architect55

I have a question that I couldn't find in the 3G Garage so I appologize if it is there and I missed it (I didn't see anything in the manual either).

The TL specs talk about an air filtration system that removes pollens, pollutants, etc. from the air within the cab...does anyone know if there is an associated filter that needs to be cleaned/serviced at regular intervals or is it some type of electrostatic filter?

Just curious.

rets

No, Garage doesn't collect anything good about it yet... Acura only provides very limited explanation on this issue.



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Ron A

The Maintenance Minder 2 says to replace the dust and pollen filter every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) if you drive primarily in urban areas that have high concentrations of soot in the air from inductry and from diesel-powered vehicles.

There is no recommendation when to change it under normal use, but the MID will tell you.

The filter costs $33.91, but you will probably pay $60-80 in labor costs to get it changed.

These threads will help the do-it-yourselfer to save a bunch of bucks
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83788
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80168

baddawwg

In the 2G, I got it changed for about $40 - $50 bucks total. I had it done at a Jiffy Lube not far from the Acura dealer. The guy knew exactly how to do it. Other JL's indicated they could do it, but hadn't done one before. Ask around. It may be the car is too new to have a new Bulletin out at non Acura dealers. Mine had >30K on the original filter. It definitely needed changing. Airflow seemed to improve thereafter.

Road Rage

It is so easy to do if you have basic shop skills. just wrench some bolts in the glove box. no big deal.

kosh2258

The filter isn't too much of a challenge to change actually.

Shouldn't even require any tools.

Basically, you grip the bottom of the glove box housing and start pulling it away from the dash panel. The whole assembly is held in by 10 spring clips that will release.

Disconnect the two wire harnesses that go to the trunk lid main switch and the glove box light and that's it.

The filter holder is now accessable and you pull it out of the slot, replace the filter and reinstall the holder into the housing.

Replug the trunk lid main switch and glove box light harnesses and then align the spring clips to their slots in the dash and push the glove box assembly back into place.

One thing about the instructions is that they say to replace the four top spring clips on the glove box assembly with new ones. I'm guessing that's to guarantee that the box stays tightly in place in the dash and doesn't start to rattle.

I know when the time comes, I'm going to do the work myself. I doubt it will take more than 15 - 20 minutes to accomplish.

Ron A

kosh2258-have you actually done this? The service manual is a little confusing. On page 21-74, Dust and pollen filter replacement, it says to remove the glove box housing (page 20-85), but that page shows glove box removal, while the housing removal is on page 20-84. Just wondering.

From the picture, it doesn't look like you can remove the housing until you remove the glove box assembly, because of the hook of the glove box damper going through the housing, and also the glove box stops.

If you could just remove the housing, it would be easier and you wouldn't have to worry about breaking the hook of the damper, or the glove box stops.

JetJock

I've heard that aftermarket companies make a carbon filter for the TL that is much better than the Acura filter and that it's supposed to remove odors and finer particles of dust. Anyone heard about that filter..and if it really works better, or is just hype!!

kosh2258

I've not looked real closely at this, but, since the glove box is contained within the housing, I see no reason to doubt their instructions. I'd say the glove box assembly is inserted into the dash as a unit by the looks of it.

If removing the housing required removing the glove box first, I think they'd say that in the instructions on 20-84. Not saying the manual couldn't be wrong, but for as simple as this process is, I think it's pretty unlikely that they'd make that obvious an error.

I did try grasping and gently pulling the bottom of the housing as they state, and it did being to come away from the IP frame just like they said it would. But you need to be sure you're pulling on the housing and not the door itself.

If Jiffy Lube is able to do the job, it can't be that hard. I think we all know the skill level of the people who typically work in those places and it isn't at the rocket science level by any means.

Ron A

I don't think JiffyLube has had the need to service a 3G 2004TL yet, considering the long service interval for the dust and pollen filter. Replacement probably won't be necessary for 2-3 years, unless you are a cab driver or live near Chernobyl.

I am sure by the time we need to change ours, someone will have tried this and we will have more information on the procedure. I am going to the dealer today to check on something and will try to remember to ask my favorite mechanic what he knows about this.

Sherlock

If it's the same micron filter they have used for the past few years, CHANGE IT YEARLY. I've been changing mine in the Accord every summer before my Orlando trip (that's my reminder) and I changed it once in my 2000 TL before I sold it. The filters were just BLACK with filth. And after the change there was a noticeable return in hvac wind velocity.

It's quick and easy to do. But they are steadily increasing the price of the dang things, total rip off. They used to be $9.50 each and it took two. Last time I went in they were $19.95 each.

