Cabin Air Filter: where there was none, there is one

[Redneckognize]

So, I bought a cabin air filter on an auto parts website (while I was shopping for more important parts) for my 2011 Yukon, only to discover that these vehicles apparently don't come with cabin air filters after 2007. Interestingly, the filter came with instructions, and it turns out that you CAN put a filter in a 2011 Yukon. The filter housing is still there, between the heater core and the blower, but it it sealed off with no access door. You take a very sharp utility knife and cut along the rectangular groove in lower part of the housing. Basically, you MAKE an access door, slide the filter in, and then tape, glue, or caulk the rectangular cutout back in place.

I did it and it was a real pain to cut. Don't try to cut all the way through the groove at once. Make several (many) passes along the groove with a sharp razor-knife. The groove is not wide enough for a dremel tool or a pocket knife. I tried these, and made a mess of it at first.

Glueing or caulking the panel back on is easy but I made it look messy. The instructions that came with the filter said you could use an actual access door that screws into place, but I didn't look for one online.

The filter doesn't seem to decrease air flow. It is obviously on the cold air side of the heater core.

When I first popped the housing open, it was actually very clean in there (70k miles), so I don't recommend installing a cabin filter. Waste of time, but at least I know how to do it now..

 

[PG01]

So, I bought a cabin air filter on an auto parts website (while I was shopping for more important parts) for my 2011 Yukon, only to discover that these vehicles apparently don't come with cabin air filters after 2007. Interestingly, the filter came with instructions, and it turns out that you CAN put a filter in a 2011 Yukon. The filter housing is still there, between the heater core and the blower, but it it sealed off with no access door. You take a very sharp utility knife and cut along the rectangular groove in lower part of the housing. Basically, you MAKE an access door, slide the filter in, and then tape, glue, or caulk the rectangular cutout back in place.

I did it and it was a real pain to cut. Don't try to cut all the way through the groove at once. Make several (many) passes along the groove with a sharp razor-knife. The groove is not wide enough for a dremel tool or a pocket knife. I tried these, and made a mess of it at first.

Glueing or caulking the panel back on is easy but I made it look messy. The instructions that came with the filter said you could use an actual access door that screws into place, but I didn't look for one online.

The filter doesn't seem to decrease air flow. It is obviously on the cold air side of the heater core.

When I first popped the housing open, it was actually very clean in there (70k miles), so I don't recommend installing a cabin filter. Waste of time, but at least I know how to do it now..

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You can get a cover from gm/ amazon/auto parts store, dorman makes them, it has a foam back and screw to seal up the opening.

 

[Meccanoble]

Why did the newer cars not come with this option? May be a waste of money under 100k miles but for many of us approaching 150k-200k it could really help. Would be good to hear feedback from older cars that had to replace theirs at higher mileage. Do they actually get dirty?

 

[PG01]

Why did the newer cars not come with this option? May be a waste of money under 100k miles but for many of us approaching 150k-200k it could really help. Would be good to hear feedback from older cars that had to replace theirs at higher mileage. Do they actually get dirty?

What i can tell you from my experience is that it really depends on where you live, parking/driving conditions, do you park in a garage or outside/are you driving on the highway in michigan or on a dusty back road in texas somewhere, usage of said climate control, do u use recirculated air or outside air, how is the cowl where the air intake is outside the truck(are there leaves or dusty dirty crap getting sucked in there?), do you smoke, etc. For example, my 01 tahoes filter was always dirty- it was not garaged and sat outside most of its life, it was driven mostly on weekends and on long trips to/from nyc, jersey shore and Florida. I rarely used recirculated air(only on startup in the summer when i wanted to use cooler air from inside the truck and not hot outside air) I changed it often and was always dirty. my 13 tahoe(one of the first things i did to was a cabin filter install) is garaged at all times and pretty much gets driven the same long trips weekends etc and i changed it once and it wasnt even dirty, i happened to have it so i did it. On the flip side my commuter 2008 (295,000 miles) accord sits in the garage at home and outside at work, does 140 mikes a day roundtrip and i change that filter every 6 months and its nasty dirty. Now, is honda or the older tahoes cowl different, screen or just some holes in plastic....etc, i dont really know or care but those are factors that u have to take into account. I did the brakes for a friend of mines wifes car, 2009(?) toyota solara convertible with 80,000 miles and it smelt horrible inside the car (not sure if roof was leaking) but that filter was disgustingly dirty and smelly....my 2 cents

 

[PG01]

Btw, a sheetrock knife with a new blade works and is easy to do and i wouldnt glue or caulk anything there, you just smell glue/caulk fumes every time u turn climate control on. If anything, temporarily put a piece of duct tape over it till u get the access door.


*$40 filter and door on amazon

 

[Meccanoble]

So is it possible to tell if you need one? Can you open that part without customizing to see if its needed in your area or way of driving?

 

[PG01]

So is it possible to tell if you need one? Can you open that part without customizing to see if its needed in your area or way of driving?

No sorry, no way to tell without cutting it open. Really though its a 15-30 minute job, very easy. The part that you cut is actually outlined and the spot for the included screw is there. I would do it just so it filters( somewhat) all the pollutants/allergens in our air today. My 2 cents


Edit: cutout opening on the inside of the outline, not the outside of it. Door wont seal right if you make opening too big.

 

[PatDTN]

In looking at that plastic it seems like an X-acto saw blade would work well. Also maybe an oscillating saw with the right blade and a slow speed to keep from melting the plastic.

I'll need to crawl into my Tahoe and take a look at that first hand. However I'm a windows open kind of guy so maybe for me it doesn't make sense.

 

[PG01]

In looking at that plastic it seems like an X-acto saw blade would work well. Also maybe an oscillating saw with the right blade and a slow speed to keep from melting the plastic.

I'll need to crawl into my Tahoe and take a look at that first hand. However I'm a windows open kind of guy so maybe for me it doesn't make sense.

Seriously did it with a sheetrock knife. Scored inside the line a few times and popped it right off.

 

[the blur]

There is a TSB on this. So there is a GM cover available for the bottom.