How To Replace A GM Cabin Air Filter
A lot of car owners are intimidated by the idea of replacing a cabin air filter, but it’s actually a quick task anyone can do within minutes. You’ll save a lot of money in labor by replacing the cabin air filter yourself.
If you own a GM vehicle and if you need to replace your cabin air filter, this tutorial is for you.
Not Sure if Your Cabin Filter Has Gone Bad Yet?
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It's common practice to check your cabin air filter every 15K-20K miles. However, it's also common to wait until the symptoms of a bad cabin air filter crop up. Here are some of the most noticeable symptoms to keep an eye out for:
- Weaker airflow through the A/C vents
- Stale and foul odors entering the cabin
- More allergy symptoms and respiratory reactions
The best way to tell for sure that your cabin air filter has gone bad is to visually inspect it. Here's a great set of instructions on accessing your cabin air filter and inspecting it.
Ordering a Replacement Cabin Air Filter
Before you can start the job, you need to order a replacement cabin air filter. You can choose between OEM and aftermarket replacement cabin air filters, but we strongly suggest OEM filters for the reasons listed here.
A lot of people are tempted to get aftermarket cabin air filters because they're usually cheaper than OEM filters. However, we offer rock bottom prices for genuine OEM GM parts, including cabin air filters. In fact, you'll not only save more money upfront by ordering an OEM filter from us, but you'll also save more money in the long run by having a high-quality OEM filter in your vehicle rather than an aftermarket one. Win-win. Look up your GM model here to see if we have a genuine OEM cabin air filter for you.
A General Overview of the Replacement Process
The cabin air filter is located somewhere behind the dash. The exact location depends on your GM model. You just have to access the cabin air filter, pull it out, and then put in the new one. It’s a quite simple and straightforward process. If you’re not sure where the cabin air filter is located in your GM model, check the owner’s manual or find a model-specific tutorial online.
A Cabin Air Filter Replacement Tutorial for GMC Sierras
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If you own a GMC Sierra, you're in luck. We have a comprehensive tutorial for replacing a cabin air filter in Sierras:
- Open the passenger door and then find the glove box.
- Look under the glove box. There are two screws holding the glove box in place. Remove them both.
- You'll also see two screws in the middle. Remove them as well.
- At this point, the glove box should come out. Gently remove it.
- Find the cabin air filter cover. It should have a honeycomb design. Pop it open.
- Pull the old cabin air filter out.
- Put the new cabin air filter in. Make sure you put it in the right way. You can refer to the old filter to see how it was installed.
- Close the cabin air filter cover.
- Put the glove box back in and then screw it in place.
Voila! It's such an easy task that bringing your car to the shop just to have the cabin air filter replaced would be a waste of time and money. The whole process should take you no more than 10 minutes.
Got any questions about replacing your cabin air filter? We'll be glad to help out! Just contact us here.