Hilux Cabin Air Filter

[Max34]

Just bought a newer Hilux (2008) and thought I should check the cabin air filter - glad I did it was so dirty it resembled a hoover bag. (See photo). It does get pretty dusty over here in this part of Thailand as we live near the Mekong where they dredge for sand and a lot gets split on the road, eventually turning to dust.

On my pickup someone had taken a look at the element before and fitted it incorrectly - round the wrong way and upside down. It was all distorted. Upside down was a bit of a concern as the end pleats of the element make a "V" pattern when installed correctly and when air passes through, helps to seal the paper against the side of the heater box. Up the wrong way, this doesn't happen and the end pleats allow dirty air to enter. (There is the word "UP" on the element and an arrow).

I used a long handles bottle brush to brush out any remaining dust and wiped the heater box with a damp cloth. Popped the new element in and tried the blower, good air flow.

The owners hand book shows the position of the cabin air filter in a picture and it is easy to get to - just drop the glove box down and you can see the cabin air filter cover. One plastic catch to the left and it lifts away.

I hope this posts helps anyone contemplating changing their filter, it is pretty straight forward. I have spoken to some Hilux owners and they didn't even know they had a cabin air filter (also called a pollen filter in UK).

[FROSTYBALLS]

That old filter has certainly had it's day.

In the UK Toyota sell two levels of air con filter (pollen filter) - standard and enhanced. See -

http://blog.toyota.co.uk/toyota-cabin-filters-the-secret-to-cleaner-air-infographic

The enhanced ones cost approx 50% more.