Any reprecussions to removing the cabin filter and operating the vehicle and it's environmental control without it?

It was easy to yank out when i went to change it but seems to be a pita to stuff the new one back in. And I could swear that it blows harder without it

 

so eventually it will get dirtier in places that are harder to clean, but removal of it should also allow for more air flow......

Whatever makes you happy!

Matt

 

Just what I was thinking.

Removing it is super easy. Its in the passenger footwell. Pull the cover off (it snaps off on the long side) then pull the filter out. I just replaced my carbon filter yesterday.

Also after replacing the filter the air smells better and blows a tad better.

 

Given how dirty that thing gets, I'd prefer to keep it in. Not only for cleaner air to breathe, but also to keep the interior less dusty.

ThereIsNoSpoon, have you looked into a less dense filter? Maybe the paper option is less restrictive?

As always, watch out for those agents!

 

Removing the filter allows for more airflow. The cost of doing so is probalby not worth it.

 

I like to breath clean air and don't really like the dust that piles up over time. I will just end up changing it often to keep the resistance for air flow down.

 

I wonder if K&N makes a replacement filter? Probably add 2 to 3 BTUs to your air conditioner.

 

MicronAir makes a replacement filter. Same sort of thing as the stock with the active carbon.

 

better airflow until the AC stops working because the blower clogged. Put a new filter back in. Change it twice a year.

 

Replace the filter. It makes the interior smell fresher and is healther for you and your passengers. I replace mine twice a year, but I also live on a country road.

 

for the new owners who did not opt for the Auto AC with the carbon filter. The filter is the same size and you can use either filter. If you suffer from alergies there may be some advantage to spending the extra cash for the carbon filter. On a simular note, I have the auto AC and run the regular filter for the winter season.
Please forgive me if you know this. It just occured to me that a new owner may not understand the two filters are interchangeable depending on the need of the owner.
John

 

I did not know this and it is good to know. Of course I got the Auto AC but still good to know.

 

Re: carbon filters / allergies

Any pollen/particulate that is large enough to be trapped by the filter, plain paper or one with activated charcoal, will help allergy suffers. The charcoal [carbon] ABSORBS chemical vapors and odors and has little to do with helping alleviate typical allergy symptoms. IMHO, the amount of surface area in the activated charcoal that cabin filters contain is probably so small that it's saturated in a very short period.

-Barry / 10 Ball

 

I have never changed the a/c filter in my car's 4.5 year life. I guess I should do that soon.

 

For those who have replaced, what's the cost, and where did you get it (i.e. local dealer or Classic, etc.) TIA

 

Well, since yours is an extreme case, you're in a good position to tell us if you notice a big difference afterwards (does the air smell cleaner/different, is there significantly more airflow from the vents, etcetera).

Of course, if you ever took your car in for the free scheduled maintenance with the dealer, the cabin filter is included in at least the first scheduled maintenance, and perhaps others, so they should have changed it for you.

 

Heh...filter. Who knew.
Just went out to check mine, and ThereIsNoSpoon, you are quite correct! That thing is a major PITA to put back! And mine snapped the plastic frame in several places. Guess it's time for a new one!

 

I never did the free service at the dealer. They are a good 250 miles away, and I need my car for work/college and such so I couldn't have had it towed. My a/c is broken at the moment, the freon is gone. It still blows air though, and the heat still works I think.

 

I suspect, no proof, that my filter did not get changed at the first service. I'll ask at my next and final freebee visit before the warranty expires.
I removed my filter yesterday and blew it out with compressed air. Great to do on a windy day and upwind of your least favorite neighbor. I was surprised at the amount of dust it had trapped. Cracked the plastic frame on the filter while trying to flatten it out and clean the folds, but it reinstalled just fine. My filter, '05 MCS, was a fuzzy type of fabric [on the upstream side] and NOT paper.

-Barry

 

I always thought filters on car system ACs/heaters were a bit funny. Sure they keep things clean inside, but open the windows and anything in the air comes flooding in anyway. Do folks drive around with there windows closed all the time to keep the interiors clean? I'll confess that after cleaning the interior I sometimes keep the windows closed more often than usual ... but that lasts only a little while

 

Does anyone have instrucctions on how to change the pollen filter? Thanks

 

My dealer refused to change my filter until the 30,000 miles service, which is about $500. Which is one of the many reasons I will no longer do business with them, and will change the filter myself.

 

Yep, with how often my windows are open anytime the temps are between 50 and 85, I don't think I'd miss a cabin filter aside from the winter (not much pollen then), and the few times it's hot enough to use the AC with the windows closed.

 

 

Definitely worth changing! Bosch makes both the carbon and standard style, I believe, so aftermarket autoparts shops should carry them. I think Qualitee (a French co. I think) offers a cheaper version.
My car is 6 years old, and I've changed it 5 times. It gets easier with practice, and after blowing out the first one, I'm a true believer.
Roughly $30.