Cabin Air Filters

[68 4spd Fury]

This may be well know but I'll put up anyway for information. Most, if not all, newer cars have cabin air filters on the heat/AC. I recently changed mine after 20,000 miles, (the recommended interval). The first picture is the "in" side, second the "OUT" with what looks to be mold on it. I'll check it again after 10,000 this time.

 

[1978 NYB]

I put a new one in every year on all of my cars and truck.

 

[CBODY67]

What vehicle? Just curious.

The change intervals can vary as to where the vehicle is driven. Dusty western USA locations would need to be changed more often than in a "cleaner" city environment, for example. What we don't know is what micron rating these filters usually have.

Did the possible mold spots disappear when sprayed with a hydrogen peroxide solution or Lysol? Mold can exist, unseen, inside the hvac system's a/c evaporator core. Especially if the condensate drain might be plugged up!

Many years ago, I was at a friend's service station. He had a customer's car on the lube rack. I walked over and was looking under it. It appeared that the condensate drain's rubber end was stuck shut. I touched it enough to break it open a bit. First a drop or two, then a "flood" of moldy, smelly water (about a quart!) gushed out. That was in a 1980s car.

There are some products to treat and clean the evaporator cores to remove such mold and "odors".

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[jct]

mine says replace every 15k miles or when airflow becomes nil

 

[ayilar]

The change intervals can vary as to where the vehicle is driven. Dusty western USA locations would need to be changed more often than in a "cleaner" city environment, for example.

In the same vein, if one parks outside in a locale where plant pollens are an issue, the one would be well advised to do like Bob and

put a new one in every year on all of (one's) cars and trucks.

The same holds for engine air filters.

 

[CBODY67]

Some cabin air filters might need to be changed sooner than an engine air filter due to their greater exposure to rain/snow moisture. Which can vary with the particular vehicle's location in the hvac system. And, of course, the larger the filter, the longer the relative change interval might be.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[The Goose]

Try once to twice a day in earth moving equipment. You guys have it made Lol!!!

 

[68 4spd Fury]

What vehicle? Just curious.

The change intervals can vary as to where the vehicle is driven. Dusty western USA locations would need to be changed more often than in a "cleaner" city environment, for example. What we don't know is what micron rating these filters usually have.

Did the possible mold spots disappear when sprayed with a hydrogen peroxide solution or Lysol? Mold can exist, unseen, inside the hvac system's a/c evaporator core. Especially if the condensate drain might be plugged up!

Many years ago, I was at a friend's service station. He had a customer's car on the lube rack. I walked over and was looking under it. It appeared that the condensate drain's rubber end was stuck shut. I touched it enough to break it open a bit. First a drop or two, then a "flood" of moldy, smelly water (about a quart!) gushed out. That was in a 1980s car.

There are some products to treat and clean the evaporator cores to remove such mold and "odors".

Enjoy!
CBODY67

It's a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. I bought it about a year and a half ago in CNY but the majority of it's time has been in southwest Florida. I'll definitely pull it from time to time to check it.

 

[1978 NYB]

I normally drive 30-40k miles per year anywhere from the Mid-Atlantic to Wisconsin area. I exchanged the cabin air filter myself once a year on all of my vehicles since the mid 2000's and I never had a problem with mold or foul smells in any of my vehicles.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

I don't think the previous owner of my Sterling was aware that it had a cabin air filter. The HVAC had almost no flow in any position other than MAX-A/C. I think this filter has around 500K miles on it and looks even nastier in person than in the photo. The new one on the left is the same brand filter as the old one.

Jeff

 

[mr. fix it]

WOW! That's nasty!