How often to change the cabin filter

During the use of the car, it is imperative to replace the air filters located in the cabin. Usually it is located near the driver’s feet, less often it may be on the right side of the air intake.

Car models are all different and, accordingly, the location of the filter is also different for each, which is why such work is most often entrusted to experts in car service centers. Manufacturers strongly advise that it is necessary to replace cabin filters every 15-20 thousand kilometers.

Thus, it turns out that it should be changed at every technical inspection, but did you pay attention to how clean these filters are after such a mileage. Maybe it’s still worth holding off on replacing it, and you shouldn’t do it so often?

In this article we will analyze in detail what filters are, and also tell you how often they should be changed.

If we consider the issue as a whole, then it is still worth adhering to the manufacturers’ advice - this is necessary, at a minimum, in order to maintain your health in perfect order. But such recommendations are often associated with extracting more money from the car owner. For example, try to study the components market in your city and compare with the prices of original filters. You will simply be shocked, because the prices are incredibly high, and the quality often leaves much to be desired.

I would also like to warn car owners in advance who have decided to replace the filter with their own hands. The fact is that if you start to disassemble the car and get to the filter, you may get the impression that it was hidden so far on purpose.

In some car models, it is quite problematic to change the cabin filter on your own, but you can still do it. Fortunately, most cars allow owners to get to their cabin filters almost painlessly.

How often should you change the cabin filter?

If your car is still under warranty, then you simply will not have a choice; you will have to contact a specialized car service, otherwise the warranty will simply expire.

Manufacturers recommend replacing the filter element every 15 thousand km. mileage _ But real life is far from the established standards, and the filter can clog much earlier. That is why you need to know the main signs that indicate that the filter should be replaced:

an unpleasant odor inside the car , then most likely this indicates that it is time to replace the filter. This is often due to the fact that the filter element becomes clogged with organic residues. And when moisture gets there, microorganisms begin to multiply quickly and this smell will indicate this process.
If you begin to notice that smells damp and the windows sweat quickly, you most likely need to replace your cabin air purifier.
Being in a car for a long time makes you feel bad (dizzy, high blood pressure), and this happens when the airflow is on. The problem can be eliminated by replacing the cabin filter, and it is important to do this in a timely manner. Remember, if oxygen does not enter the cabin, a person’s reaction speed usually slows down and drowsiness increases; this is a very dangerous phenomenon on the road.
If the mileage has long exceeded 30,000 kilometers , then the filter needs to be changed urgently, since on trains you are already breathing bad air.
When the replacement was not made by you, and you are not sure of the quality of the replacement , then it is worth checking it yourself. This way you will make sure that the filter is of high quality, and if something happens you can replace it with your own hands.

How much does it cost

As mentioned above, cabin filters can be different. And some of them are oh so expensive. Large-sized products designed for buses and SUVs are especially expensive. By the way, it is not at all necessary to change the filter to the original one. You can also purchase a duplicate, which costs much less. And one moment. If the replacement of the device is entrusted to professionals working in a car service, or they themselves offer to replace it, it is recommended to check a few things. As they say, trust, but verify. A dismantled filter, if it has truly become unusable, will not look very good in appearance. You will see a dirty accessory containing everything you could possibly want. Here you can see branches, leaves, insects, soot and much more.

Which cabin filter to choose

Many motorists always want to buy everything “original” for their car, so what do they think? that then their car will work better. However, such components are often incredibly expensive. For this reason, many motorists will look for analogues, but in this case they will need to take into account many features of their car in order for the filter to fit exactly.

We have selected basic recommendations for you to help you make the right choice:

We advise you to give preference to well-established manufacturers, for example, Knecht, Bosch or MANN. You should not buy Chinese components - they are often cheaper, but the quality of such filters is much worse.
If you don’t have a budget for original spare parts, buy cabin filters in the mid-price category. If you buy cheap ones, they will work after a maximum of 5 thousand kilometers, and in the future they may become completely clogged.
Ask the seller to give you the filter, carefully inspect it, especially the finish of the surface parts. Cunning manufacturers do not really bother with quality, and therefore, in the upper part of the filter, you can easily pierce the fastener with your finger, since it is not made correctly.
Carbon versions of filters cope much better with the task of air purification. But they cost an order of magnitude more, so the choice is up to you. If your budget allows, it is better to buy them.
When purchasing, make sure that the filter is specifically for your make and model of car. Otherwise, the filter simply will not fit into the groove, and money will be thrown away.

There are not so many types of air filter mounts, and in order to know for sure which one is used on your car, you can use the table below.

Pay attention to the quality of the filter, and then you definitely won’t go wrong. We would not advise you to buy the original; it is better to buy filters from a German manufacturer, they have proven themselves well over many years.

That is why you should not pay a lot of money for expensive original ones, when you can easily purchase a high-quality filter at the best price. The filters are not that expensive - you can buy them for around 500 rubles. But just remember, you need to buy it specifically for your car brand, otherwise you will buy it and it won’t fit in the compartment.

