Cabin Air Filter - If you haven't changed it, Maybe you should look at this LOL
10-22-2012, 09:37 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 122
Car Info: 2003 Aspen White Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan
Cabin Air Filter - If you haven't changed it, Maybe you should look at this LOL
I just changed my cabin air filter about a year ago and it was basically totally clean from the last owner who probably didn't change it all that long before I bought the car in November 2010. Here's what mine looked like after pulling it out today. This filter has seen two trips to humboldt, several to tahoe, several to downieville, one to L.A., and tons of commuting from east to north bay. My girl friend recommended that I change it out since the cabin seemed kind of musky and damp when I turned on the air and it had very little airflow from what I remembered... Here's what I found - GF took the pix
OMG post pix!! hahaha
10-23-2012, 08:26 AM
#10
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,646
Car Info: 02 WRX WRB
That's because the filter was an option. The housing for it is there but unless a previous owner installed it there may not be a filter inside.
The one in the OP's pic doesn't actually look all that bad. I take mine out periodically and vacuum out the stuff that accumulates between the pleats, and as long as I can still see light through it when I hold it up to the sun it gets reinstalled. Of course if there is anything particularly nasty stuck in it or it's really clogged with crud, then it gets tossed.
Also note that a musty smell (or worse) from the vents can be from a buildup of mold or mildew on the evaporator inside the HVAC housing. There's stuff you can spray into the system to help get rid of that, and the cabin filter opening is a good place to shoot the spray (with the filter removed).
The one in the OP's pic doesn't actually look all that bad. I take mine out periodically and vacuum out the stuff that accumulates between the pleats, and as long as I can still see light through it when I hold it up to the sun it gets reinstalled. Of course if there is anything particularly nasty stuck in it or it's really clogged with crud, then it gets tossed.
Also note that a musty smell (or worse) from the vents can be from a buildup of mold or mildew on the evaporator inside the HVAC housing. There's stuff you can spray into the system to help get rid of that, and the cabin filter opening is a good place to shoot the spray (with the filter removed).
10-23-2012, 09:25 AM
#13
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NorCal
Posts: 89
Car Info: 2002 White WRX Wagon
Just replaced mine last week. For a cheaper replacement, I bought a Filtrete panel from Home Depot and cut it to size. Can make about 6 - 8 filters for the price of one.
10-23-2012, 03:05 PM
#14
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 122
Car Info: 2003 Aspen White Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan
That's because the filter was an option. The housing for it is there but unless a previous owner installed it there may not be a filter inside.
The one in the OP's pic doesn't actually look all that bad. I take mine out periodically and vacuum out the stuff that accumulates between the pleats, and as long as I can still see light through it when I hold it up to the sun it gets reinstalled. Of course if there is anything particularly nasty stuck in it or it's really clogged with crud, then it gets tossed.
Also note that a musty smell (or worse) from the vents can be from a buildup of mold or mildew on the evaporator inside the HVAC housing. There's stuff you can spray into the system to help get rid of that, and the cabin filter opening is a good place to shoot the spray (with the filter removed).
The one in the OP's pic doesn't actually look all that bad. I take mine out periodically and vacuum out the stuff that accumulates between the pleats, and as long as I can still see light through it when I hold it up to the sun it gets reinstalled. Of course if there is anything particularly nasty stuck in it or it's really clogged with crud, then it gets tossed.
Also note that a musty smell (or worse) from the vents can be from a buildup of mold or mildew on the evaporator inside the HVAC housing. There's stuff you can spray into the system to help get rid of that, and the cabin filter opening is a good place to shoot the spray (with the filter removed).
Good to know about the cleaner though, I'll def look into that...
GOOD IDEA!! I might look into doing this the next time I go mobbin in the dirt for any extended amount of time xD
