# Is It Necessary to have a passenger air filter



## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

I have always wondered about the passenger air filter. The dealers gets about $60 to change it. Is the filter necessary? Why not just take it out? Older cars never hard these filters.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

The filter is $15-20. It's easy to change yourself.

Without a filter, you could easily clog up the heater or A/C. It's better to change the filter then to have to pull the dashboard apart to clean out the vent system. That would be really expensive.


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## Cruzen18 (Jan 28, 2018)

susan james said:


> Why not just take it out? Older cars never hard these filters.


Older cars weren't designed and built like today's cars are, either.

Although sometimes a knuckle buster, it is well worth the time/money/hassle to change them.


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

Just keep one in. They are a great feature that older cars didn't have, doesn't mean they didn't need it or couldn't benefit from it.

You can buy 3 filters for under $20 shipped online. 

You could pay an enterprising young middle school aged car guy(or gal) $10 to install it and have a very happy young person, and 3 filter changes for less than the price of one at the dealer. 

Or you could do it yourself and skip the middle man if your not a fan of trickle down economics. LOL


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

Did not know the passenger air filter affected the heating & AC system.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

When they plug up. It tends to reduce airflow. 

If it gets too bad. Could probably freeze up your evaporator too. As some of the cold air is trapped in their. And I say this as a maybe.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

There are pictures around CruzeTalk of passenger cabin air filters clogged with leaves and other stuff that got sucked in from outside. You definitely want to use them.


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

OK thanks all. Will get a replacement. Thanks again.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

susan james said:


> OK thanks all. Will get a replacement. Thanks again.


Who are you selling your Cruze to, family? Whoever get's it will be very lucky!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

susan james said:


> OK thanks all. Will get a replacement. Thanks again.


Buy the filter and install it yourself. The hardest part will be getting all the junk back into the glove box.


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

I am wary of who installs the filter. It is very easy to break off the little plastic extensions of the glove box itself & then the box is loose when pushed back in. This happened to my 2014 Cruze. I guess the only solution is to buy a new glove box.


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## Camaroman (Jun 18, 2013)

Another good reason to leave the filter in place, I had a mouse get in the Plenum of my '14 Cruze LT, and made a nest on top of the filter, the smell got pretty bad when the temp got warmer. The dealer Charged me $25 to replace the filter that time. I learned how to do it myself after they told me it would cost $50 -$55 to replace it on my next car. I put tape over the AC drain port where the mice got in, a door flap on the fire wall. pass. side 3/4" X 2"


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## timkessling (Mar 12, 2019)

It is definitely much better in the long run to keep a good filter in place. I would not pay the dealer to do it, as it is very easy to DIY.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

susan james said:


> I am wary of who installs the filter. It is very easy to break off the little plastic extensions of the glove box itself & then the box is loose when pushed back in. This happened to my 2014 Cruze. I guess the only solution is to buy a new glove box.


its silly easy to diy

watch the video posted

im inclined to say if a person cant do this, they shouldnt be able to drive or procreate, but as i say it i realize that its a bit harsh so i wont say that, but its still silly easy.


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## atikovi (Dec 27, 2011)

By the 90's cars were seeing a reduction in maintenance needs so the car makers created one, the cabin air filter, to increase service work. For 90 years cars did without these filters without major issues. You won't cause harm leaving one out but it can prevent entry of dirt and particles into the interior.


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## atikovi (Dec 27, 2011)

By the 90's cars were seeing a reduction in maintenance needs so the car makers created one, the cabin air filter, to increase service work. For 90 years cars did without these filters without major issues. You won't cause harm leaving one out but it can prevent entry of dirt and particles into the interior.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

atikovi said:


> By the 90's cars were seeing a reduction in maintenance needs so the car makers created one, the cabin air filter, to increase service work. For 90 years cars did without these filters without major issues. You won't cause harm leaving one out but it can prevent entry of dirt and particles into the interior.


I don't know that I share your cynicism, but, no doubt, there weren't any cabin air filters on any of my family's cars back in the day. It's definitely a fairly recent addition.

I'll admit, I have wondered how we got along without them all those years  

Doug

.


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

Cars went without oil filters for many decades as well. It's hard to argue they are unnecessary, or were made up to drum up service business as cars got more reliable...


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

Ma v e n said:


> Cars went without oil filters for many decades as well. It's hard to argue they are unnecessary, or were made up to drum up service business as cars got more reliable...


In a book about Ford, I read that Henry mandated that the engineers not use an oil pump during the development of the original flathead V-8. It was supposed to be a splash oiler. But after numerous meltdowns, he relented and allowed them to include the pump. 

With that sort of frugal mentality, I can see why it took them a while to include the oil filter  

Doug

.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

There was talks of cabin filters in the 90s.

I'm not sure when they actually came out though

My uncles 2010 dodge pickup was the last year without. He has the same mold peices. As the 2011. But the 11 came with a cover to pull off.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

How about Cars that are Cabin Filter ready yet the Filter is optional and doesn't come with???:th_SmlyROFL:


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

The earliest(GM for sure, possibly all American) cabin filter I'm aware of is the 1993 Seville/Eldorado. After that it's probably the new Intrigue in 1998. Then for GM as any models or full refreshes occured vehicles got them..., CK SilverSierra twins in 1999 Impala/Monte, full size utilities in 2000, Aurora 2001, Vette in 04, Cobalt 05, etc....Some of them would lose it over time,(like the Silverado would have it in 99 but lose it a few years later by 05 at latest. First gen Acadia/Traverse quadruplets have them some years and not others, ) the gen2 Volt doesn't come with one from the factory and the Gen1s didn't get em til '13, but Bolts have them.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

susan james said:


> I am wary of who installs the filter. It is very easy to break off the little plastic extensions of the glove box itself & then the box is loose when pushed back in. This happened to my 2014 Cruze. I guess the only solution is to buy a new glove box.


Here is a source for cheap replacements.  

And for the filters.

For the Gen I


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

For the Gen II (and for those readers who thought this was a Gen II thread)


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## atikovi (Dec 27, 2011)

snowwy66 said:


> There was talks of cabin filters in the 90s.
> 
> I'm not sure when they actually came out though
> 
> *My uncles 2010 dodge pickup was the last year without.* He has the same mold peices. As the 2011. But the 11 came with a cover to pull off.


Nope. My 2016 Ram didn't have one.


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## atikovi (Dec 27, 2011)

But my 2000 Honda did.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

atikovi said:


> snowwy66 said:
> 
> 
> > There was talks of cabin filters in the 90s.
> ...


2011 has a cover. Whether it came with one or not might be a different story. 

There's vids on YouTube on how to replace


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