by "Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
Published 05/01/2017 at 16:17
by "Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
Published 05/01/2017 at 16:17
No Tags
STARS: 7
Maintenance catch-up continued on my friend’s ‘03 WRX last Friday. Included in Friday’s work was investigating the cabin air filter.
MonkeePuzzle
informed me that some early GD/GG Imprezas were equipped with a cabin air filter, which was either a dealer or owner installed option. Apparently, this one was so equipped...
As it turns out, I wasn’t the only one unaware of the possible existence of a cabin air filter in this car... the filter that was in place was quite nasty!
"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen)
05/01/2017 at 16:19, STARS: 0
Lol, I recently did this on the girlfriends Impala, it was similar before and after results.
"Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer" (smallbear94)
05/01/2017 at 16:25, STARS: 5
Note to manufacturers: don’t forget to INCLUDE a cabin air filter in the first place.
"mazda616" (mazda616)
05/01/2017 at 16:27, STARS: 0
Just changed the cabin air filter on my 2016 Mazda6 this past February. I was shocked at how bad it looked since the car was just over a year old.
"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
05/01/2017 at 16:35, STARS: 2
And if you’re not going to include it, don’t make it a $70 option (what Subaru did in the early ‘00s).
"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
05/01/2017 at 16:39, STARS: 0
It probably depends on where you live. In PA, I can get away with changing it every 2 years, but I do remove it every year to shake out the the helicopters ( the joys of living around 4 maple trees ).
I also tend to drive with the windows down rather than use HVAC in the spring, summer, and fall, and I don’t have bad allergies. Both of those probably help improve the longevity of the filter.
"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
05/01/2017 at 16:40, STARS: 1
I’ve honestly never seen a filter that bad in person. However, I don’t like to let my filters get that bad in the first place.
"RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire" (ricerocketeer2)
05/01/2017 at 16:42, STARS: 1
that was probably reason #1 why my ‘99 Camry had to go. Not kidding. It didn’t really have to be a filter even, maybe a mesh screen or anything to keep all sorts of $#!+ from flying out of the vents into my face - sand, dirt, debris, bits of leaves, bugs ...
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
05/01/2017 at 16:44, STARS: 1
Haven’t changed Tucker’s cabin filter in 110,000 miles. Mind you, when I changed it back then I made my own using a filter designed for a home furnace. I also attached an air freshener (also designed for a home furnace) to that same filter as well.
I don’t want to know what it looks like right now. :o
"TorqueToYield" (torquetoyield)
05/01/2017 at 18:05, STARS: 1
There are sellers on eBay with filters for a few dollars each. I threw one in my Impreza years ago. Subaru charges dumb money for OEM ones.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
05/01/2017 at 18:38, STARS: 0
Why would you go through the trouble of creating you own when an OEM one costs just a few dollars?
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
05/01/2017 at 18:55, STARS: 0
Back when I first did that, the cabin filters for smarts were stupid expensive. I made my insert for a few dollars total. :)
"Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer" (smallbear94)
05/01/2017 at 20:07, STARS: 0
I’d imagine I have some kind of screen... but no filter.
I like my truck enough to put up with it. I wouldn’t put up with it in a Camry.
"Nick Has an Exocet" (nickallain)
05/01/2017 at 20:14, STARS: 0
Scion tC had no air filter by default but it did have the slot for one. When I bought mine (I sold it fairly quickly - horrid car), i put one in the slot. Man did that thing get dirty quick.
"Kiltedpadre" (kiltedpadre)
05/01/2017 at 20:33, STARS: 1
The Chevy Volt first gen was the same way. It has a slot for a filter since some of the dash structure is shared with the Cruze, but they were only offered as a dealer installed option. From what I’ve read it’s because in testing they had to turn the fans one setting higher to get the same flow, and it hurt the efficiency when driving on electric mode.
"ranwhenparked" (ranwhenparked)
05/01/2017 at 22:00, STARS: 1
The one in my company car looked about like that today, but we’re only authorized a replacement at 30,000 miles, so it will just have to do until approximately October.
"Steve P" (stevepugh)
05/02/2017 at 08:41, STARS: 0
My parents had an ‘83 Ranger that did that, my sister called it the Up-truck, since the vents blew chunks.
"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen)
05/02/2017 at 08:43, STARS: 1
Yeah, hers looked a little cleaner. Yours looks like it was in a house fire.
"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
05/04/2017 at 19:01, STARS: 0
I bet it looks “awesome”!
"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
05/04/2017 at 19:07, STARS: 1
That must have been a common thing in the early to mid ‘00s. Mine doesn’t get dirty too quickly in the Forester, though I like to run with the windows down as much as possible (so all that dirt ends up on the headliner by the windows instead...)