How to Change the Cabin Air Filter of a Car

Air purifiers have become typical home items in recent years, in part because of COVID-19 and wildfire smoke, as well as a better understanding of how contaminated the air we breathe can become. We should consider what we are breathing in when inside our autos in addition to the air quality within our homes. And this raises the question of when you or your mechanic last replaced the cabin air filter in your automobile. And here's what you should know about that procedure, including how to change cabin air filters and how long they normally last.

The lifespan of cabin air filters

Cabin air filters were typically made to endure about 12,000 to 30,000 miles. However, you might need to replace it once a year or perhaps more frequently if you reside in an industrial location with high levels of air pollution or a region that frequently experiences wildfires.

When to replace your cabin air filter

How can you know when it's time to replace your cabin air filter if mileage isn't always a reliable indicator? The Drive's Jonathan Klein lists the following as some of the typical signs:

• Farms, factories, skunks, etc. are all easily detectable from inside your automobile, even when the air within is being recirculated.
• Even with the vents set to the highest level, there is little ventilation.
• It seems like air is having difficulty exiting the car's HVAC system or that the vent itself is obstructed.
• You can see smoke or other particles coming through the vents.

How to change the cabin air filter in a car

Even if you regularly take your car to the dealership for maintenance like oil changes or tire rotations, in most circumstances it doesn't make sense to pay the dealership's inflated fee—which can range from about $40 to $130—for something you can handle yourself in a few minutes. Furthermore, you can start by reading the owner's manual to learn where your cabin air filter is and how to change it because the tools and procedure required varies on the type of car you have. Most importantly, the cabin air filter is typically positioned behind the glovebox—though you can also find it under the hood, at the base of the windshield.

1. Behind the glovebox

In some automobiles, you may reach the cabin air filter by simply depressing a tab on each side of the glovebox, which lowers it. After that, you remove the old filter, insert the new one, and reinstall your glovebox. That's it! Moreover, to access the cabin air filter in some vehicles, you might need to remove the glovebox door. In this situation, open the glovebox door with a flathead screwdriver or Torx/Hex wrench (as specified in your owner's handbook). And this way, you should be able to access the air filter. The glove box door must then be reattached after removing the old filter and installing the new one.

2. Under the hood

Start the automobile, turn on the windshield wipers, and when the wipers are positioned so they are looking up at the sky, turn off the engine. Next, raise the hood. From here, according to Klein -

1. Remove the windshield washer hose from the clips on the plastic cover near the base of the windshield.
2. Pull away the hood weatherstripping.
3. Remove the plastic cover (you may need a flathead screwdriver).
4. Remove the cabin air filter.
5. Replace with the new cabin air filter.
6. Reinstall the plastic cover, hood weatherstripping, and windshield washer hose.
7. Close the hood.

Bottom line

Changing the cabin air filters of cars is a quick job that's worthwhile to do. Besides, doing so will not make the HVAC system in your automobile operate more efficiently, but you'll also breathe cleaner air. Also, Read- DreameBot L10s Ultra Raises the Bar for Robot Vacuum Cleaners