I always have my AC in recirculate mode do i still need to replace Cabin filter in the life of the car? if so whats the reason since i dont suck in outside air. Thanks
Cabin filter question
- Thread starter kalloggs40
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Probably not, although you'll want to make sure it isn't full of dirt.
Take it out and look at it. If it looks new, knock the bugs out and put it back in.
Take it out and look at it. If it looks new, knock the bugs out and put it back in.
Thanks for the reply honesty i dont think it has ever been changed in 40k miles. When i turn on air to come from outside it stinks like mold, so i found a FRAM cabin filter $40 delivered from the UK, they are the only ones selling for euro cars. I will have to get one soon.
Hello, If your car indeed "goes 100% recirculate", you're fortunate. Many vehicles still pump some outside air through the body even in recirculate mode.
Sometimes there are even "flapped-one way vents" which work by the suction created by the vehicle's forward motion. The resulting airflow might be filtered.
I think it's part of a moisture/mold riddance scheme.
As Bandito440 said, give it a look. 12 years is a long time.
The cabin filters in my family's cars are mounted low so dirt just naturally migrates and collects there.
I don't know your car but I've seen setups where the filter element was matched with a carbon element of the same size AND thin, plastic retainers had to be broken to remove the factory installed filter. In such a case, the new filter lives where the original one did and the space occupied by the carbon element was left empty. There was no replacement part. I believe the carbon element was there as overkill for any smells created during the vehicle's shipment and pre-delivery period. Kira
Sometimes there are even "flapped-one way vents" which work by the suction created by the vehicle's forward motion. The resulting airflow might be filtered.
I think it's part of a moisture/mold riddance scheme.
As Bandito440 said, give it a look. 12 years is a long time.
The cabin filters in my family's cars are mounted low so dirt just naturally migrates and collects there.
I don't know your car but I've seen setups where the filter element was matched with a carbon element of the same size AND thin, plastic retainers had to be broken to remove the factory installed filter. In such a case, the new filter lives where the original one did and the space occupied by the carbon element was left empty. There was no replacement part. I believe the carbon element was there as overkill for any smells created during the vehicle's shipment and pre-delivery period. Kira
Thanks for the info Kira, the cabin filter on this car is easy thank god.
its 12hr job for a an alternator though, and no one works on this car for less than $150 and hr but i love driving it, i never turn the radio on love the sound of the engine.
Its also very advanced car for a small hatch of 2002, like:
If its raining rear wiper will only clean the rear window when car is placed in reverse, rear view mirrors slightly moves down+left when headlight beams from tailgaiting occur,when its raining front wiper will clean windows and if small drip starts it will clean that as well,car windows on passenger side will not go down by pressing the button if someone under 30kg is sitting.... the list goes on, europeans knew what we like from cars. But very expensive to maintain, like $600 for spark plugs, $300 oil change, $1300 timing belt, $3000 clutch etc
its 12hr job for a an alternator though, and no one works on this car for less than $150 and hr but i love driving it, i never turn the radio on love the sound of the engine.
Its also very advanced car for a small hatch of 2002, like:
If its raining rear wiper will only clean the rear window when car is placed in reverse, rear view mirrors slightly moves down+left when headlight beams from tailgaiting occur,when its raining front wiper will clean windows and if small drip starts it will clean that as well,car windows on passenger side will not go down by pressing the button if someone under 30kg is sitting.... the list goes on, europeans knew what we like from cars. But very expensive to maintain, like $600 for spark plugs, $300 oil change, $1300 timing belt, $3000 clutch etc
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Maybe I'm the cheapest person on earth, but I just cut a section out of a furnace filter. Toyota's have a plastic tray that holds it perfectly. I can get four out of a normal sized filter, so about a buck each.
Cabin air filter is not as importance as engine air filter, before around 1990 not many vehicles had cabin filter and no driver and/or passenger died because of missing it.
