HOW TO: Cabin microfilter replacement for AC

[tsigoloeg]

This topic is covered for the sedan, but the pics look different from what I experienced. Here is my write up for it.



On the right (of pic above) is the black plastic door to the cabin air filter. On the left is the air filter. They are oriented relative to each other the same way they install. Notice the size discrepancy...

Nissan hired the same engineers that NASA fired a while back for forgetting to convert SAE to metric units and smashing a $300 million probe into Mars. They are now designing Nissan HVAC systems.

I found a web site, nissanhelp or something like that, that had the instructions for doing this. They were very simple:

1) Remove screws from top of glove-box unit2) Remove screws from bottom of glove box unit.3) Pull out glove box unit.4) Remove trim panel.5) Remove filter door, remove filter, replace. Reassembly is the opposite of disassembly.The instructions come with very nice pictures and diagrams illustrating the screws and panels etc that are to be removed and the locations of all.

I read the sedan instructions on this site, but unfortunately at work...and my work blocks pictures on most forums since they link to Flickr and other verboten websites. That's too bad, since it would have saved me a lot of grief with item #9 below.

The actual procedure is:

1) Remove top screws.

2) Remove bottom screws.

3) Spend 35 minutes wondering WTF the glove box does not pull out.

4) Push back and recline passenger seat to max travel distances. Lay headfirst in footwell with head against firewall and neck craned at 75 deg angle, realize that with your right eye you can barely see the bottom quarter of the filter door all the way against the firewall (see below pic - you can't see the door any better even with the glove box and trim panel removed than without. There is an air duct right in the dead-center of this picture that is in front of the filter housing - and no, I could not figure a way to get that out).

5) With hot worklight 3 inches from forehead in above-mentioned body position, realize a) that you no longer have the close-vision acuity you once had and b) sweat running into your eyes from your armpits does not help that (it is actually 105 in the garage with 80% relative humidity).

6) Remove door to filter housing. Grab the blurry tab for the filter. Feel the filter resist removal and the tab start to tear off the filter (see top picture again). This design flaw made the engineers realize an improvement was necessary. Thus they removed any sort of tab to grab onto to assist in extracting the filter from all the replacement filters.

7) Extract yourself from the car. Compare the size of the replacement filter you just bought with the filter door. Come to the only logical conclusion: they sold you the wrong part. Call the dealership parts department to realize they closed at 1 pm and there is no one to assist you now.

8) Spend 35 more minutes in body position described in (4) above trying to get the filter door back on. For whatever reason, the catch that holds the top of the door in is almost impossible to align and insert properly. And the bottom latch will not..latch...if the top is not in perfectly.

9) Put top and bottom screws back on glove box. Enjoy the screws and screwdriver slipping in your sweat-drenched hands. When the screws don't seem to be going in straight, use the worklight to verify the holes are all lined up and notice the two black screws in the top interior middle of the black glove box THAT ARE NOT ON THE GDMF INSTRUCTIONS. Swear. Swear loudly.

10) Wait for another weekend. In the meantime, during the week call the dealer again to have them verify they actually sold you the correct part. Then try and verify it online somewhere. Go ahead. Try. (FTR - it is p/n 27277-JA00A)

11) The next weekend available, remove the top screws, the bottom screws, and the interior screws from the glove box.

12) Remove the side dash panel by the passenger door when you realize that interferes with removing the glove box. Verify that wasn't in the instructions.

13) Disconnect the two electronic switches whose wiring is preventing you from doing anything more than dropping the glove box to the floor. Verify that wasn't in the instructions. Make sure the wires' tautness pulls the sharp plastic corner of the bottom of the glove box over to the trim panel and scratches it good.

14) Remove the plastic keeper holding the wiring onto the glove box that makes disconnecting the switches insufficient in freeing the glove box. Since it is designed for one-time use only, use a pliers to rip it out good. Verify that wasn't on the instructions, either. Consistency is everything.

15) Remove the trim panel. Amaze yourself that it really does only pop off. Yes, that is going to be another rattle.

16) With marginally improved visibility, remove the filter door again. Grab the old filter. Just start yanking. It ain't pretty any more.

17) The only way this new filter is going in is if you smash the top and bottom together like an accordion. The ends bow when you do that, but they also cause the ends to twist so they are now 90 degrees to each other. Persist in shoving; since you can only see about half of the filter slot, pretend you are blind and know Braille. When it is clear the new filter did not uncompress properly, pull it out (a little more gently that the old one) and try it again. And again. Learn to accept close enough.

Stuffing the camera up behind that air duct, this is what it looks like.

18) Replace filter door cover. It only takes 15 minutes to get it on now since the glove box is out...you can actually reach your fingers to the top of the door now and feel if the catch is in the right place or not. But somehow that doesn't help all that much.

19) Reassemble the remaining mess. Vow that the next time the service tech will be doing this stupidity.

[dangeris]

This has to be THE Most funniest descriptive write up I've ever read! Great Job!

[blackteam02]

hey, good look on the coupe write-up! what brand and product # did u use?

[razah9]

omg that's hilarious. Anyone know how much they'll chargejust for that damn.

[Bmore-coupe]

CUSTOM TITLE GET!!!!!!!!

[adidas2go]

Great write up. Email one of us for your title. Hilarious

[tsigoloeg]

Thanks guys. I had to write it up as a catharsis. I actually had to mow the lawn afterward to cool off, it was so hot in the garage. That, and the Bombay Sapphire + Q-tonic helped.

hey, good look on the coupe write-up! what brand and product # did u use?

Filter I assume? It is the stock Nissan replacement. P/N 27277-JA00A. $11.12 after "internet order" discount the counter guy gave me. The A/C was putting out a pretty good musty smell for 5-10 sec when first turned on. Now it smells of faint must + plastic bag. You gotta love Houston humidity.

Man, I couldn't think of a good title 2 yrs ago when I wrote the mirror "how to." I'll try harder this time...

[chiphead]

Absolutely priceless write up!

[blackteam02]

gallup nissan quoted me $38.50 for this shizz..nahh ill wait till FEBREZE gets'em out on the shelves!!

[tonyv56]

Replaced mine today with my daughter doing the dirty work. Her fingers are long and thin and perfect for this job. Did take the glove box off which did make it easier. Snapped the tab on the filter cover ordered a new one at dealer for $10
If it was any more it would have been duct taped back on

[sndtgr08]

We love your pain. Best How-to I have ever read!

[osceolakid]

Just want to say I replaced my cabin filter this weekend on my 2011 coupe. I found you don't need to remove the glove box. Tools I reommend: Gloves, Mirror, Flash light, #6 Fish Hook, String. Instructions:
1.) Passenger side on the middle hump go to the firewall. look for narrow black latched at botom door.
2.) Remove door tie string to fish hook then take fish hook and gaff filter and pull out.
3.) Take new filter and compress near edge of filter to form a half moon then insert in housing. Use mirror to check if filter is seated in housing.
4.) Replace door and your done.....