How to Install an Air Filter in Vehicles

Considering how relatively inexpensive they are and how easy to install they are in a Vehicles it's hard to imagine why the engine air filter is one of the most overlooked maintenance components in most Vehicles. You don't need to get the fancy, expensive kind if you just want to allow clean air to your engine and optimize your fuel efficiency. The owner's manual to your Vehicles will display the recommendations and under what type of conditions to regularly replace the air filter, and it's very quick and easy to do yourself.

Under The Hood:

• How to Install an Air Filter in a Mercedes E350
• How to Install an Air Filter in a Honda Pilot
• How to Install an Air Filter on a Pontiac G6

 How to Install an Air Filter in a Mercedes E350

Raise the hood of your E350 and rest it on the support rod.

Grasp the front section of the engine cover and lift it straight up. Pry up on each of the sides of the engine cover at the point where the front and rear sections meet.

Push back on the metal clip at the center of the rear of the engine cover. Pull the cover off and set it aside.

Pull the air hose straight out of the air cleaner housing. The hose pushes into place so you can pull it off easily. Lift the air cleaner assembly off the top of the engine.

Flip the air cleaner assembly upside down. Loosen the two T20 Torx screws with a Torx bit and ratchet. The screws will remain in the bottom portion of the assembly. Separate the two sides of the air cleaner assembly. Lift the air filter out of the assembly.

Insert the new air filter into the air cleaner assembly. Replace the lower portion of the assembly and tighten the Torx screws with the Torx bit and ratchet. Install the air cleaner assembly onto the mounting area in the engine compartment.

Connect the air hose to the air cleaner assembly. Push it into place until it is secure. Push the engine cover back into place until it clicks, locking into position. Close the hood of the car.

 How to Install an Air Filter in a Honda Pilot

Release the hood latch of the Honda Pilot with the engine off.

Lift up on the hood safety latch located under the hood in the center and lift the hood. Support the hood by the prop rod located on the fender rail unless it has self-supporting hood struts.

Locate the air box. It's on the driver's side of the vehicle to the right of the battery if you're in front of the vehicle facing it.

Open the air box top. Some of the older models may have fixed bolts holding down the air box top that can be loosened with an 8 millimeter socket, an extension, and a ratchet. Some of the newer Pilots have metal clips that simply unclip to release and open.

Remove the old air filter.

Insert the new filter. It will only fit in one way because of the cut corner on one side.

Fasten the air box top and ensure it is secure and properly fastened.

Remove any tools and the old filter, and close the hood.

 How to Install an Air Filter on a Pontiac G6

Pull the hood release latch inside the car on the driver's side.

Open the hood and prop it open with the support arm.

Look at the engine. You'll see a big black tube coming out of the right side. Trace this tube down the right side of the engine, across the front of the engine and over to the left side of the car. It leads to a black plastic compartment. This is the air filter compartment.

Open the air filter compartment. On most newer models, this is done by flipping open two metal clips on either side of the plastic cover. On most older models, this is done by removing four Phillips head screws, one on each corner of the compartment.

Remove the old air filter. You can look it over carefully to see if it's still clean enough to continue using for a while, but if it looks visibly dirty, you may as well switch to the new one now.

Put the new filter in the old one's place.

Replace the cover on the air filter compartment and lock it down, either by snapping the clips shut or replacing the screws.