Cabin air filter installation without pulling half the dash out (in about 15 minutes)

I wouldn’t call myself lazy by any stretch, but there are times when I exhibit a distinct tendency towards efficiency of expended effort. (Alliteration. Classy huh? )

 

 

 

Anyway after waxing her up and dressing the leather this morning I really wasn’t in any mood to spend an hour ripping the center column and passenger side dash apart to put in a filter, but I also didn’t like the thought of all that dust and pollen messing up my newly spiffed up interior so I figured maybe I’d take a look and see if I could get creative.

 

 

 

Dimil’s air cabin filter install thread in the walk throughs has got great pics – if you want pics go there to get your bearings – to do it this way you’ve got to be fairly comfortable feeling your way around pretty much blind.

 

 

 

I got myself a 5 year warranty WEB electrostatic replacement pad filter down at Home Depot and cut the requisite 8.5 x 8.5 inch square.

 

 

 

I popped the glove box and pried up the edges of the manual’s shelf liner up with my fingers and pulled her straight out, noting that the side marked UP was indeed on the top.

 

 

 

I shined a flashlight in and identified the filter bay. (Shaking my head in amazement at how they managed not to get that aligned behind the manual shelf better.)

 

 

 

There’s enough room to unfasten the filter bay tray and slide it about an inch towards you.

 

 

 

With the drawer pulled forward it was just a matter of taking ten minutes of patience to work the filter in.

 

 

 

I’m 5’11” and around 200 lbs so I ain’t exactly delicate, but I’m not defensive lineman material either. You are going to have to be straight with yourself about how you feel about sticking you fingers in there. Keefe ought to have enough room to walk right in…

 

 

 

When you feel the filter lying flat, slide the drawer shut, slide the manual shelf liner back in with the right side up, and congratulate yourself.

There is a new retrofit kit availible that replaces the back half of the glove box. It's got a little access door that allows the filter to be changed (once the retrofit is installed) in about 2 minutes by just opening the access door.

 

Bulletin No. PT121505

Date: 4/7/2005 2:41 pm EST

Fuji Code: THILLMGOO

Part No: G3210AG000

AIR FILTRATION KIT

 

Ref. Figure:

Part No:

AIR FILTRATION RETROFIT KIT

SOA342L500

Ref. Figure:

 

AIR FILTRATION KIT

Air Filtration Retrofit Kit

 

 

There has been a change in production of the 05MY Legacy / Outback glove box. The design has been revised to allow installation of the air filtration system on 2005MY Legacy and Outback vehicles. This change took place starting with VIN 54223312 for Sedan and 56368215 for Wagon. A retrofit kit has also been created to accommodate all 05MY Legacy and Outback vehicles built prior to the VINs shown above. This kit must be installed to allow for installation of the filter and subsequent replacement filters.

 

 

Retrofit Kit, part number SOA342L500 is composed of the following components:

 

- N/A Installation Instructions for Conversion

 

- 73553AG02B Filter Carrier

 

- 66208AG02B Glove Box Trim Panel ('Back Panel')

 

- G3210AG000 Air Filter Element Including Service Label and Caution Label

There is a new retrofit kit availible that replaces the back half of the glove box. It's got a little access door that allows the filter to be changed (once the retrofit is installed) in about 2 minutes by just opening the access door.

 

Do you have a good source for this kit?

Do you have a good source for this kit?

 

Check your VIN and compare it to the bulletin, if your car was produced after the VIN # in the bulletin, your car was built with the new kit already installed. If your car's VIN is prior to the VIN # in the bulletin you will need to order the retrofit kit from your dealer:

 

Part No:

AIR FILTRATION RETROFIT KIT

SOA342L500

 

I'll try and get a pic of the "new style" glove box with the access door and post it...

thanks very much for the info.

 

now i have a new mod to install

Check your VIN and compare it to the bulletin, if your car was produced after the VIN # in the bulletin, your car was built with the new kit already installed. If your car's VIN is prior to the VIN # in the bulletin you will need to order the retrofit kit from your dealer:

 

Part No:

AIR FILTRATION RETROFIT KIT

SOA342L500

 

I'll try and get a pic of the "new style" glove box with the access door and post it...

 

And Price?

My VIN is after the number above, but I do not see that anything is hinged or with any kind of access door.

There is a new retrofit kit availible that replaces the back half of the glove box. It's got a little access door that allows the filter to be changed (once the retrofit is installed) in about 2 minutes by just opening the access door.

Now this makes some sense. Why the heck would you design a cabin filter that requires you to take the car half apart to install!!! Atta boy Subaru to making this simple. It should be. My dealer has a IOU for me for a cabin filter that I paid for but never got. Should I press him to install this retrefit kit? Franklin

Now this makes some sense. Why the heck would you design a cabin filter that requires you to take the car half apart to install!!! Atta boy Subaru to making this simple. It should be. My dealer has a IOU for me for a cabin filter that I paid for but never got. Should I press him to install this retrefit kit? Franklin

We got the glove box for navigation model cars....

