Nasty Cabin Air Filter

[The Critic]

This filter was dark on BOTH sides. There were numerous dead bugs inside each pleat.

The mileage on the filter was 35,844 and was taken from a 2009 Honda Fit. The car was placed into service in 9/2008.

How could a cabin air filter get this dirty in less than two years? Amazing.

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: The Critic

This filter was dark on BOTH sides. There were numerous dead bugs inside each pleat.

The mileage on the filter was 35,844 and was taken from a 2009 Honda Fit. The car was placed into service in 9/2008.

How could a cabin air filter get this dirty in less than two years? Amazing.


My two cars call for it to be changed at 15k. They were both pretty bad at 15k so I'm not surprised. Also, note that some filters are charcoal impregnated so are black to begin with!

 

[Johnny]

Originally Posted By: The Critic


How could a cabin air filter get this dirty in less than two years? Amazing.


Oh, I don't know, may have something to do with smog, smog, and more smog.

 

[skylinegtr]

I've actually seen worse. On a different forum a guy pulled out his cabin air filter and discovered 2 dead rats on the filter. It was pretty disgusting.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
This filter was dark on BOTH sides. There were numerous dead bugs inside each pleat.
...
How could a cabin air filter get this dirty in less than two years?


I concur with rjacket, this looks like one of the charcoal impregnated cabin filters - especially if it's black on both sides. The black look is normal.

That one doesn't look too bad, honestly. I've seen ones that had mouse nests built up on them, as well as piles of acorns from squirrels hoarding for the winter. Considering not changing it causes HVAC blower death, I'm leaning toward changing them once a year in both cars.

 

[JHZR2]

+1 on the charcoal. That filter actually looks pretty clean and good.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
+1 on the charcoal. That filter actually looks pretty clean and good.


No, this was NOT a charcoal filter. It was the original non-charcoal filter from the assembly line. This was what the new filter from the dealer looked like:

 

[RTexasF]

The one in my Accord looked like that @ 11,000 miles! Time to go check the one in the RAV4, thanks for the reminder.

 

[Papa Bear]

I remove and vacuum my filters regularly.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
No, this was NOT a charcoal filter. It was the original non-charcoal filter from the assembly line.
Calm down.

My cars have a charcoal and non-charcoal cabin filter options - most do. I would even go so far as to say that it's possible it was outfitted with one from the factory, even if one isn't available from Honda now.

The mottled black color of the one you posted is too even for it to not be a charcoal filter, and if it was black 'on both sides' then it would also be black in the filter housing, HVAC blower & ductwork. The blackness also doesn't look like it's on the filter surface.

 

[Malo83]

The cabin filter I pulled out of my daughters 05 Cobalt was worse, never been touched in the 5 yrs she's had the car, she kept complaining that her AC was not blowing enough cold air, now it's like a Typhoon at it's high setting

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: scurvy
The mottled black color of the one you posted is too even for it to not be a charcoal filter, and if it was black 'on both sides' then it would also be black in the filter housing, HVAC blower & ductwork. The blackness also doesn't look like it's on the filter surface.


I'm pretty sure it was not a charcoal filter because the dirt is somewhat uneven on the filter media. Some parts of the filter are dirty while other parts are not as dirty.

 

[Nick R]

Yikes... I am afraid if I ever have to open up the blower housing and blower intake for my car and the expedition...

 

[HTSS_TR]

For some reasons I don't know, the cabin air filter is dirtier much faster than engine air filter, specially if the cabin air filter is under the hood near the base of the windshield.

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
For some reasons I don't know, the cabin air filter is dirtier much faster than engine air filter, specially if the cabin air filter is under the hood near the base of the windshield.


It's also possible that the cabin air filter is more restrictive than the engine air filter.

 

[Barkleymut]

I just found out that the T&C that we have owned for over 5 years had a cabin filter. Wow was it bad. We even had a new AC compressor put on last year and apparently the CHRYSLER DEALER didnt bother to check/install the cabin filter.

 

[silverrat]

I have seen way worse than that. Ive had Civics come in with 60000 miles on the cabin filters. A Camry came in today with mountains of fuzz built up on the filter. The dirtiest ones come usually on Civics, Corollas, Camry, and GM Minivans.

 

[donz26]

I changed the one in the Maxima after 2 years, and it was actually fairly clean. The car did only have 13k mi. at the time though.

 

[Colt45ws]

I pulled the cabin filters out of the Montana and put in a new set awhile back. No clue if they had been replaced before. The pleats were filled in with dirt about 1/3 of the way. My Grandparents didn't know it existed.

 

[Herz]

I changed the one in my sierra after 9 years and 123 k miles.