Cabin Air Filters

A cabin air filter cleans the outside air that the heating and ventilation fan draws into the car. It catches dust, pollen and road grime before they reach the occupants and the air conditioning evaporator. This category holds cabin filters listed by part number, together with the vehicles they are made for.

The filter sits in the fresh-air path, usually behind the glovebox or under the scuttle panel below the windscreen. As it clogs, the fan moves less air, so the windscreen demists more slowly and heating and cooling both weaken. A damp, dirty filter can also leave the cabin smelling musty.

Outside air on a circuit or in heavy traffic carries rubber, brake and exhaust particles. A clean filter helps keep that out of the cabin, which counts on a long drive to and from an event.

To find the right filter:

• Vehicle list: listings name the vehicles a filter is made for, often several models that share one housing. Check the model and generation against your own car.
• Old filter: compare length, width, depth and frame shape, because housings can change within a model run.
• Vehicle type: the lists include electric models, vans and heavy trucks as well as petrol and diesel cars.
• Service type: washable cabin media are cleaned with a care kit made for them, while other filters are simply replaced.

Note the airflow arrow on the old filter’s frame and fit the new one the same way round. Clear leaves and debris from the housing and the scuttle drain while it is open, and check that the frame seals all round so no air bypasses the media. Inspect the filter at each service, and sooner after a dusty summer or a heavy pollen season.