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Installation of cabin air filter. (56k warning)


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Time for me to do this again on the 05 OBXT. Maybe time to cut the box for easy access...

 

2006 Volvo S40 was a PITA, too. Had to remove the accelerator petal to access the filter. Too expensive for them to switch the access from right-hand drive setup, I guess.

 

Did wife's 2009 Impreza last night - took less than 5 minutes. Drop the glove box, change filter, replace glove box.

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Time for me to do this again on the 05 OBXT. Maybe time to cut the box for easy access...

I would think. I think most people cut the hole when they get it apart the first time. I know I didn't want to have to tear things all apart again. Ended up having to anyway when the blower motor died but at least I knew what I was in for and it went a lot smoother the second time. Check the back of the glovebox back panel for the outline of where the hole is supposed to be.

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I would think. I think most people cut the hole when they get it apart the first time. I know I didn't want to have to tear things all apart again. Ended up having to anyway when the blower motor died but at least I knew what I was in for and it went a lot smoother the second time. Check the back of the glovebox back panel for the outline of where the hole is supposed to be.

 

Yeah, but after digging in a bit the first time around, I realized it was more effort than I could get into at that point. I came across a service special at a local dealer that had the filter change at about $50 (no limitations on which models) so I took them up on that. Spent about two hours wandering the various local dealerships while they did the work.

 

Next time, I'll cut. Unless I find another service coupon :-)

 

 

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

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Thanks for sharing this with us. Coming from Honda Accord, I can't believe I have to do this just to replace the filter. But, oh well, it's a learning moment. This is going to be my first DIY on the car.

 

$14 from Amazon

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/CF9846A-Fresh-Breeze-Cabin-Filter/dp/B0010DZZVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362591926&sr=8-1&keywords=CF9846A]FRAM CF9846A Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filter : Amazon.com : Automotive[/ame]

 

 

At the same time, I'm going to take out the CD player and try to unjammed the CD changer. Stupid CD changer.

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I can't believe I waited 7 years to install this. It wasn't too bad, I just cut the hole with a dremel after removing. I actually bought the exact filter linked above (before there was a link).

 

No more breathing smoke from the car next to me. Yuck!

 

Tom

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Just confirmed that my 05 doesn't have the access door. :spin:

 

It puzzles the hell out of me why the Subaru engineer who designed this could possibly miss it completely. :mad:

 

Granted, they "fixed" that on later year model, but, seriously, they should've done that in the first model year.

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Just confirmed that my 05 doesn't have the access door. :spin:

 

It puzzles the hell out of me why the Subaru engineer who designed this could possibly miss it completely. :mad:

 

Granted, they "fixed" that on later year model, but, seriously, they should've done that in the first model year.

Yes it is a mystery why they installed the carrier with no filter and there was an outline for the hole cast on the glovebox back and then didn't cut the hole and make the access. Though I guess it's better they did this than install the filter without the easy access. I can't remember if there was any explanation about this earlier in this thread or not. After getting the car I drove around for a month or so before doing this upgrade and definitely noticed a difference in the amount of dust on the dash after installing the filter. Also I used a 3M furnace filter with the carbon and I think this helped in reducing the stale cigarette smoke smell from the previous owner.

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^I also just found out that my car has no filter inside. So, it has been running without filter for 8 years. :(

 

I think this is also the reason why the blower motor is making low pitch noise in low fan setting. I took the motor out and clean it, but, it didn't remove the noise. I'm pretty sure it's the bearing. Ordered brand new one from eBay...

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I think that the the original engineers ASSumed that the filter could be accessed by removing the owner's manual pocket. It can't. The late '05-'07 solution with the hole and the curtain was really pretty ghetto.

 

I have another car (Toyota) that does have a filter, and I can't believe how dusty the car still gets inside. It is never parked or driven with the windows down, so the only incoming air has to come through the filter. Makes no sense....

 

+1 on those Fram charcoal filters from Amazon. That is what I am using in the Toyota.

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Just a note to anybody who's about to do this for the first time, make sure you remove the panel below the glove box (picture #4) before removing the side panel in picture #7.

 

The instructions tells you to remove the tabs (picture #4), but, it didn't clearly say to remove it before moving to the next step. I thought I could do this last, but, it prevented the side panel in picture #7 from being removed easily.

 

Most people probably removed the panel in step #4, but, I just wanted to point out that I didn't and it makes it harder to remove the panel in #7. Thanks.

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Yes it is a mystery why they installed the carrier with no filter and there was an outline for the hole cast on the glovebox back and then didn't cut the hole and make the access. Though I guess it's better they did this than install the filter without the easy access. I can't remember if there was any explanation about this earlier in this thread or not. After getting the car I drove around for a month or so before doing this upgrade and definitely noticed a difference in the amount of dust on the dash after installing the filter. Also I used a 3M furnace filter with the carbon and I think this helped in reducing the stale cigarette smoke smell from the previous owner.

 

Yeah, you'd think they would have gone this far, to say complete something important. Also surprised on the 05 it didn't ship with HIDs, and a bunch of other 'standard' stuff that cars made in 2000 shipped with.

