Did you know your car might have a cabin air filter?

depglass · ‎03-10-2010

I mentioned this morning that our car smells like dead mouse. (rural area) So when DH went to get the oil changed he asked tech guy if there was a separate filter for the inside of the car. The guy took out the glove compartment and there it was, a filter stuffed with eleven years of fuzz and junk. Of course this was all my junk, even though we are the second owner. So if you have never heard of this, have your dealer or oil check guy or your DH to check for one.

tends2dogs · ‎05-08-2010

@depglass Did they charge him to do it?

Fear not Brothers and Sisters! I have read THE BOOK..........we win!!!

Jacie · ‎01-09-2011

Yes! I discovered it a number of years ago! Everytime I turned the blower on there was a rattle. When the filter was pulled it had a pile of sunflower seeds on it. Mice had been using it as a stash supply spot!

"Cats are poetry in motion. Dogs are gibberish in neutral." -Garfield

icezeus · ‎10-30-2010

Yes, I knew. It's more expensive to change then the regular Air Filter, because it's harder to get to. At least that's what the dealership always tells me when they tell me it's time to be changed again.

drizzellla · ‎03-14-2010

Every few years when I get my car inspected a new cabin air filter is part of the deal.

Pearlee · ‎06-11-2011

Yes Ive known since my 1st oil change when they asked me to empty my glove compartment so they could check it. They replaced mine at my 30,000 mile tune up.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

I think mine gets changed when I go to the dealership for an oil change. But I know my car has one.

Othereeeen · ‎03-13-2010

Just an FYI from Ms. Do it Yourself here:

Cabin Air Filters are available for most cars on Amazon, Auto Zone etc, and You Tube shows you how to replace it.

About as complicated at pulling out the lint filter in your dryer!!! ( on my Buick, anyway!).

the GM dealer wanted ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS to "change the cabin air filter"and made it sound like some mystery that a dumb woman can't handle. ( I assume the filter price was included, but I declined thier nice offer to this "old" lady!!!)

I worked in the gas industry for my career, and most backhoes, trackhoes, dozers etc with enclosed cabs for the operator now have these filters. It was part of scheduled maintenance in our shop. That equipment is used in very dusty conditions at times.

Change time: About ten minutes ( unless it takes an hour to go thru all the junk in the glovebox!!). Have your vac handy with the nozzle attachment to clean out debris if found.

At the shop, they are NOT going to do ANY MORE "MAGIC" on your vehicle than this!!!!

LindaSal · ‎05-15-2014

Our fan in the car was making a loud noise when we turned it on last summer. I brought it to the mechanic and they opened it up and found a dead mouse (in pieces, sorry gross) I guess he had gotten into where the fan was and when we turned it on he was history! My mechanic had to clean it all out and change the filter. Even after all that I had to leave the car there for another day and drive with the windows open for a couple more days as it took awhile for the dreaded smell to go away.