How to Replace Cabin Air Filter

[phillip123]

Sorry for this thread, but I could not find anything in the DIY area on this topic.

I checked various web sites, and they mention that I need to remove the passenger kick panel (located just below and to the left of the glove box) first, and then remove the glove box, and then take out the cabin air filter and replace it with a new one.

First question, which none of the web sites mention but briefly, is exactly how do you remove the passenger kick panel? They show three clips on the end of kick panel closest to the rear of the vehicle, and they mention using a slim screwdriver to pry it apart from the vehicle, but beyond that, NOTHING. I don't want to break it, and so any help in doing this removal would be greatly appreciated.

Second question, is that I recall that someone posted that you don't necessarily have to remove the glove box assembly, which appears to be a fairly big job, and that you can remove the current cabin air filter and replace it with a new one by just removing the passenger kick panel, which would obviously save me a lot of time and effort. IS THIS TRUE?

If the answer to the second question is Yes, you can, what tricks should I be made aware of? I assume that it would be a very tight fit to get to the cabin air filter, but if I can do it that way, I would like to try first, before having to remove the glove box assembly.

If the answer to the second question is No, what tricks or potential stumbling blocks should I be aware of when I remove and later reinstall the glove box assembly? For one, when everything is done and then I have to snap the glove box back in place and then screw the 8 or so screws to secure it to the vehicle, exactly what should I do when "snapping it back in place" (I don't want to break anything)?

Thanks in advance.

Phil

[phillip123]

Oh, by the way, I have a 2010 Nissan Altima 2.5

[AlexN09]

I have no idea, but if it were me I wouldn't be afraid to mess around and try to remove the kick panel and find out for myself if you can reach the cabin air filter. On a side note, why do you want to replace such a new filter?

[phillip123]

The car is almost two years old, and has 28,000 miles on it, and so I figured that it was time to replace the cabin air filter. Maybe I am wrong about the time frame for replacing it, but I think I saw it on the 15,000 mile checkup for things to do for Altimas.

[funkee]

Get a flashlight, some pliers, a phillips head screw driver, a prying tool or wide flat head screwdriver, and a pillow or something to rest the glove box on.

You will need to pop that passenger panel out. I was scared of breaking it myself, but you will need to literally pry it off using a prying tool or a wide flat head screw driver. There are three clips on the near side of the panel, and one clip on the far side in that rectangle that juts out. These clips do not slide, they are meant to pop out. When you're replacing it at the end, just give it a nice thwack to get it in.

There is also piece on the right side of the glove box just to the right of the vent, where the door meets the glove box. That piece should be pried off the same way.

As far not removing the glove box - I could barely get to the damn filter with the glove box out! You don't stand a chance of getting that filter out with it in place. It is literally way in there, right up against the end of the passenger compartment. Maybe after changing a few filters, you might get an idea of where it is and can go in there blind with one hand with the glove box in place. I definitely recommend taking it out.

Be careful removing the glove box. There are a few wires that are very delicate. The wires do have some slack, but not enough to let the glove box rest on the cabin floor. Don't let the glove box dangle on those wires. Bring a pillow or something for it to rest on. I tried to unplug the wires, but they were a pain and I couldn't do it. The glove box itself will get in your way; you want it out. I had to get on the ground outside of the vehicle, to even see what I was doing. And I mostly had to work with one hand.

Interestingly, all of the instructions that I read did not mention that there are 3 more screws at the very bottom of the glove box, for a total of 8 that you have to remove.

I found the little strap that can be used to pull the filter out. It tore off immediately. You'll notice that the opening to the filter compartment is not the same height as the filter itself. The filter actually expands inside its compartment. I used some pliers to get the old one out, and I would suggest that you do the same. Getting the new filter in wasn't as bad as I had thought. You'll just need to compress the filter a little bit to get it to go in.

Hope that helps.

[phillip123]

Oh, you are a lifesaver, Funkee. That was exactly the type of detail that I was hoping someone would provide to my request. Now I now what to expect, and the pitfalls to look out for on the way.

Thanks again.

Phil

[kerrton]

Good job tackling this job yourself, the dealers are a complete rip off at over $100 for a filter that can be purchased for 5 to $10 online. But this is an extremely important item to change regularly and on time, these should be changed every year or sooner. It really helps the cabin air quality and air flow, and it reduces the stress on your fan - a plugged filter will cause the fan to work harder and could cause it to fail prematurely.

I have a Nissan Rogue and I order these filters online, ebay or freshcabinair.com are good sources, don't even bother buying the parts from Nissan if you can avoid it. This is a DIY that most anyone can and should perform regularly.

[stevewaclo]

Hi gang,

With all due respect to others who have tackled this job, it's not rocket surgery.

The left side kick panel is all I've had to remove and I've done it by gently reaching in near the rear seam between the panel and the carpet pulling away from the bottom . The three fasteners release from bottom to top and the panel's front "catch" releases when the panel is slid towards the back of the car. Locating this front catch is a bit tricky as it seems to be a screw head that is not readily visible and hides directly below the filter cover door. Take a few moments to feel around and find it before you put the panel back on.

Since I'm a fairly flexible guy, I slide the passenger seat all the way to the rear, then lay on my back in the footwell, feet up over the seat (it ain't cute ) to get hands on the filter cover and then the filter. A hooked tool is helpful for grabbing the old filter and pulling it out till you get a good grip.

Squeeze the new filter top to bottom, between the rigid end pieces and push the now "pointy" lower edge into the slot. Follow with the upper edge and begin to push the entire filter into position. You might have to work it in and out a few times to make sure it is fully expanded. BTW, I bought several OEM filters for cheap, when our local Nissan dealer closed a few years back and there was no indication of air flow direction. Aftermarket may be different.

Replacing the filter cover can be tricky as well. Lay the top end in the track, then push/slide it upward and make sure the top is captured. Push the bottom in and, with a bit of wiggling and cussing, it will snap in place.

Ain't it amazing how I started out saying how simple this is and then ended up writing 500 words to describe the process ? Like many tasks, it's much easier to do than describe.

Also, Google "Altima cabin filter replacement " for some vids. One is where I saw the "pull the panel from the bottom" trick and another shows the entire process of pulling the glove box, which is what I did my first try. Frankly, it can be done by pulling nothing at all, but hey, I'm secretly a Munchkin .

Best wishes