How to change the in-cabin micro air filter

L

limsandy

Member
:
CX5 Touring
Hey guys, I know our cars are new and the owner's manual states that the in-cabin micro air filter should be changed every 2 years, but my air conditioner is giving me foul smell when initially turning it on. So I want to take out the in-cabin air filter and "bake" it in the sun, hopefully that will get rid of the foul smell. The problem is, the OM doesn't say how to change it. (bang)

Can a kind soul please point out/write a how-to? :D
 
What you describe is common. The best way to prevent the moisture in the vents, is to turn off the AC, but keep the fan speed on high for about 30-60 seconds before you shut the car off. This will help dry out the system before you park the car, and prevent the smelly mildew from growing in your vents.
 
In all my cars, I run the fan on high with high heat for about 15 to 20 seconds before exiting the car. This clears out all the moisture and leaves little chance to mold/fungus growth.
 
limsandy said:
Hey guys, I know our cars are new and the owner's manual states that the in-cabin micro air filter should be changed every 2 years, but my air conditioner is giving me foul smell when initially turning it on. So I want to take out the in-cabin air filter and "bake" it in the sun, hopefully that will get rid of the foul smell.
Click to expand...

Is your car brand new? The service guy where I bought my car said that I probably wouldn't want to use the a/c or vents for the first 100 miles because whatever burns off and it smells. He said it was best to keep in in recirculating mode during that time. Since 100 miles went fairly quickly, it wasn't a problem.
 
It really is that easy. Open glove box. Empty contents. Push the sides inwards to release tabs. Door will drop all the way down. Look inside. You will see a tab or handle if you will. That's the filter. Just pull it out. No screws or nothing. Kudos to Mazda for making it that easy. Its only a paper filter from factory. As soon as fram comes out with a carbon filter with baking soda. I will be replacing it.
 
Be careful about what you put in the glovebox. I had another vehicle not putting heat out and it was because the filter was clogged with napkins that were in the glovebox. So anything like that should be under the manual/weighted down.
 
limsandy said:
should be changed every 2 years,

The problem is, the OM doesn't say how to change it. (bang)

Can a kind soul please point out/write a how-to? :D
Click to expand...

Maybe changing it every two years but you'll want to take it out every season and bang it against a wall to get out the leaves and bugs.

Easy to do!
 
Another thing I do is: Get a can of Lysol Disinfectant, Roll down all windows, turn the AC on pulling air from the outside at maximum fan speed. Set the air vents to the dash and feet position. Lift the hood. Spray Lysol in the grill along the wiper blades where it sucks in outside air. Spray as if you were painting the grill from side to side for about 30ss. Let it run for about another 15ss till it starts to dry on the grill. If it's too smelly, spray twice. Then set the AC at your normal vent position, roll up the windows, set to recirculate the inside air. At first it will have a slight "vinegar" smell but it will soon go away. This not only disinfect the conducts, it will also eliminate odors. I learned this trick at a dealership. They would do this to their smelly trade in cars. It works!
 
(iagree) BMW used to do this on my dad's 750il (though it was, of course, a german solution and not lysol) when the hot, humid months would come around and he'd complain. It was the official solution. Usually it'd be to do this first, then run high heat for a good long time, and then change the filters. Basically kill the bacteria/mold/mildew chemically, then with heat and dry out moisture to make it inhabitable, then anything remaining trapped in the filter was taken out with the filter change. Changing only the filter could just lead to it getting re-populated with the same smell causing bacteria, etc if the ducting isn't sterilized first. The spraying happened as close to the inlet as possible (to not get anything on the paint) and they'd put cloth down to prevent any overspray on the paint.
 
Car talk's click and clack recommend frigi clean. Noticed a couple manufacturers recommend it for cars as well. I've seen it on amazon.
 
CXPR said:
Another thing I do is: Get a can of Lysol Disinfectant, Roll down all windows, turn the AC on pulling air from the outside at maximum fan speed. Set the air vents to the dash and feet position. Lift the hood. Spray Lysol in the grill along the wiper blades where it sucks in outside air. Spray as if you were painting the grill from side to side for about 30ss. Let it run for about another 15ss till it starts to dry on the grill. If it's too smelly, spray twice. Then set the AC at your normal vent position, roll up the windows, set to recirculate the inside air. At first it will have a slight "vinegar" smell but it will soon go away. This not only disinfect the conducts, it will also eliminate odors. I learned this trick at a dealership. They would do this to their smelly trade in cars. It works!
Click to expand...
Good idea, for a few weeks after I got my custom box put I had bothersome smells of MDF and glue lol. Couple with hot Texas, it got in the filter good.
 
limsandy said:
Hey guys, I know our cars are new and the owner's manual states that the in-cabin micro air filter should be changed every 2 years, but my air conditioner is giving me foul smell when initially turning it on. So I want to take out the in-cabin air filter and "bake" it in the sun, hopefully that will get rid of the foul smell. The problem is, the OM doesn't say how to change it. (bang)

Can a kind soul please point out/write a how-to? :D
Click to expand...

Ask and you shall receive: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123840410-How-To-Interior-Cabin-Air-Filter

Edit: Whoops, I didn't realize this thread was so old.
 
Triton46 said:
In all my cars, I run the fan on high with high heat for about 15 to 20 seconds before exiting the car. This clears out all the moisture and leaves little chance to mold/fungus growth.
Click to expand...

This is actually a common misconception. Mold needs food to grow. Foam and plastic are not food sources (ICF concrete forms do not produce mold yet they are underground (wet) and surrounded by EPS foam). So while moisture is needed for mold, if there is no food, no mold will grow. So the ductwork likely has something in it. Dead skin cells, bugs, pollen, ... ?
 
Surfsup said:
This is actually a common misconception. Mold needs food to grow. Foam and plastic are not food sources (ICF concrete forms do not produce mold yet they are underground (wet) and surrounded by EPS foam). So while moisture is needed for mold, if there is no food, no mold will grow. So the ductwork likely has something in it. Dead skin cells, bugs, pollen, ... ?
Click to expand...

I never delved into the reason why HVAC systems produce smells, thanks for enlightening me. I have always blasted the heat and my cars always smell like the first time from the dealer. I figured less condensation build up is always better in places I can't reach.
 
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