Like other parts of an engine or a running machinery, a cabin air filter also gets old with time and efficiency of its working reduces over the span of its usage.
The replacement of the air filter is usually contingent with the mileage of the vehicle but the efficiency of the cabin air filter is also dependent upon the external environment.
If the outside environment is more dusty or sandy, the cabin air filter will get old quickly. Hence, to increase the efficiency of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system of a vehicle and to avoid any damages to the system, replacing the cabin air filter is quite imperative.
How Often to Change Cabin Air Filter
A cabin air filter should be changed for every 12000 miles or after one year period. There are different types of cabin air filters based on their material, design and usage. Their expected useful life can vary. So it's better to inspect your cabin air filter for every 3000 miles or 3 months.
There are two main types of cabin air filter; reusable cabin air filter and single use cabin air filter. Reusable cabin air filters have much greater useful life than single use cabin air filters. So its all depends on the type of cabin air filter and its use.
Location Cabin Air Filter
Location cabin air filter varies based on brand, model and year of release. Some vehicles have it under the glovebox, some have it under the hood and some vehicles have cabin air filter under the dash board.
Following is a list of most used cars in USA and UK and their location cabin air filter behind glove box
- Ford F-150 - The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.
- Honda CR-V - The cabin air filter is located in the engine compartment, near the passenger-side windshield.
- Chevrolet Silverado - The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.
- Toyota RAV4 - The cabin air filter is located in the engine compartment, on the passenger side of the vehicle, near the windshield.
- Toyota Camry - The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.
- Mazda CX-5 - The cabin air filter is located in the engine compartment, on the passenger side of the vehicle, near the firewall.
- Honda Civic - The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.
- Hyundai Elantra - The cabin air filter is located in the engine compartment, on the passenger side of the vehicle, near the windshield.
- Nissan Altima - The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.
- Kia Sorento - The cabin air filter is located in the engine compartment, on the passenger side of the vehicle, near the windshield.
- Honda Accord - The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.
- Subaru Impreza - The cabin air filter is located in the engine compartment, on the passenger side of the vehicle, near the firewall.
- Toyota Corolla - The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.
- Mitsubishi Outlander - The cabin air filter is located in the engine compartment, on the passenger side of the vehicle, near the firewall.
- Ford Escape - The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.
- Nissan Rogue - The cabin air filter is located in the engine compartment, on the passenger side of the vehicle, near the firewall.
- Ford Fusion - The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.
- Chevrolet Equinox - The cabin air filter is located in the engine compartment, on the passenger side of the vehicle, near the windshield.
- Chevrolet Malibu - The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.
- Jeep Cherokee - The cabin air filter is located in the engine compartment, on the passenger side of the vehicle, near the windshield.
Please note that the location of the cabin air filter can vary depending on the year and model of the car. It is always recommended to consult the owner's manual or a certified mechanic to find the exact location of the cabin air filter in your specific vehicle.
How to change the Cabin Air Filter?
Replacement of the cabin air filter is usually an easy process and it does not take long. If you are doing it yourself (DIY work), it might take you 30-40 minutes to complete it.
But you might be aware of the fact that the location of the cabin air filter and insulation of the ventilation and air conditioning system changes with the change in the model of a vehicle or vehicle’s manufacturer.
Therefore, the time or the process of changing a cabin air filter might vary from case to case. But most of the vehicles have their cabin air filter located behind the glovebox.
Therefore we will discuss the step by step procedure of changing the cabin air filter that is located behind the glovebox.
- Open the glovebox and empty it completely by taking out everything.
- Locate the screw that is keeping the glovebox in its place. Use the commonly available screwdriver to open the screw, take the screw out and keep it in a safe location within or outside of your vehicle.
- Few vehicles come with a band that holds the glovebox in place that you may also need to release to disassemble the glovebox.
- Press both sides of the glovebox gently and take it out of its place. This will expose the area behind the glovebox where the cabin air filter is located.
