How to Change the Cabin Air Filter for Honda Cars

The cabin air filter in your Honda car filters the air you breathe in the interior cab of the van. This filter prevents allergens and pollutants from entering the vehicle. As filters tend to do, the cabin air filter can clog up and become inefficient. To optimize the quality of air in your Honda car replace the cabin air filter per recommended service intervals. It's not one of the easier ones to change, but once you figure it out, you can save a lot of money on labor charges.

Under The Hood:

• How to Change the Cabin Air Filter for a 1999 Honda CRV
• How to Replace a Cabin Air Filter on a Honda CR-V
• How to Replace the Cabin Air Filter in a Honda Odyssey
• How to Replace a Cabin Air Filter on a Honda Pilot
• How to Replace the Cabin Air Filter in a Honda Accord

 How to Change the Cabin Air Filter for a 1999 Honda CRV

Open the glove box on the passenger side of the vehicle. Remove the glove box from the dash by removing the 2 lower screws with a Phillips head screwdriver. Pull the glove box stops out of the plastic brackets that are holding them in. Set the glove box cover to the side.

Locate the 3 bolts on each side of the lower cross bar that the glove box was attached to. The 3 bolts are at the very end of the cross bar. There is 1 10mm bolt and 2 8mm bolts. Remove the 3 bolts from each side with a 3/8-inch drive ratchet and a 10mm socket and a 8mm socket. You will have to slide the ratchet and socket between the plastic part of the center console and the 3 bolts on the cross bar. On the other end, you will have to slide the ratchet and socket between the right plastic cover and the cross bar. Turn these bolts counterclockwise to loosen and remove. Set the cross bar to the side.

Remove the plastic cover from the right hand side of the glove box. There are 2 Philllips head screws holding the right hand side plastic cover in place. Unscrew them.

Remove the wiring harness from the yellow plastic clip. The wiring harness is running in front of the cabin air filter and will need to be moved out of the way to get the cabin air filter out. Push the wiring harness over the top of the cabin air filter housing.

Pull the door off of the front of the cabin air filter housing and set it to the side. Stick a flathead screwdriver inside of the cabin air filter housing and pry the cabin air filter towards the open end of the housing. Grab the handle on the end of the cabin air filter frame and pull straight out on it. Remove the filter from the frame.

Slide the new cabin air filter into the cabin air filter frame. Slide the new cabin air filter frame with filter back into place inside of the cabin air filter housing. Put the door back on the front of the cabin air filter housing and lock in place.

Slide the wiring harness back over the cabin air filter housing and press the wiring harness back into the yellow plastic clip.

Place the right hand side plastic cover back in place and insert the 2 phillips head screws. Tighten the screws back down tight.

Put the cross bar back in place and screw the 3 bolts back into the right hand side and left hand side of the cross bar. Tighten the 6 bolts down with the 3/8-inch drive ratchet and the 10mm and 8mm sockets.

Reconnect the glove box with the 2 lower screws and the glove box stops. Tighten the glove box screws back down tight with the Phillips head screwdriver, and the job is complete.

 How to Replace a Cabin Air Filter on a Honda CR-V

Open the passenger door, open the glove box, and empty out the contents.

Locate and remove the hinge tabs by hand on either side of the glove box.

Let the glove box flip downward and you will be able to see the cabin air filter access door on the right.

Open the access door and remove it. Extract the first filter frame, then slide the second filter frame to the left and extract that one.

Remove the old filters from the filter frames and replace them with the new ones. Be sure to tuck the new ones under the tabs on each side of both filter frames. Reinsert the filter frames, reattach the cabin filter access door, replace the hinge tabs in the glove box, replace the contents to the glove box and close it.

 How to Replace the Cabin Air Filter in a Honda Odyssey

Disconnect the battery ground cable using the ratchet and a socket. Wait three to five minutes for the passenger air bag backup capacitor to discharge.

Open the glove box and empty the contents.

Locate the glove box stops on each side of the glove box drawer and remove them.

Remove the two bolts holding the glove box to the dash panel with the ratchet and a socket.

Locate the plastic cross strap at the glove box opening and cut it on each end with the pair of cutting dikes. You do not need to reinstall this piece.

Locate and remove the frame-retaining bolts and screws with the ratchet, a socket and the screwdriver. Remove the frame to expose the door panel to the cabin air filter.

Remove the cabin air filter cover from the evaporator housing, and take the old filter out of the frame.

Install the new filter. Make sure the filter is seated properly and reinstall the evaporator housing cover.

Align the frame and replace and tighten the bolts and screws.

Reinstall the stops at each side of the glove box and replace the contents of the glove box. Close the glove box.

Reconnect the battery ground cable.

 How to Replace a Cabin Air Filter on a Honda Pilot

Open the passenger side glove compartment and take everything out.

Look on the side walls of the glove compartment, and you'll see a black plastic clip in the middle of each side. Squeeze these plastic clips at the same time to dislodge the glove box, then pull the glove box down and forward. It is mounted to hinges that reach farther back inside the dashboard, so it won't come out completely.

Look for the gray piece of molded plastic that stretches horizontally across the lower part of the glove compartment bay. This plastic covers a metal bar that you need to remove to open the air filter case, so it has to go. The easiest way to do this is to just cut it off at both ends with a sharp utility knife. If the utility knife isn't working for you, a keyhole saw may be an easier tool to use in such tight quarters.

Remove the metal bar that was under the plastic by loosening and removing the screws on either end.

Look at the cabin air filter case, which is the large black component on the left side of the glove compartment bay. The removable door to the case should be clearly marked. Release the latch and remove the door.

Pull out the old filter and throw it away.

Slide the new filter into place, making sure the air flow direction arrows on the filter match the air flow direction arrows on the filter case.

Replace the door to the cabin air filter case.

Replace the horizontal metal bar by screwing its two screws back into place.

Push the glove compartment back up and into place. It will make a clicking noise when it's locked in place. Replace the contents of the glove compartment.

 How to Replace the Cabin Air Filter in a Honda Accord

Open the glove compartment and take everything out.

Squeeze the two plastic clips on the left and right inside walls of the glove compartment to loosen the glove compartment interior from the larger dash assembly. Pull the glove compartment interior forward. It is mounted to the underside of the dash with hinged arms, so you can just pull it forward a few inches and push it down out of your way.

Look at the left side of the glove compartment cavity--the largest plastic component is the evaporator, and it has a long, narrow removable panel in the middle. Push down on the panel's lever to loosen it from the evaporator, slide it above the metal bar blocking the bottom of it and set it aside.

Remove the old cabin air filter from the evaporator; it is the filter sitting at the bottom of the opening in the evaporator, and it should slide right out.

Slide the new cabin air filter into place. Make sure that the arrow on the filter and the arrow on the evaporator, which indicate the direction of air flow, are pointing in the same direction.

Replace the hatch on the evaporator and push the glove compartment interior back in place until you hear it click.

Replace the contents of the glove box and close the glove box door.