Please Check your Cabin Air Filter

M

MikeM.

Member
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2013 Mazda CX-5 Touring AWD 2.0L
I thought the service interval on my cabin air filter was not too critical since I live in rainy Western Washington but it looks like all the off-road adventuring I've done took it's toll after 25,000 miles:


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So order some spare cabin filters and keep your climate control functioning optimally because it doesn't have "upside down" style filtering like the engine air filter sports.
 
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I'll read the manual to find out the change interval and how-to (if there is one). I'll add these filters in the list next time when I place order from Med Center. Thanks for the heads up!
 
Where I live in temperate northern Calif., I just pop it out every 20k or so and vacuum it. Good as new.
 
Yea, I usually have the windows down (although recently it's been +100f). I just washed it last time after picking out the big stuff/stuck in pieces. Surprisingly it did not fall apart, and after putting it in the dryer on low it came out fine. Smelled like fresh clothes in the car for a few days too lol. It was no where near as dirty as Mikes though, might not have come out so well if it was.
 
Chris_Top_Her said:
Yea, I usually have the windows down (although recently it's been +100f). I just washed it last time after picking out the big stuff/stuck in pieces. Surprisingly it did not fall apart, and after putting it in the dryer on low it came out fine. Smelled like fresh clothes in the car for a few days too lol. It was no where near as dirty as Mikes though, might not have come out so well if it was.
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So you're one of the mod leader in this forum but cheaped out on a $25 cabin filter? (uhm) The tiny dust stuck in the filter element may not be able to wash out by the water. Some cabin filter has carbon and you'll wash out these too. Would you "wash" your paper air filter and reuse it for your engine? Or are you just testing the strength of the paper element to satisfy your curiosity? Vacuum it and dump the big debris from cabin filter that I can understand and I may choose to do that too from time to time between recommended change interval.
 
I looked at mine just for giggles. As I thought, nothing to note at 5K mi, but now I know how to change it. I saw an after market filter at Amazon for cheap. I may get that as filter quality here won't affect mileage or engine wear. My guess is that a cheap filter will be better than trying to clean the old one. Correct me here if I'm wrong.
 
GP 2004 said:
I looked at mine just for giggles. As I thought, nothing to note at 5K mi, but now I know how to change it. I saw an after market filter at Amazon for cheap. I may get that as filter quality here won't affect mileage or engine wear. My guess is that a cheap filter will be better than trying to clean the old one. Correct me here if I'm wrong.
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They're not charcoal filters or anything exotic, so "cheap is good".
 
yrwei52 said:
So you're one of the mod leader in this forum but cheaped out on a $25 cabin filter? (uhm) The tiny dust stuck in the filter element may not be able to wash out by the water. Some cabin filter has carbon and you'll wash out these too. Would you "wash" your paper air filter and reuse it for your engine? Or are you just testing the strength of the paper element to satisfy your curiosity? Vacuum it and dump the big debris from cabin filter that I can understand and I may choose to do that too from time to time between recommended change interval.
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All it is is plastic, whatever synthetic fiber and some synthetic sponge like lining. Cabin filter is not important to me as I like said I ride windows down 85% of the time. The only thing i need it to filter is large particles. Trip to the dealer and $20 not well spent for my needs (rather use that towards something I want or some other maintenance or forum support). I wouldn't compare filtering engine air to cabin air. I don't need microscopic particulate filtering for the 15% I have my window up. Just like I don't wear a mask outside. If it fell apart I would have got a new one.
 
Chris_Top_Her said:
All it is is plastic, whatever synthetic fiber and some synthetic sponge like lining. Cabin filter is not important to me as I like said I ride windows down 85% of the time. The only thing i need it to filter is large particles. Trip to the dealer and $20 not well spent for my needs (rather use that towards something I want or some other maintenance or forum support). I wouldn't compare filtering engine air to cabin air. I don't need microscopic particulate filtering for the 15% I have my window up. Just like I don't wear a mask outside. If it fell apart I would have got a new one.
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Yeah, I can see your point. Apparently you love your CX-5 so much that you let her breath better air than you do... (whistle)
 
yrwei52 said:
Yeah, I can see your point. Apparently you love your CX-5 so much that you let her breath better air than you do... (whistle)
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? all the cabin filter does it filter the outside air blowing into the cabin. The filter has nothing to do with the engine whatsoever (this thread and the op are about a cabin air filter, which I commented on, not the engine air filter). Some fords a few years ago didn't even come with cabin filters; my Escape was one of them. When I start wearing a mask like they do in China when I'm driving with my window down/ am outside is when I'll start worrying about the micron sized filtering ability of my filter lol... or when I live in an environment of heavy sand/smoke. Until then my body's natural filtering system will continue to suffice.
 
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I have one of the Escapes that didn't come with a cabin air filter, although it can accommodate one. I finally added the Fram Fresh Breeze charcoal-baking soda filter after cleaning the ducts and detailing the vehicle. I didn't notice any difference in air quality, amount of pollen/dust, or any help with diesel smell in traffic after adding the filter. I agree with Chris on the cabin air filter, it has a negligible effect on air quality.
 
I usually change that filter every year. Fortunately ultra simple in the CX and maybe a few minutes of your time at most...unlike my other cars where the entire glove box assembly needs to be removed and tends to take about an hour.
 
yrwei52 said:
Yeah, I can see your point. Apparently you love your CX-5 so much that you let her breath better air than you do... (whistle)
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So do I, for the 23 hours per day I'm not riding in my CX-5. I'm guessing you do, too.
 
Chris_Top_Her said:
? all the cabin filter does it filter the outside air blowing into the cabin. The filter has nothing to do with the engine whatsoever (this thread and the op are about a cabin air filter, which I commented on, not the engine air filter). Some fords a few years ago didn't even come with cabin filters; my Escape was one of them. When I start wearing a mask like they do in China when I'm driving with my window down/ am outside is when I'll start worrying about the micron sized filtering ability of my filter lol... or when I live in an environment of heavy sand/smoke. Until then my body's natural filtering system will continue to suffice.
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+1 my Mazda Tribute did not have a cabin air filter at all. So I'm less worried about the cabin air filter in the CX-5, lol. The lack thereof never got past the cheap oil change places.. they were ALWAYS trying to sell me one.
 
Kedis82ZE8 said:
I usually change that filter every year. Fortunately ultra simple in the CX and maybe a few minutes of your time at most...unlike my other cars where the entire glove box assembly needs to be removed and tends to take about an hour.
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We traded a Volvo s40 for the cx5. And changing the cabin filter on that car was a treat! The cabin air filter was in the center console near the footwell. Only way to get to it required disconnecting the accelerator pedal and peeling the carpeting back. You had to be a contortionist to work in there. But the right hand drive car had it easy!

The dealer wanted $140 for the service. And I could almost understand that. It took about 45-60 min just to get the filter out.
 
I live in Georgia, and the spring pollen is very bad. I change my cabin air filter yearly, in May, after the pollen has diminished.
 
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