Mercedes 2021 GLC300 engine air filter change - what a PITA

[paulswagelock]

So I am an avid do-it-yourself guy, good skill set.
change an air filter, 5 minutes right….?
Engine cover, 5 screws, 2 vacuum connections, 2 electrical connections, 2 air flow duct removals, and a handful of moving harnesses out of the way later……. Took an hour to change the filter. German engineering.

Rant over.

 

[LazyDog]

The novelty of newer cars.

 

[Passport1]

Next time drop in a K&N and forget about it.

 

[JohnnyG]

Wanted to inspect mine on my 2014 MB w/V6, major pain! Not only were the screws hard to access, they were all torx head and no room for a ratchet. I ended up getting a set of torx allen wrenches to do the job.
After all that, it didn't need changed anyway.

 

[JohnnyG]

Next time drop in a K&N and forget about it.

Yeah, they won't stop dirt, but will last forever!

 

[Zee09]

So I am an avid do-it-yourself guy, good skill set.
change an air filter, 5 minutes right….?
Engine cover, 5 screws, 2 vacuum connections, 2 electrical connections, 2 air flow duct removals, and a handful of moving harnesses out of the way later……. Took an hour to change the filter. German engineering.

Rant over.

So, what you are really saying is its (theft proof)

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Purposely designed like that to be a PITA so you will bring it to the Stealership!

 

[dkryan]

I don’t own that MB but I’m curious what the stealership charges to change the air filter on that model.

 

[fedvet]

Next time drop in a K&N and forget about it.

Not a good idea. Unless you wash and oil them properly it’s not an effective or efficient way to go. Just do the maintenance on time and as needed. Air filter is about every 30 k on a MB.

 

[UG_Passat]

So I am an avid do-it-yourself guy, good skill set.
change an air filter, 5 minutes right….?
Engine cover, 5 screws, 2 vacuum connections, 2 electrical connections, 2 air flow duct removals, and a handful of moving harnesses out of the way later……. Took an hour to change the filter. German engineering.

Rant over.

My Passat 2.0T was a PITA to change the air filter, as the airbox was also the engine cover.

My Golf TDI and Tiguan were much easier, loosen a couple T25 captive screws, open air box lid and remove & install.

Now that I'm back in a Toyota, 2 clips, remove lid and remove and install.

 

[97prizm]

Next time drop in a K&N and forget about it.

K&N filters were designed believe it or not but for Baja truck racing from what I've read. The guys that started K&N were wanting a reusable free flow filter. Baja trucks tend to have the engines rebuilt frequently.

 

[AmBeRnEcTaR]

New engine bays are completely clad in plastic for a reason.
To keep the owners OUT and to keep them IN the stealerships.

 

[paulswagelock]

I don’t own that MB but I’m curious what the stealership charges to change the air filter on that model.

$200 ish

 

[wavinwayne]

So I am an avid do-it-yourself guy, good skill set.
change an air filter, 5 minutes right….?
Engine cover, 5 screws, 2 vacuum connections, 2 electrical connections, 2 air flow duct removals, and a handful of moving harnesses out of the way later……. Took an hour to change the filter. German engineering.

Rant over.

I haven't done it yet, but I've watched on youtube the air filter change on my wife's newly acquired BMW X3. It looks like a PITA, too.

 

[paulo57509]

The Lexus is a time consuming PITA as well. Most of the time is spent removing stuff to get access to fasteners to disassemble the air cleaner and duct work. The air cleaner inlet faces the grille so there's a direct path for debris to get into the filter. It does the job well.

Here's a filter after only 6100 miles. I had to remove the air cleaner assembly for a starter replacement (another PITA job). Instead of reusing the filter (STP from AZ), I just installed a new Denso filter so I don't have to disassemble it again any time soon.

 

[dkryan]

$200 ish

Whoa!

 

[JohnnyG]

I don’t own that MB but I’m curious what the stealership charges to change the air filter on that model.

MB is pretty shady about service, so I personally won't go there. They break down service into two parts, Service "A" and service "B". These two services alternate on an annual basis.
As you can imagine, service "B" is more expensive than A. Sometimes B includes a brake fluid change, air filter, etc. I go by mileage and time for those items.
Both versions of the service include an oil change.
I don't THINK anybody gets out of the dealership without a bill for at least $500.00. I know this since I've waited near the cashier for oil filters every so often.
If they were more up front about service cost, I think they would get many more customers.

Like I said, I never go there for service, so I hope someone will chime in and tell me how wrong I am!

 

[Marbles_Garage]

The Lexus is a time consuming PITA as well. Most of the time is spent removing stuff to get access to fasteners to disassemble the air cleaner and duct work. The air cleaner inlet faces the grille so there's a direct path for debris to get into the filter. It does the job well.

View attachment 172017
Here's a filter after only 6100 miles. I had to remove the air cleaner assembly for a starter replacement (another PITA job). Instead of reusing the filter (STP from AZ), I just installed a new Denso filter so I don't have to disassemble it again any time soon.

View attachment 172018

The picture of the filter brings back fond memories of my 1991 LS400, which used a similarly designed filter. I seem to remember that Wix made a nice replacement if the Denso was not available.

 

[BHopkins]

Wanted to inspect mine on my 2014 MB w/V6, major pain! Not only were the screws hard to access, they were all torx head and no room for a ratchet. I ended up getting a set of torx allen wrenches to do the job.
After all that, it didn't need changed anyway.

Is that an E350? I found mine fairly easy to change. Snap off the front plastic engine cover. Loosen the hose clamp that goes between the air box and the intake manifold. Loosen the two E10 screws that hold the air box to the side of the engine. Lift out the air box, and pull it loose from the air intake. Then the Torx screws that hold the lid on the air box, can easily be loosened. Change filter and put it back together. Ten minute job. Unless I obsess over inspecting the dirty filter. Then it takes 15 minutes. Yea, I guess it probably takes me 15 minutes. I always have to spend some time examining the old filter.

Having a special plier tool to unclamp and re-clamp the hose clamp makes that task a lot quicker.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2I4IAU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And of course, working on a Mercedes means having a set of external Torx sockets (E sockets) and a set of Torx bits, is a necessity.

 

[JohnnyG]

Is that an E350? I found mine fairly easy to change. Snap off the front plastic engine cover. Loosen the hose clamp that goes between the air box and the intake manifold. Loosen the two E10 screws that hold the air box to the side of the engine. Lift out the air box, and pull it loose from the air intake. Then the Torx screws that hold the lid on the air box, can easily be loosened. Change filter and put it back together. Ten minute job. Unless I obsess over inspecting the dirty filter. Then it takes 15 minutes. Yea, I guess it probably takes me 15 minutes. I always have to spend some time examining the old filter.

Having a special plier tool to unclamp and re-clamp the hose clamp makes that task a lot quicker.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2I4IAU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And of course, working on a Mercedes means having a set of external Torx sockets (E sockets) and a set of Torx bits, is a necessity.

Yes, E350, and NO I did it while in place on the engine, but I did it! Hard to see down there at my age.