How to replace the cabin filter

The easiest way to replace the cabin filter is when it is located near the engine compartment. The replacement procedure is performed as follows:

Open the hood of the car, this will give you access to the front panel (not for all models).
Further actions may vary. For example, some cars have a removable panel or hatch, and in order to get to the filter compartment, you need to remove this hatch. But most often you can get to the filter through the space between the windshield and the engine compartment. There is a shield that must be carefully removed, and then we will gain access to the filter compartment. The method of fastening the shield can also be different, for example, sometimes there are sealing profiles fixed with bolts.
You can now release the cartridge. Typically, latches are used to secure it; carefully push them aside and the filter will snap off. In the future, you will have to act differently, since it depends on the developer’s imagination. Sometimes you have to slide it up to get the element out, and on some cars it just comes out straight out. The filter element can be solid, but it also happens that it consists of several parts. Be sure to remember how the cartridge is correctly positioned in the compartment; this is necessary in order to correctly install a new filter in the future.
On many models, the cabin filter is located in the cabin, under the glove compartment or passenger seat, for example. Then there is no point in going under the hood.

The process of replacing the cabin filter on Lada Vesta
Some car versions have a dust sensor, so remove the filter carefully, otherwise the sensor may be damaged.
Vacuum the place where the filter is attached well, and use a rag to completely remove dirt.
Carefully and slowly insert the new filter element. Sometimes the filter may not work, do not try to use force, this often happens due to a mismatch of the filter. If you continue to push it further, you may break all the fasteners in the cell. Sometimes it’s worth paying attention to the marks; maybe you’re just not inserting it correctly.
After the new filter is installed, you can begin assembly, but only in reverse order.

If you want to watch and understand even better how to replace the cabin filter, you can watch this video:

Element location

To change a used filter, you need to understand where it is located. In most cases, the air purifier is mounted on the inside wall of the glove compartment.

In some cases, it can be found under the dashboard on the driver's side.

In Soviet cars, this component is installed either under the windshield or under the hood. In the latter case, it is placed in a special cassette. To accurately determine the location, you need to ask at the service station, or look at your passport yourself.

Is it possible to drive without an air filter?

Of course, you can drive without a filter, but is it necessary to do so? For example, in some cars, such as Daewoo, the air filtration and circulation system is so complex and sophisticated that changing the filter is incredibly difficult. So that you can decide for yourself whether it is worth driving without a filter, we will give you several reasons why you should not do so:

The air ducts that blow glass during the winter season will quickly fail.
Unfiltered air enters the car interior, and it usually contains dust, leaves and other contaminants from the environment.
The efficiency of the stove during the cold season is noticeably reduced, since the air intake nozzle will periodically become clogged and will have to be cleaned.
Fogging of glass will become a common occurrence for you, and this will happen at the first temperature difference. And most likely not a single blower can cope with such a problem.
If you do not install a filter element and use the car, the filter compartment will noticeably deform during operation.

Do you want to breathe like this? If not, then the cabin filter will have to be changed.

On which cars does the ventilation system fail more often?

The lowest quality units for filtering the air entering the cabin are installed on budget versions of cars. For this reason, car owners have to pay a lot of money to car repair shops for ventilation processing. And all this happens due to the fault of the manufacturers, who did not work out some elements.

Here are the models you most often encounter difficulties with:

Daewoo Nexia is a car brand with the worst ventilation system, which is also completely ineffective.
Lada Priora is a well-known domestic car, and it is a leader in ventilation difficulties. Although the car does not have air conditioning, the filter needs to be changed very often, and car owners also have to deal with a number of other problems.
Chevrolet Lacetti - this car is also common in Russia, its roots come from Daewoo. That’s why you shouldn’t be surprised at the shortcomings in the ventilation system, but unfortunately, this information doesn’t make things any easier for owners.
Renault Logan 1 is a car that has a number of significant shortcomings, but this was only in the first generation of cars. When the second modification came out, motorists appreciated it, since all the problems were worked out well and now the system functions correctly.

Sometimes air filtration systems break down not because the designers didn't think through the system correctly, but because of the owners. For example, many motorists try to save money on servicing their car, so they buy cheap Chinese filters. For this reason, the entire ventilation system may fail. Treat your car well and have it serviced by specialized services.

Let's sum it up

The issue of cleaning the air entering the cabin turned out to be one of the most important at the stage of servicing your car. The filtration system not only allows you to breathe enough oxygen on a long trip, but also provides benefits in terms of the safety of important vehicle systems. Climate control, heater, air conditioning and air ducts in the cabin all require normal cleaning of the air coming from outside. Otherwise, the quality of operation of your car will be too low. You will have to constantly open the windows while traveling to ventilate the interior, and being inside will be extremely uncomfortable.

All this leads to the fact that even the most expensive cabin filter is not such an expensive purchase. This is exactly the element on which you should not save much. Moreover, the price difference between Chinese products of unknown origin and a good German cleaner will not be so noticeable. To get the benefits of a comfortable ride and confidence in your car, it is worth replacing this air purification element at least 1 time during 2 regular maintenance. It is better to do this procedure even more often.