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I change the one in my Pilot annually due to the amount of miles, but the VW cabin filter gets changed every 2-3 years because it only gets driven 30-40 miles a week.
Once a year or every 15,000-20,000 miles if living in a dirty city like NY. It's cheap and easy enough to do yourself, so do it often for best performance and gas mileage.
And if they aren't forgotten, they are a pain in the butt to change!
What make and model are you referring to?
Quote:
Originally Posted by WoodburyWoody
YMMV ... on my Toyota, it is easy - through the glovebox, takes more time to empty the glovebox than to swap out filters.
+1
With my 2011 Outback, the procedure is the same as on your Toyota:
1) Empty the glovebox.
2) "Pinch" the glovebox sides so that the box drops down toward the floor, revealing the little rectangular panel covering the cabin air filter.
3) Remove that little panel, and pull out the old filter.
4) Insert the new filter, and replace the little panel.
5) Raise glovebox back into position until it clicks into place.
6) Replace the items that you removed from the glovebox.
The last time that I did it, the entire process took about 6 minutes.
People say every 12,000 miles or every three years. My car seems to be running fine so I'm not sure if I should do it. I think the filter costs $40.
The key might be to look at the filter, not worry about miles. It's like the car oil. The key is to look at the oil and get an idea of whether it's dirty.
I just dropped my 2019 Subaru Crosstrek off at a dealer for some warranty and non-warranty work. I told them don't change the cabin filter (had been done by the first dopes where I bought the car based on a problem I had and based on what they found (small leaf) it didn't need to be done). This new dealership (love them) said it doesn't need to be changed except ever 12k miles and when it was replaced by the dopes, the car had under 3k mi.
Filters are ghastly expensive. And paying to replace it is expensive. I managed to change the one on our Kia Soul by watching a Youtube video and getting in the car seat upside down (head/flashlight on the floor and removed parts of the glovebox). I'm a woman in my 60s . The Subaru will need tools and will be a major hassle but I'll give it a shot.
Air filters (sorry tangential) have also become nuts to replace. I managed to do it in the Kia but was only able to slightly open the Subaru box to see the filter's clean. I told the dealership they're going to need to show me how the heck to pull out the filter - it's in a tiny space.
+1
With my 2011 Outback, the procedure is the same as on your Toyota:
1) Empty the glovebox.
2) "Pinch" the glovebox sides so that the box drops down toward the floor, revealing the little rectangular panel covering the cabin air filter.
3) Remove that little panel, and pull out the old filter.
4) Insert the new filter, and replace the little panel.
5) Raise glovebox back into position until it clicks into place.
6) Replace the items that you removed from the glovebox.
The last time that I did it, the entire process took about 6 minutes.
In a 2015, you have to pull off a little stay damper piston before pinching the glovebox sides to drop it. The long part of the 6 minutes is removing the debris from the glove box and putting it back afterwards.
The engine air filter requires a screwdriver to loosen a hose clamp. The first time required a bit of head scratching. Subaru uses a Toyota air box.
I buy Denso engine and cabin air filters that are the OEM filters for Toyota and Subaru. If they say Subaru on the box, they cost twice as much as when they come in a Denso box.
Ford Fiesta cabin air filter is located on the passenger side, on the left side of the dashboard.
Remove the screw and clip.
Pull out the plastic cover from the dashboard console and remove it.
Unclip the wire connector like you see in picture bellow.
After you to this steps you will be able to see cabin air filter housing cover.
Remove the screw from the Ford Fiesta cabin air filter – for this step use a torx screwdriver. Are 5 torx screws. Two of them is under dashboard and are difficult to unscrew.
Remove Ford Fiesta cabin air filter housing cover.Ford Fiesta cabin air fitler housing cover.jpg
Pull out the old cabin air filter. Is easier to pull out from bottom of the filter first.
Install new Ford Fiesta cabin air filter in to the housing. Fit the top of the filter first and the fit to the bottom.
Install cabin air filter housing cover and put the wire back.Install Ford Fiesta cabin Filter
Install the screw back in place to secure the cabin air filter in to the housing.
Install the plastic cover to the dashboard.