 

Oh well. They sure made it a PITA to keep the filter changed. On my other cars it's pretty straight forward. On a 2000 TL it was 'difficult' in that you had to release 4 screws to drop the glove box. Not sure why there isn't a 'critical' list car companies have for making our lives easier....

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Oh well. They sure made it a PITA to keep the filter changed.

Of course their >$80 retrofit kit solution to fix this made them some money on the deal. Not to mention the folks that had no clue and may have paid repeatedly to have a Subaru tech take the console apart to change the filter occasionally.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Doing this now. Managed to get the glovebox out without removing the whole center console. Just needed a mirror to see that last screw.

 

Putting that screw back proved impossible without pulling the center console and trim, though, so you should just do that in the first place. It will be faster.

 

Used a utility knife and a ruler with measured and marked lines to cut the back of the box. Lots of passes with light pressure, and a large, single cut flat file to deburr all the edges. Nice and straight and clean. Advantage of a knife is it doesn't remove material, so the cut-out piece fits back in the hole perfectly. Will be adding some tabs and pull straps to the cut-out piece to make it an easily popped-out door/panel, instead of the fabric, screws, etc. in the factory kit. Total cost was $1.79 for ribbon to make pull tabs, plus the filter, but you're changing the filter anyway. No reason to pay Subaru for this mod.

 

I used black Shoo Goo to hold the tabs to the cut-out piece. Roughen the surface slightly and pre-wipe it with brake cleaner to get it solvented a bit. That helps the solvents in the glue bite into the plastic.

 

What would I do different? The molded in mark on the back of the glove box tapers toward the opening of the box (away from the front of the car as it's installed). That ends up making it harder to get the cut-out part out. I would make the cuts straight, or even taper slightly toward the front of the car.

 

Lots of leaves and junk in the filthy old filter. Putting it back together today, so drove to the O'Reilly that had the Fram charcoal filter in stock locally.

Edited by SolarYellow510
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  • 4 months later...

sweet this is exactly what I needed to find out.... I have a freakin mouse living in there for a few days now... no joke...it started in my trunk and I layed traps for it there but I wasnt fast enough. now its got a new home behind the glove box :eek:

 

Do not ask me how this happened.

 

everytime I turn the climate fans on for the first time in a while you can hear it scrambling around.. this is crazy! :spin:

 

doing this when the sun comes back out. this mouse has got to go before it does anymore damage in there.

 

Thanks for all the info!

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replaced cabin filter w a fram version and you wouldnt believe what I found after 2 days of a mouse getting in there..

 

does anyone know where the entry point would be to what ends up at this cabin filter? How would a mouse get in there??

 

I need to check the other end of this if possible and make sure nothing can ever crawl in there again.

 

look at this ridiculousness...thanks in advance for any help

05LGT_cabin_filter.thumb.jpg.03c2bdac4aca90059aaeb3ec4e954a9c.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

If anyone wants to clean or know how to get to the exterior side of this cabin air filter zone you have to remove the wipers which is very easy and done by popping a little cover off at the bottom of each wiper and putting a ratchet on it

 

The other thing you have to do is remove a few pop its that hold the plastic trim. There are 3 pieces of trim you would have to remove. One on each side i nthe corner and then the one that goes across the entire windshield under the wipers. After you do this it will look like this picture and you can access this area and give it a good cleaning as well.

 

did this several weeks ago..

05LGT_Exterior_Cabin_Filter_area.thumb.jpg.137d8d3f93de5074e2e82acac6cf7193.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...
replaced cabin filter w a fram version and you wouldnt believe what I found after 2 days of a mouse getting in there..

 

does anyone know where the entry point would be to what ends up at this cabin filter? How would a mouse get in there??

 

I need to check the other end of this if possible and make sure nothing can ever crawl in there again.

 

look at this ridiculousness...thanks in advance for any help

 

Mice can compress their bodies a ridiculous amount to fit through tiny, tiny gaps and cracks.

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  • 6 months later...

Installed a filter today following OP's instructions. I also missed the step about removing the bottom piece at the same time as the three plastic tabs. The side piece was impossible to get off until I removed the underside trim piece. When I finally got mine exposed, it looked an awful lot like crankshift's mouse bed/filter. I'm so glad I decided to do this!

 

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/06/a8a5c4795fb35c4b2b38f54109edef8f.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/06/ddd8485ae1fa9372df26173e80c5d901.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks for the awesome write-up, it really helped me change my cabin air filter. After I was done I found this on youtube. For those that are terrible with instructions I figure it'll help. This video was not done by me but by the diyguy on youtube, goes under the screen name "TheDIYGuyDOTnet" please give him a thumbs up if it was helpful.

Edited by Zenstorm321
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  • 5 months later...

Thanks for this 10+ year old post. I have a 2005 since new, and I think I only did this once to install a filter (came with empty tray). Yes, that was really gross and I should have not waited so long to change it. I wanted to share pictures (complete with mouse turds) in hopes I can inspire someone to go out and change their filter as I should have done years ago.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1hDgKEHmuI9Z2t6S1VkbFpSQlE/view?usp=sharing

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