I also cut the furnace filter to use in my S2000. It didn't fit perfect as OEM filter, but since the car is driven with the top down most of the time, so dust can get in the car directly from top much more than through the vents.
I also cut the furnace filter to use in my S2000. It didn't fit perfect as OEM filter, but since the car is driven with the top down most of the time, so dust can get in the car directly from top much more than through the vents.
Originally Posted By: bepperb
Maybe I'm the cheapest person on earth, but I just cut a section out of a furnace filter. Toyota's have a plastic tray that holds it perfectly. I can get four out of a normal sized filter, so about a buck each.
That will keep will keep the branches and dead animals out of your cabin. Dust and pollen is a different matter.
Maybe I'm the cheapest person on earth, but I just cut a section out of a furnace filter. Toyota's have a plastic tray that holds it perfectly. I can get four out of a normal sized filter, so about a buck each.
That will keep will keep the branches and dead animals out of your cabin. Dust and pollen is a different matter.
My GF's 2003 Highlander has a tray as well. Just about any type of media you can put into it will be fine, IMO. I used a piece of washable "hog's hair" HVAC media in it for a while before I found the "correct" replacement. I personally think there is nothing wrong here as long as it keeps large debris out of the evaporator housing.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Cabin air filter is not as importance as engine air filter, before around 1990 not many vehicles had cabin filter and no driver and/or passenger died because of missing it.
I also cut the furnace filter to use in my S2000. It didn't fit perfect as OEM filter, but since the car is driven with the top down most of the time, so dust can get in the car directly from top much more than through the vents.
You're right. My motorcycle still doesn't have one. Makes it quite an ordeal to ride it. I guess I could wear a mask, or put a filter in the helmet.
Cabin air filter is not as importance as engine air filter, before around 1990 not many vehicles had cabin filter and no driver and/or passenger died because of missing it.
I also cut the furnace filter to use in my S2000. It didn't fit perfect as OEM filter, but since the car is driven with the top down most of the time, so dust can get in the car directly from top much more than through the vents.
You're right. My motorcycle still doesn't have one. Makes it quite an ordeal to ride it. I guess I could wear a mask, or put a filter in the helmet.
I think their purpose is to keep the evaporator coils clean... not your lungs.
I replaced the one on my truck a couple of weeks ago, and couldn't believe the amount of dirt and stuff that was just packed in to the folds in 17k miles. Keeping that in a filter instead of packing them in the coils is a good thing.
Strangely enough the one on my wife's G35 wasn't that bad when I changed it yesterday, and it had 40K in service.
I used one of those $5 cheapie filters off of ebay... The pleats were spaced a little further apart, but it still seemed to be pretty well constructed. Aeon imports, I think was the brand.
I replaced the one on my truck a couple of weeks ago, and couldn't believe the amount of dirt and stuff that was just packed in to the folds in 17k miles. Keeping that in a filter instead of packing them in the coils is a good thing.
Strangely enough the one on my wife's G35 wasn't that bad when I changed it yesterday, and it had 40K in service.
I used one of those $5 cheapie filters off of ebay... The pleats were spaced a little further apart, but it still seemed to be pretty well constructed. Aeon imports, I think was the brand.
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WOW! a year old thread resurrection!
I found an unused home HVAC panel and dutifully cut out my cabin air filter's shape.
However, upon seeing the density of the WIX filter I removed and all the dirt it had trapped, I decided to chuck the idea of home filters as foolish.
Gimme the right filter for the application.
OK, ok I will look at the 3M 9000 (Walmart's best) filter and get back to you. Kira
I found an unused home HVAC panel and dutifully cut out my cabin air filter's shape.
However, upon seeing the density of the WIX filter I removed and all the dirt it had trapped, I decided to chuck the idea of home filters as foolish.
Gimme the right filter for the application.
OK, ok I will look at the 3M 9000 (Walmart's best) filter and get back to you. Kira
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