Focus:
The first two steps are to sit in the front passenger seat of the vehicle and then locate the dark grey carpeted panel below the glove box in the foot well.
The foot well panel is held in place by two round black plastic friction fasteners that are attached to yellow pop rivets.
If your filter cover has a screw on the bottom, loosen it in the counterclockwise direction with a Torx T15 screwdriver.
Squeeze the sides of the black plastic fasteners and slide them straight off the yellow pop rivets.
Remove the dark grey foot well cover and set it aside in a safe place. Behind the panel, you'll see the passenger compartment interior fuse panel.
At the front left area of the foot well, just in front of the center console, you'll see the rectangular black plastic filter access cover.
Squeeze together the two large black plastic tabs near the bottom of the cover to release the clips and pull the access panel away from the blower motor housing. Set the filter cover aside in a safe place.
Once the filter cover has been removed, you'll see the white or light grey edge of the old filter.
Gently slide the old filter straight out of the slot in the blower motor housing.
Gently insert the new air filter in to the slot with the "Air Flow" indicator arrow facing towards the rear of the vehicle.
Insert the top edge of the rectangular black plastic filter cover in place first.
Pinch together the two tabs at the end of the springy black plastic arms and push the lower part of the cover in place.
If your cabin air filter access panel was equipped with a screw at the bottom of the cover, tighten it in the clockwise direction with the Torx T15 star bit screwdriver. (The screw was missing on this 2012 Focus sedan.)
Line up the foot well panel and insert the two yellow pop rivets attached to the bottom of the dashboard through the corresponding holes.
Push the two black plastic friction fasteners straight on to the yellow pop rivets to secure the foot well cover in place.
Fusion:
Open the glove box and empty out the contents.
Gently pull off the plastic trim panel on the outside edge of the dashboard.
Loosen the panel with your fingers and if necessary, use a flathead screwdriver or a plastic automotive panel removal tool to pry it off.
Then gently pull off the plastic trim piece that runs along the dashboard just above the glove box and surrounds the air vent.
Remove 2nd 7mm Screw
Remove the two screws along the upper edge of the glove box by turning them counterclockwise with the 7mm socket and 1/4" drive ratcheting wrench.
Then remove the two 7mm screws on the bottom edge of the glove box by turning them counterclockwise.
(Make sure you don't accidentally remove the bolts on the knee air bag unit which is located under the glove box. The bolts on the airbag are 8mm.)
Release Friction Fasteners
Gently pull out the right side of the glove box to disengage the white plastic friction fasteners.
Press in the release tab on the power plug and slide it straight out of its socket.
Gently lower the glove box down to the passenger floor mat.
Locate the two screws that secure the rectangular black plastic filter access panel to the HVAC blower motor housing.
Remove the two screws on the filter access cover by turning them counterclockwise with the Phillips head screwdriver.
There is one screw on the left side and another on the far right side.
Gently push out the retaining clip on the left side of the cover and the other clip on the right side.
Then pull out the two large black plastic tabs on the top edge of the filter cover.
Flip down the hinged filter access cover to open it.
Slide the old cabin air filter straight out of the slot.
Slide the new filter straight in to the slot.
Swing the filter cover up and gently snap it back in to place to secure the retaining clips.
Re-insert the two Phillips head screws and tighten them in the clockwise direction until they are snug.
Slide the electrical connector for the glove box light back in to its socket.
Line up the white plastic friction fastener clips on the rear of the glove box with their corresponding slots.
Gently push the glove box back in to place.
Re-insert the two 7mm screws on the upper edge of the glove box and tighten them in the clockwise direction.
Line up the plastic trim panel over the A/C vent and gently push it back in to place.
Line up the outside edge panel and gently push it back in to place.
I just follow manufacturer's recommendation. For our cars, 30k miles for engine air filters and 10k-15k miles for cabin air filter.
Engine air filters and cabin air filters are easy to access on our cars. Takes 5-10 minutes. Once a year, I check my filters and shake out all the dust, leaves, etc. Check Youtube for details on how to access and replace air filters.
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. The Subaru will need tools and will be a major hassle but I'll give it a shot.
