: must you replace it or can you simply wash it off, let dry, and replace?

~McManus

[ajay]

Originally Posted by joe_s2k

Becoming an S2KCA member helps support the forum support the members.

Walked right into that one

[repiv]

Originally Posted by McManus

Thanks for the write-up! I think I will do mine in a week or two, just in time for the _really_ hot Texas weather.

BTW, being the cheap bastard that I am, I have to ask: must you replace it or can you simply wash it off, let dry, and replace?

~McManus

Nothing wrong with being cheap. I'm pretty cheap myself. Check to see what it looks like. If it's not too black and only has big chunks in the pleats, use a wisk broom to brush out the big stuff and put it back in. On the other hand, the thing only costs about 25 bucks, taxes in.

PS. It's made of paper. You can't "wash" it. Brushing it out is about all you can do to it. Blowing compressed air through it may even damage the filtering capability of it.

[rvenom]

Originally Posted by joe_s2k

Becoming an S2KCA member helps support the forum support the members.

with out a doubt I plan on it.

[McManus]

Originally Posted by repiv

Nothing wrong with being cheap. I'm pretty cheap myself. Check to see what it looks like. If it's not too black and only has big chunks in the pleats, use a wisk broom to brush out the big stuff and put it back in. On the other hand, the thing only costs about 25 bucks, taxes in.

PS. It's made of paper. You can't "wash" it. Brushing it out is about all you can do to it. Blowing compressed air through it may even damage the filtering capability of it.

Ah, so it's not like a HEPA filter on a vaccuum, gotcha. Might as well get a new one then...

~McManus

[4U2NV]

Thanks! This is the how-to I was looking for. I am sure that my filter is way past due for replacement.

[My_yella_s2k]

cabin filter = hepa filter
same thing

[repiv]

Originally Posted by McManus

Ah, so it's not like a HEPA filter on a vaccuum, gotcha. Might as well get a new one then...

~McManus

Don't let me confuse you when I use the term "paper". A HEPA filter can be a "paper" (cellulose fiber) filter that filters very fine paritcles. See here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HEPA

Whether or not our cabin filters are "HEPA" filters, I can't say for sure. I'll let others make that call. From what I've read, it is.