DIY Guide: Aircon Filter Replacement

[aerosignal]

This is the long overdue guide on how to replace your aircon filter with aftermarket Cairefresh Filter.
You will need:
1. Philips #1 screw driver
2. Pen knife (watch your fingers!)
3. Cairefresh filter (Latio or March is the same). Yes it comes in 2 pieces and they go in together.

Disclaimer:
. My car is a 4AT so I had only tried on a 4AT. Premium and sports should be the same except for the light connection on the glove box. Those of you with 4AT with the glove light, watch your wires too!
. This is meant to be a guide. Please use at your own risk and discretion.
. Will not be responsible for any damages, injuries caused as a result of the change

[aerosignal]

Step 1.

Remove your glove box. Do this by removing the 4 top screws inside, close the door and remove the 3 bottom screws. You can keep the door closed and pull the whole glove box out.

If during removal or installation, your screws feel tight as you are removing them, support the glove box slightly. This will take the load off the screws so they will not rub against the plastic as you remove the screws.

Remember: "WATCH YOUR WIRES" for those with glove box lights!!!!

[aerosignal]

Step 2.
Remove bracket. Refer to picture for location of screws.

[aerosignal]

Step 3.
Remove filter. Filter location is shown in picture. The cover is what the support from step 2 is screwed onto.

I had to push the passenger seat all the way to the back and crawl inverted so that I can get a look at the cover. You may have to do that the first time too.

To remove the cover, pull the tab out with some force. This will pull the top portion of the cover. pull up and out to remove the bottom tab.

You have to pull with some force because the filter is larger than the hole. Then you will know why the replacement filter comes in 2 pieces.

[aerosignal]

Step 4.
You have to use a penknife to cut the paper filter from the cover.

The filter has to be trimmed to leave just the cover as shown in the picture.

Step 5
Fit in the filters. Slot in 1 piece first. Then the clumsy part where you are supposed to raise that piece into the cavity above and slot in the 2nd piece under it. Make sure your 2nd piece is all the way in it should be fully under the top piece. Otherwise, the cover may not fit.

Step 6
Replace the cover. To replace the cover, put the bottom tab into the slot, then press the top in. It is secured if the cover does not pop open on its own.

[aerosignal]

Step 7.
Screw the support bracket back (2 screws). Put the glove box back. Screw the bottom of the glove (3 screws) then open the door and screw on the 4 other screws.

And you are done!!!!!!
 

[aerosignal]

thanks in advance bro! 

No worries bro! It really sounds more complicated than it actually is. Should be no problem for you if you can install your own door lights!!!! Btw, those are real cool!

[corgan]

great write up bro!  can i suggest to the mods to make this a sticky? Will be a good guide to have ard.

[aerosignal]

I actually got a pdf version of this with all the pictures in it. I suppose you can pm me your email if you want it. It's about so I can't put it here.

[corgan]

No worries bro! It really sounds more complicated than it actually is. Should be no problem for you if you can install your own door lights!!!! Btw, those are real cool!

haha. thanks. still got my own guide to write for that also. 

[VinCenT]

Bravo my friend.. Bravo...

Putting this to sticky.

[VinCenT]

For your info, Got once I went for servicing, The mech said my aircon filter too thick thus blocking the air flow which I complained to them earlier....(Using Bosch carbonated filter)

So I went to buy back a stock air con filter at TCM(TPY) which cost $84.84 after discount.

Had did excatly what your pics showed.. 

[aerosignal]

For your info, Got once I went for servicing, The mech said my aircon filter too thick thus blocking the air flow which I complained to them earlier....(Using Bosch carbonated filter)

So I went to buy back a stock air con filter at TCM(TPY) which cost $84.84 after discount.

Had did excatly what your pics showed.. 

Wah!!!! That is one expensive filter!!!! Thinking in my mind now of a way to run a test to check that claim.... Cairefresh supposed to be low pressure drop filters although I am not sure what it is compared to. My company's got flow test equipment. Now, just how to hold the filter in place???...... Hmmmm food for more thought.

 

[aerosignal]

Sorry but I  abit in my own topic but this is the perfect opportunity to do something else.

When I was replacing my filter, I realised that I can reach the Aux jacks for my Kenwood head unit. So I quickly found one of my spare RCA to stereo cables and hooked it up. It is connected to a IPOD dock now so I got IPOD!

If you are reading this and you have no clue what I am talking about then you may want to wait for my DIY on connecting your MP3 player to the Kenwood HU.

Otherwise,
When you remove the glove, look for the cavity just behind the center dash. With a light, you will notice the rear of the HU sticking out and there is a red and a white plug. The electrical ends are covered with small rubber pieces. You can reach in, remove the rubber covers and plug in your RCA cable from here!!!! The stereo end can be routed behind the plastic trim then out from the side of the passenger seats and the stereo connector just behind the gear shift. I have a ipod dock there.
Look at the pic. It looks confusing but when you take a look when you remove the glove box, you will know what i am talking about.!
 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[shiunhan]

Sorry but I  abit in my own topic but this is the perfect opportunity to do something else.

