Check your cabin air filters (you know who you are)

[cuffs054]

ATC in my 2011 Cruze suddenly couldn't keep the car anywhere near cool. Air output felt cold but very little velocity even on high. Called Chevy dealer "sounds like blower is dying". Since car was due for new cabin air filter, I decided to change it so Chevy won't charge me for one.
Pulled filter and most of what looked like a shredded plastic grocery bag was plugging the filter. How the bag made it all the way through plenum system is a mystery. A/C is back to ice maker mode.

 

[kb0nes]

Cottonwood Fluff

About this time of year cabin air filters in MN are all plugged with Cottonwood tree seed fluff. I blew mine out the other day.

I have to say having the cabin air filtered is really a nice thing about modern cars!

 

[danemodsandy]

Beat the Expense!

If you buy a new cabin air filter, it's kind of expensive for what it is. The system I've evolved to beat the expense is to buy a new filter the first time a new car needs it, replacing per instructions.

But then I carefully vacuum the old one and then wash it. I then put it away for the next time the filter needs changing. When I do, the filter in the car comes out for its vacuum and wash, to be replaced with the first one.

Alternating two filters like this saves some money.

 

[newvista58]

One thing to Remember

That's a great idea about washing the filter and
exchanging the 2 back and forth. It makes alot
of sense.

Just keep in mind that some Cabin Filters are
Charcoal Activated to keep out odor, as well
as the particulate matter. You don't have to
have a charcoal one. A plain one will work.

But if you wash out the charcoal from one,
the odor eliminating ability will be lessened,
or removed.

 

[dustin92]

I had a similar problem with my car when I bought it (2003 Chevy Impala). My blower barely blew at all, and whistled loudly from speed 3 up. I checked the filter, and the entire filter box area was packed with what I can only imagine to be a mouse or rat nest, under which sat the original filter, packed nearly solid with dust and leaves. Keep in mind, my car had 162,000 miles on it. I washed the filter, and it works properly now, and has almost 167,000 miles. I need to replace the filter completely, but I need to get the A/C system sorted out first, It will only hold freon for about a week...

 

[whirlcool]

If your cabin air filter is placed where it acts as a prefilter for air entering the evaporator then it really helps keep the air conditioning running longer. All that debris that you see on the filter would normally fall into the evaporator where it clogs it and the clogs contribute to corrosion and reduced air flow. Eventually this will cause your a/c to fail.

When I first got my BMW X5 I used to change the filter every 30K and the filters themselves cost about $35.00 each. I finally went to an auto parts place where I can get a Fram equivalent for about $10.00 each. It looks the same as the original and the paper seems to be the proper density.

Usually when I change it the paper is almost black and there are twigs and pine needles sitting on top of it. But I have 106,000 miles on the SUV and the a/c is just as cold as it was when I first bought the car.