Check Your Cabin Air Filter!

[johnparjr]

I do mine once a year there not expensive so it’s a easy. My only issue is I always forget which way the arrow goes

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[f33d]

after 20k miles. Dealer said they changed it on my old truck. Checked it after. This is what your breathing in and why I don’t trust dealers.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Mine was filthy and loaded at 19,000 miles so obviously I'll be checking on it more frequently from now on.......... It's usually windy here and we drove across the country a couple of times with wind whipping the KS and NE dust. Fall/harvest time here is nasty for dust so I was not shocked at all to find how dirty it was.

I used to do RA but changed to Amazon after RA screwed me over a couple of times and I started figuring in their outragious shipping which usually made car parts more expensive than parts stores. over 22 bucks to ship 4 little bushing you could fit in your pockets and in the end, O'Reilly was cheaper.

Wix or MOPAR for me, maybe AC/Delco as their air filters beat the others for engines, Maybe it's the same for these - I haven't checked the cost through Benny yet........

 

[Gvsukids]

Mine has a bunch of sand in it from muddy water coming over the hood.
36k

 

[Blade1668]

As a long time user of K&N filters that has now learned that they're lacking in filtration for engines I skipped over one there but installed in cabin air filter. Yes it's what 3-4 regular filters cost, but I can clean it out dozen times a year cheaper. I'm already on 4th or so engine air filter. Dust, bugs, pollen etc plug them up fast especially since I drive on dirt, sand and gravel roads often in and though farming areas.
Hmm reminds me to clean it again.

 

[JT Thomas]

I am always maintaining engine stuff. Fluids- maintenance schedule, preventive maintenance (I’m an old Army guy) but I will say, I never really thought about my cabin filter. I always thought it got replaced at a particular dealer maintenance interval. The pictures you guys have here is horror movie level so I just ordered a filter so I can either replace or be ready when I need to replace. This is why this forum is so good.

 

[Broccoli]

after 20k miles. Dealer said they changed it on my old truck. Checked it after. This is what your breathing in and why I don’t trust dealers.

Wouldn’t that be what you’re not breathing in??

 

[Fundamental Jeepster]

Thank you for raising this topic. Checked mine today and it needs replaced.

 

[f33d]

Wouldn’t that be what you’re not breathing in??

Eh it’s filtering thru this so the air isn’t as clean. True your not directly breathing this in but it’s like using your dirty underwear to filter water to clean another pair.

 

[Skdmarc]

If you haven't checked it, do it soon.

I have low miles on my 2020, just over 12,000. MOPAR recommended interval for cabin air filter is 20,000.

I live in central Indiana, not a high dust area. My cabin air filter was almost black and pretty damned full of crap.

FYI, the WIX filter is the exact match, has the exact same labeling as the MOPAR filter except it doesn't say MOPAR. A further FYI, the engine air filter is also a WIX, all labeling the same except no MOPAR on it.

Does this filter work when I have the roof and doors off?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Does this filter work when I have the roof and doors off?

Only if you have the HVAC on in either heat or AC mode or it's in vent mode allowing outside air in, even if it's not heating or cooling.
So if you run a lot with the roof and/or doors off and don't run the HVAC very much or just shut it off, your filter will last a lot longer.
I run my HVAC all the time, in auto mode, so it's usually moving some air through that filter which likely explains why mine got so filthy so fast while my wife could likely go well past 20,000 miles with hers because she only runs the heat or AC when necessary, it's normally off in her case.
It filters incoming air, so if there's no air flowing in through the heat, ac or vents, it's not doing much.
Last year was crazy for dirt and smoke in the air thanks to Canada and KS. The air was sometimes so thick with either dust or smoke it was hazy all day. That's the sort of stuff you want filtered out of the air you breathe.

 

[Broccoli]

Eh it’s filtering thru this so the air isn’t as clean. True your not directly breathing this in but it’s like using your dirty underwear to filter water to clean another pair.

So you clean your underwear with water filtered through a second clean pair first? Why not skip that step and put the water directly on the pair that you’re cleaning?

 

[redriderjf87]

Good looking out

 

[ShadowsPapa]

So you clean your underwear with water filtered through a second clean pair first? Why not skip that step and put the water directly on the pair that you’re cleaning?

Funny - but I was going to add his point was incorrect in any case as the filter filters and the air coming out the clean side it just as clean as it is after several months as it is when new. Otherwise you'd have to change an air filter of any sort, even an oil filter, once it was used for a few hours. It stops anything over xx microns in size, even if it's dirty. In fact, tests on furnace filters show that even though they get more restrictive, the added dirt closes off the "pores" and a filter letting through xx microns when new will not pass things that size after time because the holes or pores close down. For him to be correct the openings would have to INCREASE in size, not decrease. It's one reason a air filter passes less air after it gets dirty - it's more restrictive, not less.
So the logic is flawed. Used filters pass less dirt, not more, but they pass less air as they "plug" or fill with dirt, making the HVAC (or engine) less efficient.
Check studies on furnace filters - I have (I selected our combination of filter units, air handler and outside unit and studied filtering at great length since I have severe allergy and sinus issues)
They don't stop filtering, they pass less air.

 

[f33d]

Funny - but I was going to add his point was incorrect in any case as the filter filters and the air coming out the clean side it just as clean as it is after several months as it is when new. Otherwise you'd have to change an air filter of any sort, even an oil filter, once it was used for a few hours. It stops anything over xx microns in size, even if it's dirty. In fact, tests on furnace filters show that even though they get more restrictive, the added dirt closes off the "pores" and a filter letting through xx microns when new will not pass things that size after time because the holes or pores close down. For him to be correct the openings would have to INCREASE in size, not decrease. It's one reason a air filter passes less air after it gets dirty - it's more restrictive, not less.
So the logic is flawed. Used filters pass less dirt, not more, but they pass less air as they "plug" or fill with dirt, making the HVAC (or engine) less efficient.
Check studies on furnace filters - I have (I selected our combination of filter units, air handler and outside unit and studied filtering at great length since I have severe allergy and sinus issues)
They don't stop filtering, they pass less air.

Listen I was like 5 beers in. Don’t hold me accountable for my poor comparisons. I thought we were friends.

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