How Often Should Cabin Air Filters Be Replaced?

Air Filters

When you buy a new car, you will undoubtedly have some questions. Instead of taking your vehicle to a mechanic for every little issue, you may need to learn some basic DIY skills. You can go online to ask such questions as “Do you have to replace all spark plugs at once?” or “How to replace a cabin air filter?” Fortunately, you can also refer back to this handy guide when you need some assistance.

The Basics

In general, you need to replace the cabin air filter once every 12 months or once every 12,000 miles. The total procedure should only take about 15 minutes, and it is not hard to complete. If you would like any more information about this process, then you should refer to your owner’s manual.

The Glove Box

After you check what auto parts on sale are online, you can go to the glove box and remove all of the contents. You should find the limiting stop arm on the right side of the box. You can remove this component by gently sliding it off of the pin. After all that, you can release the glove box by grasping and back and front of it. From there, squeeze both ends toward each other until the clamps come loose. Once the sides are free, the whole glove box should drop down. From here, you should be able to see the faceplate located in the cabin air filter channel.

The Cabin Air Filter

Once you have access to the filter, you can remove it by lifting the latches on the faceplate’s sides and sliding it out of position. This opens the filter compartment. You can then pull the old air filter out. Be careful. You do not want to scatter any trash, dirt or dust from the filter in your car’s interior. As you pull it, you should pay attention to which way the arrows are pointing. They indicate the airflow’s direction, and you want your new filter to point the same way.

The New Filter

Your new cabin air filter should be an exact match to the old one. You should double-check to ensure the arrows on this new filter point in the same direction. If it is a precise match, then you can slide it into position. Once you have the filter in place, you can also replace the faceplate. You can snap the glove box back into position and put back in the limiting stop. Everything can now go back inside the glove box.

It is vital to replace your cabin air filter regularly or else it will get clogged up with dust and dirt. It may even develop mold over time and trigger your allergies. Eventually, it will impact the overall performance of your air conditioning and heating systems. You do not want that to happen, especially if it is the middle of summer or winter, so get all of the components you need at your local auto parts shop to stay prepared.

Author: Flavia