How to Change a Cabin Air Filter

There are two types of cabin air filters to consider—particulate filters and odor / particulate combination filters.

* If you don’t change it, the filter could get clogged with dirt, dust, smelly mold and allergens, and can even impact the performance of your defroster and your heating and air conditioning.

Always record the date and mileage every time you change your cabin air filter, so you’ll know when it’s due for another change.

And remember… if you don’t have time or aren’t inclined to change your own cabin air filter… you can always take your vehicle to your local AutoCare Center… they’ll be happy change it for you!

STEP 1

Open the glove box.

Open the glove box and take out the contents.

STEP 2

Remove the limiting stop arm.

The limiting stop arm is on the right side of the glove box. Just slide it off the pin.

STEP 3

Release the glove box.

Grasp the front and back of the glove box, squeezing them toward each other until the side clamps pop free. Now that the sides are free, you can drop down the entire glove box, so you can see the faceplate to the cabin air filter channel.

STEP 4

Remove the old cabin air filter.

Lift the latches on the sides of the faceplate and slide it out of the way, opening up the filter compartment. Now you can simply pull out the old cabin air filter, being careful not to scatter any dust, dirt and trash from the filter into your car. As you remove the old filter, notice which way the arrows are facing. They indicate the direction of the airflow.

STEP 5

Clean filter chamber and check seals and gaskets.

Before you install a fresh, new EnviroShield cabin air filter, vacuum the filter chamber, then wipe it with a damp cloth to remove any stray contaminants. Check the condition of gaskets and seals to make sure they don’t need changing as well.

STEP 6

Install the new cabin air filter.

Make sure the new cabin air filter matches the old one. Double check to make sure the arrows on the new filter are pointing in the same direction as the old filter you took out, and slide the new filter in.

STEP 7

Replace and secure the glove box.

Once the filter’s in place, just replace the faceplate, snap the glove box back in place, reinstall the limiting stop, and put everything back in the glove box.

The cabin air filter in this example is located behind the glove box. Yours might be beneath the dashboard, usually on the passenger side. Under-dash filters can often be removed without any tools by simply opening a small access door. Filters located under the hood may require removing other parts. To access them, you may need to take off a cowl vent louver housing, wiper blades, washer bottle or other items. Look in your owner’s service manual for specifics.