Changing Cabin Filter '06 Volvo V70 VS '14 Accord

[HTSS_TR]

Honda engineers put in a little extra effort to design their cars for quick and easy maintenance. Many items that require regular maintenance such as engine air filter, cabin air filter are designed such that even a novice can do it with minimum tool or no tool.

Compare how easy it is to change cabin filter in newer Accord with Volvo V70, it is easy to see that Volvo engineers didn't care much about maintenance their vehicles. They didn't intentionally make it difficult for DIY, but they didn't put much effort in designing their vehicles for easy maintenance.

This is one of many reasons Honda can sell many more vehicles than Volvo, and they can survive stand alone without being bought by foreign country (like Volvo is now owned by a China company ?)

Replace cabin filter in Volvo V70 requires torque bit.


Replace cabin filter in 2013+ Honda Accord in 1 minute with your hands as tool.

 

[wirelessF]

Or you can be like GM and take them out of their trucks. 03-13 Silverados/Sierras don't come equipped with a cabin air filter. It's a slight PITA requiring two different socket sizes for the cabin air filter and a long #2 Phillips screwdriver for the air filter housing. I'm guessing they are not intended to be replaced often.

 

[silverrat]

Ok now check the procedure for 98-02 Accord

 

[bdcardinal]

I found the one on my S60R was very easy to change. But I have a full toolbox, so Torx fittings are no big for me. I rather enjoyed sitting in the passengers seat looking up at the bottom of the dashboard with my feet next to the headrest.

 

[Vikas]

You are comparing 06 vs 14. As somebody pointed out, early 2000 Honda were quite a challenge to change the cabin filter. Some of them even needed to be literally hacked by hack saw before one could get the original filter out.

 

[ecotourist]

The procedure is almost identical on my '07 Accord. I seem to recall the latch being on the driver's side, but other than that, it's the same.

The local dealer charges a completely bizarre price for what can be done easily in about a minute.

 

[dishdude]

What is the point of this thread? The Honda is a better car because a torx isn't needed to change the cabin air filter? Most cars in '06 didn't even have a cabin air filter.

 

[yesthatsteve]

Originally Posted By: silverrat
Ok now check the procedure for 98-02 Accord


Or the same era Odyssey.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
What is the point of this thread? The Honda is a better car because a torx isn't needed to change the cabin air filter? Most cars in '06 didn't even have a cabin air filter.

I said "Honda engineers put in a little extra effort to design their cars for quick and easy maintenance."

Cabin filter is one example, another example is changing headlight bulb.

I can change both low beam bulbs in Honda Accord in less than 2-3 minutes because there are ample room for anyone to reach the bulb to remove/reinstall.

There is no room at all to get my hand to low beam bulb on either passenger or driver side. So changing headlight bulb in Volvo V70 requires remove other parts. The extra problem with Volvo V70 is low beam is used as DRL at full power, therefore the bulb didn't lasted more than a year or two. The third problem is with the light switch is at off position, the instrument is lighted along with DRL therefore a diver may forget to switch the light on and all back light are off at night.

Not only these lights and cabin filter, Volvo has many other problems, one is PCV system. It is complicate and hidden under intake manifold, while other cars have simple PCV valve on top of the engine that can be replaced in few minutes.

From my point of view, I think Volvo engineers and Volvo team leader didn't work well together as Honda or Toyota engineers.

If Volvo is as good as say Honda, then they should sell a lot more cars than they do the last 10-20 years, and they would not be bought by a Chinese company.

 

[Vikas]

I think all you can say about Honda (an I am Honda fanboy!) is that they do learn from their mistakes and correct in subsequent years. One of the older Acura Vigor needed entire dashboard on the ground to RR the blower motor! I suspect your Volvo does NOT need to take off the whole dashboard apart to get to the blower motor.

 

[bdcardinal]

Funny about Volvo and headlight bulbs, I kept the HIDs on my S60R running anytime the car was on, and I replaced the bulbs once in the 7 years I owned it. The bulb replacement was super easy, took 5 minutes tops. I have worked on Toyotas where you have to remove the battery to change a headlight bulb.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Funny about Volvo and headlight bulbs, I kept the HIDs on my S60R running anytime the car was on, and I replaced the bulbs once in the 7 years I owned it. The bulb replacement was super easy, took 5 minutes tops. I have worked on Toyotas where you have to remove the battery to change a headlight bulb.

HID bulbs are rated several thousands hours, normal halogen bulbs are rated in hundreds hours.

If HID headlight is used at night only, it can lasted more than 20 years.

I think the easiest car to change headlight bulb is MB E430. Both low and high beams use H7 and so much room around the headlight assemblies so that one can change all 4 bulbs in less than 3-5 minutes working slowly.

 

[sleddriver]

My older 1998 V70 is quite different from your newer one. I'd rather use a Torx any day compared to a Philips or 'regular'.