Are these in stock at the dealer or is this bulletin letting Subaru dealers know that it is coming?

Opie,,,many thanks for the interior air filter retro-kit details. I'll follow up with the parts department and install myself.

 

Cheers,

Mike

And Price?

 

The retrofit kit runs around $80.00 and includes the air filtration filter, the filter by itself is around $40.00.

 

My VIN is after the number above, but I do not see that anything is hinged or with any kind of access door.

 

Yep, I looked at my wife's this evening (hers is after the VIN # as well) and it appears that you still have to take the glovebox itself down. It was getting dark here tonight so I'll check into it more tomorrow.

 

My dealer has a IOU for me for a cabin filter that I paid for but never got. Should I press him to install this retrefit kit?

 

Print the Bulletin and show your dealer, he should honor the IOU and get you the kit.

 

Are these in stock at the dealer or is this bulletin letting Subaru dealers know that it is coming?

 

They are in stock at the regional parts warehouses. Your dealer will need to order them on their regular parts order. The bulletin "officially" came out yesterday, but we had already installed two at our dealer.

OPIE Thanks for the ifno Ill give my Dealer a call . Franklin

Price for me was $32 dollars. I still say it kicked my Arssss. I thought the same thing wiggle it in....NO. I don't think it is worth it unless you or your other half has allergies.

my vin indicates my wagon should have a retrofited door. *runs to car and looks*

is this the pannel?

http://img238.exs.cx/img238/1580/temppic1hx.th.jpg

i did not mess with taking it out yet cause its cold, im hyper and tired and its dark out

is this the pannel?

http://img238.exs.cx/img238/1580/temppic1hx.th.jpg

i did not mess with taking it out yet cause its cold, im hyper and tired and its dark out

 

I think what you've got the top line of your oval drawn through is the drawer you need to pull towards you...

 

 

And MAD PROPS TO OPIE! (Any further word on the key fob remote TSB?)

Price for me was $32 dollars. I still say it kicked my Arssss. I thought the same thing wiggle it in....NO. I don't think it is worth it unless you or your other half has allergies.

 

I did not know you like inhaling dust !

 

There's so much dust in this car that I frankly wouldn't want it anywhere near my lungs.

 

So all these little things are something Subaru must take a lesson from...from the obnoxious key fob to the poorly designed air intake to the extremely unaccessible cabin air filter...These are all engineerign flaws...

is this the pannel?

http://img238.exs.cx/img238/1580/temppic1hx.th.jpg

i did not mess with taking it out yet cause its cold, im hyper and tired and its dark out

 

Yes! That's it. Remove the three screws and you can remove the panel, right behind that is the tray for the filter.

 

Any further word on the key fob remote TSB?

 

Nothing yet...hopefully soon.

What are they going to do with the key fob? I haven't heard of any problems other than the buttons being too sensitive.

ok ill take out that little peice today and snap pics to show every one! its hard to get a camera there to take a pic. lol

There is a new retrofit kit availible that replaces the back half of the glove box. It's got a little access door that allows the filter to be changed (once the retrofit is installed) in about 2 minutes by just opening the access door.

 

The VINs mentioned here for the sedan and wagon, do those VIN numbers apply to the Outback wagon or the Legacy wagon?

 

I assume you have to remove the glove box to install this retro fix, correct? Sounds like a real pain in the butt to install this retro kit. I guess no one has installed one themselves either. I plan on calling the dealer tomorrow to get more details. Just wish it wouldn't be so hard to install.

 

-S

I did not know you like inhaling dust !

 

There's so much dust in this car that I frankly wouldn't want it anywhere near my lungs.

 

So all these little things are something Subaru must take a lesson from...from the obnoxious key fob to the poorly designed air intake to the extremely unaccessible cabin air filter...These are all engineerign flaws...

The thing I find incouraging about these redesigns/ improvements (e.g. Key fob, cabin filter ) is that none of these things are deal breakers but COULD have been done better. The fact that Subaru seems to be able to acknowledge they could be better and in fact are rethinking the design. The first step to improvement is being able to admit this!! The unwillingness to do this first step (a corporate ego problem if you will) is keeping some car companies from moving ahead. Once again-- atta boy Subaru .

What are they going to do with the key fob? I haven't heard of any problems other than the buttons being too sensitive.

That is the issue with the Fob. Im told Subaru is doing a change to make them less senisitive. Franklin

That is the issue with the Fob. Im told Subaru is doing a change to make them less senisitive. Franklin

 

That would be great. I never had a problem with my VW key fob but this one is always going off in my pocket! But I'm much more excited about them finally getting a fix for the cabin air filter as I do a lot of driving on dirt roads. My VW also had one of these and I didn't know how effective it was until I started driving my outback without one. Now, I'm constantly dusting the inside of my car!