Chevrolet Cabin Air Filter Buyer's Guide

Most cars have a cabin air filter to keep the air clean inside the cabin. Some older cars do not have cabin air filters, and that is why they always seem dustier than new cars. If your GM has a cabin air filter, it pays to know when and how to replace it. That's what this guide is for.

In this guide, you'll learn all about cabin air filters and how to install them.

What's a Cabin Air Filter?

It's important to change your cabin air filter every 12,000 miles (give or take) or once a year. It's to keep the air inside the cabin as clean as possible. A cabin air filter is a square or rectangular pleated filter that serves as a barrier between the car's HVAC system and the cabin. It filters the air that comes in from outside of the vehicle before the air makes it into the cabin. For a more thorough explanation on cabin air filters, check out this article: What is a Cabin Air Filter and Why is it Important?

Checking Your Cabin Air Filter

It's important to replace your cabin air filter as soon as it becomes dirty in order to keep the air inside the cabin clean (especially during allergy season) and to keep the blower motor in good shape. A dirty cabin air filter will wear out the blower motor faster, and replacing a blower motor is not the most rewarding job.

If you're not sure if your cabin air filter needs to be replaced yet, you can take it out and visually inspect it. It's a pretty easy task because cabin air filters are readily accessible. This tutorial will walk you through the process: How to Diagnose a Failing Cabin Air Filter

Choosing Between OEM and Aftermarket Cabin Air Filters

When it's time to replace your cabin air filter, you might find yourself on the fence between OEM and aftermarket cabin air filters. That's why we put together a comparison guide that thoroughly explores each option: Are OEM Chevy Cabin Air Filters Better Than Aftermarket? 

We found that OEM is the much better option when it comes to cabin air filters. OEM cabin air filters outperform aftermarket ones in terms of:

• Size
• Fitment
• Quality assurance

Replacing a Cabin Air Filter in Your GM

Replacing a cabin air filter is a pretty simple job that will take no more than 30 minutes or so, depending on your area of expertise and whether you have a handy tutorial to follow. Cabin air filters are usually located under or behind the glove box, but the location depends on which GM model you have. That's why we recommend finding a model-specific tutorial. Here's one for GMC Sierras: How to Replace a GM Cabin Air Filter