Changing your cabin air filter is a good maintenance item for you and your car.
Most modern vehicles are equipped with cabin air filters to limit the entry of pollutants into the car and keep the air fresh. However, just like your engine air filter, cabin filters can become clogged, affecting the performance of your car’s air conditioning system as well as the air quality inside your car.
How do I change my cabin air filter? If you ask “can I change the cabin air filter myself”, the answer is definitely “yes”. If you take your car to a shop for an oil change or other maintenance, they’ll most likely try to upsell cabin air filter replacements. In fact, air filters are one of the 5 most common mechanical upsells. But what you may not know is that doing this work on your own saves a lot of money and is a very simple task that usually doesn’t require tools.
Exact instructions for replacing your car’s cabin air filter can usually be found in your owner’s manual, but here are the basics on how to change your car’s cabin air filter.
Step 1: Open the hood
How to change the cabin air filter: On most vehicles, the cabin air filter is located inside the car, but even so, the first step you should take is to open the hood. All cars get fresh air from the bottom of the windshield, called the fairing, and the windshield wipers are there. A quick inspection of the area is carried out to ensure that there are no leaves or any other debris that could affect the flow of air entering the cabin. You can pick up larger items with your hands and use a small brush or hose to clear the rest of the area.
Step 2: Find your car’s cabin air filter
The easiest way to find cabin air filters for your car is to check the owner’s manual, but these are usually located in the footroom area of the passenger’s side. If you no longer have a user manual or the instructions are unclear, you can always check the forums or even online videos of a specific brand to know the location and removal procedure. Some disassembly may be required to access the cabin filters, such as the glove box or plastic lid under the dashboard, although rarely any type of tool is required to remove these parts. Once you’ve found the cabin air filter housing, you’re almost there. There may be some sort of lid that opens or slips off before you get into the actual filter.
Step 3: Remove and replace the cabin air filter
How do I change my cabin air filter? On some vehicles, it is easy to remove the cabin air filter. Since the area under the dashboard is so compact, it may take some tricks to put the new air filter back in place. There is usually an arrow indicating the expected airflow of the filter, but other than that, you just want to make sure that the filter is installed correctly without damage.
Step 4: Reinstall all removed components
Ways to replace cabin air filter: Needless to say, once you install a new cabin air filter, it’s time to fix the problem. Make sure the filter cover is properly installed, then put any items you may have removed back in their place.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cabin Air Filters: How to Replace a Cabin Air Filter
How often should you change the air filter in your car?
The air filter in the car should be replaced regularly, and the exact time varies depending on the car manufacturer. In general, this tends to recommend around every 15,000 miles. Of course, if you often drive your vehicle in dusty or highly polluted areas, then you may need to change your cabin air filter more often.
What should I do if my car’s air conditioner still smells?
For strong odors that won’t go away, you may also want to try spraying odor neutralizer into your HVAC vents in addition to replacing your cabin air filter. Auto parts stores have a lot of products that use aerosol sprayers and long nozzles to spray deodorant into HVAC enclosures to reduce odors from heating and air conditioning systems.
Is there any difference in changing the car’s interior air filter?
Most drivers probably won’t think about their cabin air filter until the interior of their car starts smelling or the attendant at the oil change shop adds one to the upsell list. The truth is that it is an easy-to-maintain project that solves its own problems to save a lot of money and get a greater sense of fulfillment.
The car used to visualize the story was my friend’s Chrysler Pacifica minivan, who got an estimate of about $70 from a tire shop to replace the filter. I took him to a local auto parts store, where he paid $15 plus taxes for a filter, and I walked him through the steps of replacing it himself in less than 20 minutes.
By following the simple methods and steps above for changing your cabin air filter, you’ll be able to improve your car’s air quality and save money. Try it out for yourself a weekend and be sure to let us know how it’s going!
