First of all, I'm not even sure what a dust filter does but my indie mechanic said that on my CLK350, I needed to change the dust filter and the cabin filter and the dealer wants like 150 USD to do each of them...

which one is most important and which ones can I maybe do myself? I have a 125 coupon to spend on service at the dealer, which one of the filters is worth doing at the dealer and which one might I be able to do myself?

Thanks in advance guys!

 

You can DIY both. The easiest is just above the battery - remove three clips and the plastic part that comes off has the filter in it. The charcoal filter under the dash is just slightly more difficult because you're working under the dash.

 

Your terminology is not quite what I'm used to, so you should make sure what your Indie was referring to. There are bascially four air filters on your car. Two for the air the engine breathes and two for the air you breathe. All can be changed yourself. The least important is the one that is inside the car under the dash. That is what I call the charcoal filter, and what I think you are calling the cabin filter. That filter gets used when you press the button on the upper right of your AC controls inside the round dial - the one you probably never press. That filter gets changed very infrequently by most people, if ever.

The much more important filter is the one above your battery. That is what I call the cabin air filter. If you go to a dealer and ask for the cabin filter, you will usually get that one, not the charcoal filter - thus my comment about terminology. That filter filters all air entering your heater/AC from outside and can get dirty very quickly - dirt, bugs, bird feathers, leaves, etc. It can make the air inside smell. It's a 5 minute job even if you don't know what you are doing.

The last two are your engine air filters - twin filters inside that big housing that covers your engine. A ten minute job.

 

Thanks, Yidney, for pointing out the engine filters as well - I had not thought about that and had just assumed that California was asking about the ventilation system filters.

As for the filters, you can get them all online for much less than dealer prices. For example, AutohausAZ sells the set of cabin filters, both the Mann (OEM) dust filter and the charcoal filter, for $60. The Mann engine air filters are $25 for the set of two. They give free shipping for orders over $50, so you're right at $85 to replace all the filters.

 

Thanks, you guys -- I will make sure the engine filters are replaced and try to do the cabin charcoal filter myself...

BTW, Yidney was talking about the "round" disc A/C thing in between the two air vents. I bought the glove box trim and that round thing from Jerry at http://formymercedes.com/mb.asp in wood, and Jerry says that I have to drill out the round disc thing, something I'm scared of doing. Jerry was fantastic. Love the glove box piece, just used the tape, wonderful.

But as for the disc that goes in between the air vents, do you guys have any idea how this can be popped out? Here is a photo of the brackets behind it in between the double vents in this auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=150958689683

 

The round thing I was referring to is not between the two air vents. Look at your ac/heater controls down by your ashtray. Two of the controls are big round rings. Inside the right one is a button with a logo that is dashes and a couple arrows. That button routes air through the the charcoal filter. The charcoal filter is not for dust - it's for odors - like if you are driving by a pig farm or a BMW dealership.

I got Jerry's glove box insert too. I love wood - it's my hobby - but personally think the wood around the center vents is overkill. Nonetheless, post up pics of what needs to fit in a drilled hole and I can tell you how to do it.

 

Might be right on the wood thing being overkill, however I may not know how to put it in properly so it may not happen!

Here is a photo of the piece Jerry sent me:

 

OK, that's what I thought it would be - this piece totally replaces the piece already there. I was thinking you meant you had to drill holes in the existing piece to fit this over it.

If you like this, don't be afraid to try installing it. Do like I suggested in the other thread - find the intructions for removing the whole assembly and see how the center piece comes off, or it may be just the center piece pops off w/o removing the vents. I've never done it or I'd tell you how. But I'm sure it's pretty easy.

 

California, there is no drilling needed to remove that center nozzle trim - it's just snapped in place. Use a plastic wedge or similar tool to pop it off. Start at the bottom until it lifts up some, then run the wedge up under it, in the center, toward to top - it pops right off. If you look at the back of the new part, you'll see the plastic tabs holding it in place. And yes - Jerry is a great guy to deal with -he has top-quality parts with great service. Oh, and thanks for showing me that - the soft-touch coating on my part is all gooey, so I was going to just scrape it off, but I might look into that wood piece - but I'd like to see photos of how it looks in place first, if you'll post them.

 

If you want my old piece it is in good shape, happy to mail it to you, and I wish I'd read your post before trying to take it off, I attempted to pry it out from the side instead of the bottom and scraped the plastic chrome off a side vent. Am asking Jerry to see if he can make a wood set of vents before I buy a the new double vents piece

I'm not going to press the new wood piece down until I hear from Jerry -- don't want to pry the wood up again, but it looks nice, Rodney, Jerry's piece comes with chrome plastic on the top and bottom, very sharp. I'll post photos of it all. If you want the grey cover, it's nice and clean but for one bad tab. I'll snap photos tomorrow.

 

Do all W209's have a charcoal filter? I just did all the filters (or I thought I did) on my '05 320 and wasn't aware that it had one. My HVAC doesn't have this button, I don't think:



I try and do all my filters myself as they are easy and you can really see when they need changing, and know for sure what you have used (not that I am implying that a shady workshop would charge you for work they didn't do )

Anyway, here are my before and after engine and cabin air filters. This may have been after 18000 miles (as I have a bunch of receipts from the PO going back to 2007, including 3 oil changes, but now that I really read them, I can't say for sure that the filters were don at the same time. Maybe the PO DIY'd them also). They were pretty nasty, to say the least.

btw, you will need a Torx T-25 screwdriver to change the twin engine air filters.

 

I have a 125 coupon so the dealership is going to change the more difficult filters, which I think are the inside cabin ones.

 

Dangermouse - that climate control system in the 2005 CLK320 does not have the charcoal filter.

 

OK, thanks. I'll stop looking for it then

 

I want to ask you guys,i know the clk w209 has two AC filter,one above the battery which is easy to change and seen,but the 2nd is under the dash,can anyone snap me a pic for it or just show me how to reach to change it ?? Thanks

 

http://localdriver.us/mercedes-w209-...placement-diy/

 

Thanksss !

 

Above link is not working for me, can anyone please update it?

Also, I am planning to replace air filters. Definitely engine air filters, for cabin filters how important is one under the cabin? Should I just replace one under the hood, on the top of the battery? Will that be enough or?

Thanks for helping out.

 

the one under the hood by battery is fine, most dont do the one under the dash. THe one by the battery does get dirty quickly

 

Thank you. Have any recommendations or have a part number for it? I'll just go ahead and replace that.

 

Here: Under hood filter

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...D4BF&FORM=VIRE

The FULL one:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...VDFSRV&fsscr=0

You can find the in cabin filters also on youtube with a simple search