Preferred cabin air filter

Rod furiously Googling: "photo of really-really dirty cabin air filter"

Lol jk

 

HAHAHAHA!!!!

 

Do the arrow go up or down ?

 

Almost 8 year old filter vs Denso filter.

 

Wow that’s clean for 8 years. Mine is wayyyyy worse every three months.

 

I swear it blows more air lol!

 

Bro that nasty thing will scare corona away no doubt

 

If you think about how a filter works, they actually are more efficient (at capturing particles) as they get more loaded down.

But then you risk putting more strain on the blower and a worn out filter is probably going to not smell very fresh.

 

The arrows indicate the direction of the air flow, so if I remember correctly, they should point down.

 

Hm ok thanks !

 

K&N....only need one for the life of the vehicle. Twice a year, take it out and tap it on the ground to get out the big stuff, then rinse it clean in the sink. Back in and you're good to go. Worth the money as far as I'm concerned.

 

Another vote for the K&N. Just picked one up for $30 on Amazon (gen2) which is a bargain considering autozone/ oreilly's, etc all want $20+ for a basic filter. Were in the 90's here and the carbon version just wasn't cutting it with the airflow. K&N was an instant and huge improvement. In fact I tested it by taking out the filter and checked air flow and it is not much of a step up from the K&N at all. If you need the carbon filters to de-stank your truck, as I did, there is an option. Meguiar's makes an ozone treatment that works like a bug bomb. I had a chipmunk give birth to a litter on my filter and it got rid of that odor so I think it works pretty well. I actually used the no-scent version.


https://www.meguiars.com/automotive...r-odor-eliminator-mist-new-car-scent-g16402-2

 

A few years ago, I removed my filter, turned my A/C and fan on high and sprayed some Lysol disinfectant air freshener in the filter area for about 10 seconds. Then I closed the doors and let it run for about 5 minutes.
I had to clean the inside of my windshield a few times in the next couple of months but it did a good job of getting rid of the funk.

 

didn't read because no need to
get the best filter you can and change it every year
it doesn't cost a lot
activated charcoal, carbon, anti-scent, you name it
instead of paper garbage

It's not like those cars that have 4 big cabin filters in futuristic 1999 and actually function to remove smell.
The way Toyota designed it from factory = one small ass cabin filter that doesn't do shit

you know there's actual tools and products made for this right
that run a cleaner through the system for a while
rather than just spraying some Lysol made for wiping a toilet lid?

They're about $30 but if you want,
you can also be like this guy and pay $47 dealer mark up donation for Manager Bonus if you prefer
if popping down the glovebox (1 or 2 clips) is too Challenging

 

My 2005 Has a cabin Air Filter.

 

Mine does too, now. From everything I've heard from the Toyota service techs and the other '05 owners here is that they didn't come with them from the factory until '06 (which is weird since it's supposedly the same airbox as the 4Runner and they came with filters- probably just more cost cutting by Toyota). It's entirely possible Toyota started putting them in towards the end of '05 or a dealer or previous owner put one it.


I can't imagine paying a dealer to replace the thing or even buying a $30 filter, especially a K&N product, and installing it myself since I don't live in a nasty smoggy city and my windows are down half the time anyways (despite it being stupid hot and humid here much of the year). At $3 a filter I just yank it when I happen to think about it, usually after the pine trees have quit spooging all over the place or after going somewhere dusty, shove a new one in and toss the old one. This Tacoma is one of two vehicles I've owned with a cabin filter and somehow I've managed to survive just fine without them.


I don't smoke and I do occasionally shoot evaporator cleaner in the system and spray some of the other stuff from the Toyota refresh kit in the intake.

 

I live in New Mexico, it's Dry and Hot LOL. I change it out twice a year.

 

Dusty too, I've spent some time in the southwest and some areas are particularity dirty from the dust storms. I think the biggest thing is just to check them periodically and replace as needed depending on whatever conditions you drive in. Example, we went through a ton of filters in the Middle East with that fine "moon dust" as they called it.

 

It all depends on environment just like intake air filters. I generally get two years out of mine every year I blow them out.

 

Glad I came across this thread. It's been awhile since I've replaced my cabin filter. I used to get them from Aircabinman on ebay, but apparently he no longer lives up to his namesake; no cabin air filters sold anymore. That is, at least, I'm not finding any from the seller. He now just seems like a random parts seller. Way to hold on to your roots, bud!

Do the charcoal filters help with the stanky ass A/C smell? I've never experienced, in all of my life, an A/C system so musty smelling as the Tacoma's, even with me living in the arid desert! Fresh air filter or not. Perhaps the charcoal would help, but remaining skeptical at this time. The K&N seems like a good option. Any oil smell associated with it?