- Please avoid putting extra force on the glovebox to avoid the cracking of hinges.
- Squeeze the tab on either side of the cabin air filter cover to remove it. Once the cover is removed, take out the old cabin air filter slowly as it might be full of dust particles that may fall out of it.
- Check the housing for excessive or fallen out dirt and debris and vacuum them out if required.
- Put the new filter in the housing and make sure that the arrow on the front of the cabin air filter points in the right direction.
- Once the filter is seated in its place, reinstall its cover.
The last step of the replacement process is to take the glovebox and slide it into its original position and put the screw and band (if required) back in their place. At the end, close the glovebox and you are done.
Cabin Air Filter Replacement Cost
The replacement of the cabin air filter is not a hefty process and does not involve a large number of steps. But, the cost of replacing a cabin air filter depends upon many factors such as labor cost, location of the market where you are going to buy and get it replaced and the brand or manufacturer of the cabin air filter.
A cabin air filter itself is not a very expensive item and the average price of an air filter may vary between $10 and $20 at a local market. You will be able to save the additional labor cost, if you are interested in carrying out the replacement as DIY (do it yourself) work.
Whereas, if you go to a mechanic for the replacement then the cabin air filter replacement cost can be between $50 to $100 including filter cost. Furthermore, the labor cost is dependent upon the location of the cabin air filter in your vehicle and the location of the market where you are going to get the cabin air filter replaced.
If the cabin air filter of your car is under the hood or behind the vehicle’s glovebox, the replacement will be easy and the labor cost will be less. Few of the cars have their cabin air filter under the dash which might make the replacement a bit hefty and the cost of replacement might go up.
Furthermore, location of a mechanic's shop might also affect the replacement costs because markets downtown are comparatively more expensive than the markets that are in the suburban areas of a city.
What are the advantages of timely replacement of Cabin Air Filter?
Similar to the fact that an engine needs clean air to have proper combustion and power output, the passengers in the vehicle’s internal compartment also need fresh and clean air to stay comfortable and enjoy a healthy journey.
A cabin air filter, similar to the filter at the engine air intake, is an extremely important part of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system of a vehicle. A cabin air filter is installed at the start of the ducts that take outside air into the internal compartment of a vehicle.
A timely replacement of cabin air filter have several advantages which are given below:
A cabin air filter restricts the entry of several air pollutants such as bacteria, road soot, exhaust gasses and pollen particles into the passenger compartment of a vehicle.
Replacement of the cabin air filter will increase the amount of airflow into the passenger compartment of the vehicle which will enhance the efficiency of the vehicle's HVAC system to defrost, ventilate and air condition the vehicle and will make the environment inside the compartment comfortable.
A newly replaced cabin air filter will keep the inside environment of the vehicle fresh and free from any foul or unpleasant odor.
Increased airflow will not cause any harm to the people with allergies or any other health conditions.
What will happen if you don’t replace the Cabin Air Filter?
The main duty of a cabin air filter is to send fresh air into the passenger compartment of a vehicle. A newly bought cabin air filter is clean and void of dust particles whereas an old or overused air filter will get clogged up with dust particles and will be unable to perform its function in an inefficient way. More disadvantages of an old or overused cabin air filter are given below:
A cabin air filter filled up with impurities and dust will not allow enough fresh air to enter the passenger compartment of the vehicle and hence the amount of fresh incoming air to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system may decrease which will compromise the comfort of the passengers.
Furthermore, the ability of the HVAC system of the vehicle to defrost, air condition and ventilate the vehicle might plummet as well.
An overused or old cabin air filter will cause a musty or unpleasant odor within the passenger compartment of a vehicle.
The window of the vehicle might fog up very easily from inside of the passenger’s compartment. This problem is very easily noticeable in the cold weather and the driver will face visibility problems.
People with specific health conditions such as allergy and asthma etc. might not be able to travel comfortably and the suffocating environment in the passenger’s compartment might also elevate their health conditions.
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