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I did the change with the car on the ground (but a lift would make it nicer). I used a hand mirror laid on the floor and worked it looking through the mirror.
There are three very small torx sheetmetal screws to remove. These are so small that you probably could use a phillips screw driver too. If you're looking for the screws through the mirror, you'll see 4 but only 3 need to be removed to free a flexible fiber preformed panel that comes out pretty easily once the 3 screws are removed. Two of the 3 screws are along the glove box edge, one at the corner close to the console, the other midway. The 3rd screw is right at the curtesy light.
Remove these three then removing the flexible preformed panel is pretty intuitive. It has tabs on either end that get tucked in then the screws hold it in place. When the cover is removed, you'll see the end of the filter with a sliding plastic locking piece. Just slide it over (to the left if I remember) to unlock it then the filter will come out. It's a bit of a snug fit.
Here is the filter I bought (either Amazon or Rock Auto, can't remember)
Looking at the filter in place you'll see the end of it. There is a directional arrow that points towards the passenger's door.
The new filter kinda stuffs in and you'll have to figit with the plastic locking piece to get it to lock in. The way the filter is designed, it is made to seal along its top edge and sides with a collapsing plastic edging, requiring you to have to put a little pressure upward on it while locking the plastic piece in place.
After that just work the flexible panel back in place and replace the 3 screws, done.
All of this is contingent on age and how flexible you are, A "few" years ago I would have done this in about 15 minutes...it took me 30; but, in another handful of years and I won't be able to do this at all...I'm hoping not....
Last edited by Acta_Non_Verba; 05-05-2021 at 11:26 AM.
I took two more pics setting up the mirror on the passenger's floor and showing the 3 screws. They are T20 screws.
The screw by the curtesy light and the one midway along the glove box bottom edge are shown here:
Here are the two in the corner by the console and along the glovebox edge. One gets removed, the other does not.
You can see part of the white plastic sliding/locking piece of the cabin filter right behind the flexible panel in this pic
Last edited by Acta_Non_Verba; 05-05-2021 at 11:47 AM.
This is great, thank you!
Aside from saving $, the other reason to get this done DIY is so a greasy/dirty service tech doesn’t crawl through your car!
I love my service tech, but they don’t love this type of work, and I would for sure get grime/dirt on the leather.
The recommended replacement interval is every 2 or 3 years? I’ll check was it was for my C63. Unfortunately, MB no longer publishes this info. They just want us to go in for the “A” or “B” service!
This is great, thank you!
Aside from saving $, the other reason to get this done DIY is so a greasy/dirty service tech doesn’t crawl through your car!
I love my service tech, but they don’t love this type of work, and I would for sure get grime/dirt on the leather.
The recommended replacement interval is every 2 or 3 years? I’ll check was it was for my C63. Unfortunately, MB no longer publishes this info. They just want us to go in for the “A” or “B” service!
My biggest concern is that it gets done. It is the easiest (safest) maintenance work to claim it was done, but hardly anyone would ever check or know if it was (except possibly me). The cabin filter on my Wife's F-Pace is far worse than this one. The entire glove box has to be removed. On one of my "cost free" services where the CF was supposed to be replaced, I loosened one of the glove box mounting screws by a couple of turns. The CF was reportedly changed, but when I got the car back the same screw was loose; something that would have been tightened if the tech actually replaced the filter. The new cabin filter is probably sitting in his tool box or possibly on Ebay...I know how this game works with SOME (but not all) techs. I actually mark and check other service items too like oil filter housings, Air filters, etc. The cost is not the issue with me, it's getting the work done that is and I know doing it myself, it is done!
For me, I'd rather just do these myself than argue with a service writer. Today, these service departments are busier than ever. It took two weeks to get a service appointment for both the GT and the F-Pace. Both cars sat in the dealer's lot for a couple to 4 days before they could even get the cars in the bay.
The hardest part way losing a quarter of my body on the door sill. But I got
it done
I'm right with you on this one Katie! I either spent my time sitting on the sill or kneeling on the garage floor. At 6'5", I don't fold up all that well into small places like this one...hahaa..
I did the change with the car on the ground (but a lift would make it nicer). I used a hand mirror laid on the floor and worked it looking through the mirror.
There are three very small torx sheetmetal screws to remove. These are so small that you probably could use a phillips screw driver too. If you're looking for the screws through the mirror, you'll see 4 but only 3 need to be removed to free a flexible fiber preformed panel that comes out pretty easily once the 3 screws are removed. Two of the 3 screws are along the glove box edge, one at the corner close to the console, the other midway. The 3rd screw is right at the curtesy light.
Remove these three then removing the flexible preformed panel is pretty intuitive. It has tabs on either end that get tucked in then the screws hold it in place. When the cover is removed, you'll see the end of the filter with a sliding plastic locking piece. Just slide it over (to the left if I remember) to unlock it then the filter will come out. It's a bit of a snug fit.
Here is the filter I bought (either Amazon or Rock Auto, can't remember)
Looking at the filter in place you'll see the end of it. There is a directional arrow that points towards the passenger's door.
The new filter kinda stuffs in and you'll have to figit with the plastic locking piece to get it to lock in. The way the filter is designed, it is made to seal along its top edge and sides with a collapsing plastic edging, requiring you to have to put a little pressure upward on it while locking the plastic piece in place.
After that just work the flexible panel back in place and replace the 3 screws, done.
All of this is contingent on age and how flexible you are, A "few" years ago I would have done this in about 15 minutes...it took me 30; but, in another handful of years and I won't be able to do this at all...I'm hoping not....
It kinda looks like you installed it while it was still in the box.
05-05-2021, 11:10 AM