When I was replacing my filter, I realised that I can reach the Aux jacks for my Kenwood head unit. So I quickly found one of my spare RCA to stereo cables and hooked it up. It is connected to a IPOD dock now so I got IPOD!

If you are reading this and you have no clue what I am talking about then you may want to wait for my DIY on connecting your MP3 player to the Kenwood HU.

Otherwise,
When you remove the glove, look for the cavity just behind the center dash. With a light, you will notice the rear of the HU sticking out and there is a red and a white plug. The electrical ends are covered with small rubber pieces. You can reach in, remove the rubber covers and plug in your RCA cable from here!!!! The stereo end can be routed behind the plastic trim then out from the side of the passenger seats and the stereo connector just behind the gear shift. I have a ipod dock there.
Look at the pic. It looks confusing but when you take a look when you remove the glove box, you will know what i am talking about.!
 

Do u have a picture of the plastic trim then out from the side of the passenger seats? It will be good.   

Overall this is great, just one question, after we plug out player we will set it to standby to play from AUX?

[aerosignal]

Do u have a picture of the plastic trim then out from the side of the passenger seats? It will be good.   

Sorry but this is the only pic I have for now. I corrected the pic to have the right orientation. The beige plastic trim on the right is your aircon control panel. Like I said, if you have the chance to look at the area, you will know what I am talking about.

Overall this is great, just one question, after we plug out player we will set it to standby to play from AUX?

Nope. AUX mode has to be activated. Unfortunately, I cannot accurately describe it here. I will post tom. when I get the exact steps right. After activation you will have:
 STBY>TUNER>CD>CD CH>AUX

One more note, as i mentioned in some post earlier, most MP3 player will sound rather soft and you will have to crank the volume UP (like to 17-20).

[vortexkim]

I DIY 3M Filtrete for home aircon to replace the stock filter. Much cheaper. One package can use up to 4 times, with each interval of 10K

[aerosignal]

I DIY 3M Filtrete for home aircon to replace the stock filter. Much cheaper. One package can use up to 4 times, with each interval of 10K

Hey that is a really interesting idea! Would be nice if you can share some pics the next time you do your replacement.

[Lorddraco]

Hi all .. since it is a sticky for great contribution by Aerosignal ....

I would..... close this thread for now for reducing comments and perhaps TCSS...

I will open another thread for this comments and TCSS.... 

new Thread is Here - DIY Guide: Aircon Filter Replacement (Comments and Feedback)

[Demio]

Hi All,
    Just an update on the change of air con filters in Latio / Slyphy rides. Thanks to Lord Draco for unlocking this thread and also to Aerosignal for starting this thread.
I would like to clarify some steps on this changing of Latio Air Con filters. The steps shown by Bro Aerosignal is only applicable to the two pcs design. I believe that was due to in the market a few years ago, air con filters sellers like me have not appear yet, which is why an alternative aftermarket air con filters (esp the two pcs design) came into the picture.
However, there are alot of fresh supplies of OEM grade and Design air con filters that was meant for LAtio  / Slyphy, in which I feel that there would be a need to update this Thread.
   Below are the correct method of changing the air con filter for Latio, provided that you are using the OEM design.

Note : Thanks to bro Aerosignal and very sorry as I need to use some of your pictures.

Remove your glove box. Do this by removing the 4 top screws inside, close the door and remove the 3 bottom screws. You can keep the door closed and pull the whole glove box out.

If during removal or installation, your screws feel tight as you are removing them, support the glove box slightly. This will take the load off the screws so they will not rub against the plastic as you remove the screws.

Remember: "WATCH YOUR WIRES" for those with glove box lights!!!!




Step 2.
Remove bracket. Refer to picture for location of screws.



Step 3.
Remove filter. Filter location is shown in picture. The cover is what the support from step 2 is screwed onto.

I had to push the passenger seat all the way to the back and crawl inverted so that I can get a look at the cover. You may have to do that the first time too.

To remove the cover, pull the tab out with some force. This will pull the top portion of the cover. pull up and out to remove the bottom tab.

You have to pull with some force because the filter is larger than the hole.







Step 4

This is how the stock air con filter looks like....


Take the OEM design filter....
Do the squeezing as shown in the picture below, then insert in the air con filter this way into the air con slot....





Then repeat Step 3 (screw back the filter bracket, put back the glove box), step 2 (insert back the glove compartment lighting for premium models and screw back the holes)


This is the end. This step is applicable for OEM grade air con filters. Where Latio and Slyphy models are concerned, it is very highly recommended to get back the stock design (integrated filters with plastic frame) as this will ensure the filters are a plug and play item (no modifications needed)....

Please contact me at 9797 7936 if there are any doubts on this... I will be glad to show you the steps...

Thank you.