cabin air filter?

[bhmkv]

Do you really need the cabin air filter. My AC was getting stinky so I pulled the filter and its fine now. Seems to work better w/o filter as well.
Is it needed??

 

[Elwood]

Nope. Its just there for you.

 

[Rajini98]

probably so large debris and dirt dont get sucked into your ducts.

 

[bhmkv]

ill likely order one, but will drive w/o for a little while till comes in. Mine is filled with crap.

 

[RevoGLI]

its $20 from a dealer, takes 2 seconds to install. I wouldn't go long without one.

my interior always smells like butts and cleaned leather and it helps to keep the incoming air particle free, since my ass does most of the damage.

 

[Wild Hare]

Just change it twice a year and you will be a happy camper!

It's in there for a reason.

 

[bhmkv]

Mine was really bad. 37k- never changed it before. Used AC today and thought dead animal was in the car. Took filter out and it smelled like crap and stuff is falling out of it.
Ill order a new one!
Thanks

 

[Rajini98]

Just change it twice a year and you will be a happy camper!

It's in there for a reason.

twice a year?! im still on my original!

 

[dsparks91]

i work at VW and change these out all the time.
some are almost new......
...some i ask myself wtf is that?

its easy to replace too

 

[mlb_tun]

a friend told me about spray it with some perfum before installing it and ur car will smell nice for some time, didnt try it yet

 

[adamgti]

they're also charcoal activated which i guess helps with smells? i dunno, seems nasty to not replace it after the way mine looks when i take it out. i replace it every 20k, seems to be a good interval

 

[CW08DSG]

I changed mine a couple of weeks ago. I don't think it had ever been changed. Picked up a replacement at a local O'Reilly's for about $18. About a 5 minute job, dramatically helped the stale odor I was getting when initially turning on the AC.

 

[A1an]

probably so large debris and dirt dont get sucked into your ducts.

That is part of it. Changed out my wife's cabin filter last weekend and some nice large chunks of leaves and whatnot fell out.

 

[lightningjack]

It definitely traps a LOT of particles. It's amazing the crap that comes out of the filter housing. FYI I believe our filters are VIN specific. Same size and shape, seems to be a different carbon level in each. Not sure if that would affect smell.

 

[fahrenheitfarmer]

If you go without one, just think that all that same crap that it caught, is going to be floating around as you drive. Have kids? Old people in your car? One of those girlfriends who is ALWAYS effing sick?

-FF