[KarDIY]

DIY Replace/clean Wagon R AC Filter Without Any Tool

As summer season is here and it's time to start using air conditioners not only at homes but in car too. And to have the best possible working of the AC we need to make sure that the AC filter is clean.

But why should we clean it? Well, when driving around the city, your car goes through a lot of dust and pollution. When this happens, the AC filter prevents this dust from entering your car's cabin and make sure you are breathing in relatively cleaner air. And if the filter is not cleaned, the air is blocked in the filter due to the garbage and AC doesn't work as efficiently as it was supposed to work.

Recommended change of AC filter is 10,000 KM at polluted places and 20,000 Km at normal places.

In this DIY we will clean/change AC filter. It is very easy and you don't need to pay your mechanic a single rupee when you can do this on your own without any tools. I cleaned AC filter of my Wagon R. Here's how I did it.

If you are someone who understands better from videos or if you get stuck somewhere, you can watch this video:

https://youtu.be/4Jb3taC7OSA

Procedure:

1. Open your glove box and take out everything from it. AC filter of most car is accessible through the glove box just like Wagon R.

2. Hold the glovebox from one side and push it to the other sire to open it a little. Do this on the other side as well and the glovebox will be out.


3. Press the cover of the AC filter from side and open it.


4. Now, you just need to take out the filter and clean or replace it according to your wish. (Note: To put the filter back in the correct direction is very important. The filter has airflow direction mentioned on it to help you in this. Or you can just use the "UP" symbol on the filter.)


5. Put back cover and glovebox back at their respective place.

With this, your AC should give you clean and plenty of air.

[dwarika]

Very informative DIY for cleaning ac filters. I will try this out our My Skoda Rapid, Ford Aspire and Alto K10. Although its ideal to clean once every 10,000 KM, sometimes it gets dirtier if we travel with pets and this DIY would become essential in such a scenario.

[KarDIY]

Originally Posted by dwarika

Very informative DIY for cleaning ac filters. I will try this out our My Skoda Rapid, Ford Aspire and Alto K10. Although its ideal to clean once every 10,000 KM, sometimes it gets dirtier if we travel with pets and this DIY would become essential in such a scenario.

Thanks. Yes, try it in your cars and update it here will be helpful for others as well.
I don't have any pets so I never experienced it personally but I assume it gets dirty from their hair and stuff.

[dwarika]

Originally Posted by KarDIY

Thanks. Yes, try it in your cars and update it here will be helpful for others as well.
I don't have any pets so I never experienced it personally but I assume it gets dirty from their hair and stuff.

Yes I will attempt this and will update it here.

Yes actually pets make it quite dirty inside and the fur sticks on to seat fabrics and the floor mats. I assume the AC filter would be pulling in a lot of fur and getting real dirty inside .

[Rālugāyi]

I would advise to try Washable & Reusable Cabin Air Filter.
May be looking at price tag we may feel not worth, but once we have it, looking at the quality and long-term usage, worth to consider.
From past 2+ years I am using K&N make Cabin Air Filter in my Honda City which I got in a deal price from US. Perfect fit and fantastic output. I regularly check and attend the cleaning process as required.

[H_Dogg72]

Cleaning these filters or any filters with compressed air is not advised.
It increases the pore size and reduces filter action.
I would suggest only to replace filters and not try cleaning them if you care about the air you breathe, as well as what the engine combusts.

[KarDIY]

Originally Posted by Rālugāyi

I would advise to try Washable & Reusable Cabin Air Filter.
May be looking at price tag we may feel not worth, but once we have it, looking at the quality and long-term usage, worth to consider.
From past 2+ years I am using K&N make Cabin Air Filter in my Honda City which I got in a deal price from US. Perfect fit and fantastic output. I regularly check and attend the cleaning process as required.

No Doubt K&N is one of the best Air Filter manufacturers but I prefer to replace the air/cabin filters at recommended intervals.

May be some time in future I will try K&N. Thanks.

Originally Posted by H_Dogg72

Cleaning these filters or any filters with compressed air is not advised.
It increases the pore size and reduces filter action.
I would suggest only to replace filters and not try cleaning them if you care about the air you breathe, as well as what the engine combusts.

Sir to my best knowledge there are specific filters which can be reused after cleaning with air/water. Also, owner's manual sometimes recommend to only clean air filters with compressed air instead of replacing.

[H_Dogg72]

Originally Posted by KarDIY

Sir to my best knowledge there are specific filters which can be reused after cleaning with air/water. Also, owner's manual sometimes recommend to only clean air filters with compressed air instead of replacing.

That could very well be true, since I see Hyundai saying clean at xx and replace at xx kms.

However this is my logic:
1. Cost of air filter : 300
2. Cost of AC filter : 300-1700 (depending on filteration)
Why clean when cost is peanuts compared to other expenses. An air filter is 3L’s of cheap petrol and it will for sure degrade the performance.
If there was no downside to cleaning, I would go for it. But as it stands I prefer and recommend replacing the filters and not cleaning them at all.

[KarDIY]

Originally Posted by H_Dogg72

That could very well be true, since I see Hyundai saying clean at xx and replace at xx kms.

However this is my logic:
1. Cost of air filter : 300
2. Cost of AC filter : 300-1700 (depending on filteration)
Why clean when cost is peanuts compared to other expenses. An air filter is 3L’s of cheap petrol and it will for sure degrade the performance.
If there was no downside to cleaning, I would go for it. But as it stands I prefer and recommend replacing the filters and not cleaning them at all.

Your logic is sensible but I prefer to with owner's manual.