Cabin Air Filter Replacement: Haynes Shows You How

March 2017

3 minute read

How a car’s pollen filter works

A car’s cabin filter, also called a pollen filter, stops particles from entering the passenger cabin. It catches dust, pollen and other fine pollutants. A pollen filter can be made from several different materials, but most feature cotton/paper fibers that coat the ribbed or pleated surface (for maximum surface area). Some filters contain carbon, which helps to reduce odours from traffic pollution entering the cabin.

Cabin filters can be located in the cabin - usually in or near the glovebox - or as part of the cowl below the windshield wipers. Haynes’ has detailed information on how to find and change yours.

This task requires little or no experience, using basic tools, depending on where your filter is installed, and will take a few minutes to half an hour to complete.

Every car is different, so before you view the full instructions, find yours…

When to change your pollen filter

“Poor air flow from the vents can be caused by a clogged filter”

Car manufacturers tend to recommended that cabin filters are changed every 12,000-15,000 miles or around once a year. If you don’t know when yours was last changed there are a couple of things to look for that tell you it’s time to renew it. First, air flow from the vents may be poor. This reduces over time, so it’s difficult to spot but it’s caused by a clogged filter.

Another sign that it may be time to change your pollen filter is a musty smell in the cabin. This can also be caused by a build-up of bacteria in the air conditioning system, and can be cured by turning the fan speed and temperature up to max for 10 minutes or so, but it’s a sign that the pollen filter needs to be replaced.

All cars are slightly different, so if it is time to change your thermostat, use our before you begin checklist, and find your car for specific instructions.

A musty smell in the cabin could be a sign that the pollen filter needs to be changed

Why you should change your pollen filter

A pollen filter is an easy thing to neglect. After all, it’s hidden away out of sight and isn’t something you’re likely to inspect on a regular basis, if at all. However, in these days of increased air pollution it’s important to make sure their air inside your car is as clean as possible, so change your filter at the recommended intervals.

A clogged pollen filter is likely to create unpleasant smells over time because bacteria will grow on the trapped particles, so your passengers will thank you for replacing it. If there are bad smells you should try the air-con fix mentioned above or use an air-con cleaning product at the same time the new filter is installed.