I'd be more than curious about the carbon hybrid filter mentioned above, would be nice to remove a little odor too.

FTM-1

It should be in the owners manual but on the ACURA website in the 2004 TL section its under comfort section then the climate control part it states about the filter & what it does. This is like the filter in our 2nd generation TL I don't know if its any better in a 2004 TL. But you should not need to worry about the replacement of the A/C cabin filter for 2yrs. At my dealer service intervals for 99-03 TL models they replaced the filter at the 30,000 mile interval as part of the 30K service. So don't worry about it untill your near 2yrs or 30,000 miles.

Lore

Thanks to Ron A for linking this thread again. Can anyone post the manual pages for the glove box removal?

Ron A

.

Ron A

Ask and ye shall receive.

And Novice posted this info recently on removing the glove box stops, so I am adding it here.

Use a flat head screw driver-insert it between the box and the clip-then try to pry it out. Once the clip gets loosened, push the glove box a bit foward, then grab the clip and remove it.




And here's the info for the filter element #7 in the picture below.

Click here for the parts list.

Lore

Thanks Ron. That's perfect

Ron A

When you, or anyone else, do this procedure, would you post here with any hints or difficulties you encountered. I want to use this as the complete reference for this procedure, so the more info we have, the more helpful it will be to others.

Depending on what you guys post, I may extract the useful information into another thread so people can get the info they need more easily.

Lore

Since the svc manual actually gives a mileage recommendation of 30,000 miles, I'll probably wait until then since I don't want to trouble myself before it's necessary. Unless, of course, the filter's clogging up so much air that the airflow is reduced significantly!

Cook E

Does anyone have any good DIY pics / process for an 05 TL cabin filter replacement? I found two bolts behind the glove box that go through the glove box "housing," which would suggest that you can't just pull it out...I'm afraid I'm going to break something...

Ron A

Here's a whole bunch from the 3G Garage. Click on the announcement at the top of the forum thread page to learn more.

F-130: DIY: Replacing Cabin Air Dust & Pollen Filter

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87494
https://acurazine.com/forums/ramblings-12/firewall-help-123884/
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108345
https://acurazine.com/forums/ramblings-12/best-place-buy-snowboarding-pants-jackets-122290/
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131831 Replacing the filter without removing the entire glove box

Cook E

Thanks Ron A.....that last link / thread in the list is great....it is the first thread I've seen (after hours of searching) where the pics of the glove box actually look similar to my 05 glove box / housing......even in those pics though, I'm not seeing two bolts that I have in the back of my housing that are just below where the filter door would be if you cut the hole......am I the only one that has these two bolts??? Without removing these, you couldn't just remove the whole housing as some people have suggested....weird that I have a different setup isn't it?

I also noticed that the person's in the thread has a different catch mechanism on the glovebox itself....they removed those two catchs from inside the back of the actual gb compartment...on mine, there are just two tabs that you can push in and the entire thing flops down...so my box itself is a bit different too.....Don't know if those pictures are of an 04' and they made some slight changes since I have an 05'?

Thanks for the links, regardless of the housing, I'm willing to gamble that the filter is in the same location and I'll be borrowing my father-in-laws dremel tool this weekend to make the filter change...

Thanks!

Cook E

I changed the filter today. Total time (minus having to go to two places to find the right filter) = 15 minutes. Here is a brief synopsis of the process I followed, much to be attributed to this thread and the great info provided by the folks in this forum...

1. Removed glove box (opened gb door, pushed in from the sides to get it to fall foreward, then removed the two screws holding it into the gb housing and wah-la, the gb is out)

2. Removed the two screws in the back of the housing and the two push pin fasteners at the top.

3. Pulled housing unit completely out, grasping under the housing with right hand at extreme far right of housing unit on bottom, left hand on extreme far left of housing unit. Most of my pulling force was applied to bottom right of housing unit and it broke free on that side first, then pretty much just dropped out.

4. Unclipped two electrical connections

5. removed filter

6. Took filter to Auto Zone because I'd stopped on the way home Friday and picked up the filter and their computer system has the incorrect part number, so the one they gave me didn't fit when I pulled it out. Autozone proceeded to look up the part in a thick book instead of the computer, confirmed their computer's listed PN was incorrect and sent me down the road to an import parts place for the correct one....cost $15.00.

I was in the dealer on Friday having a new key cut and programed and asked what they'd charge to change the filter....they quoted me $187 including labor. I spent about 2 hours reseaching this thread and a few others, 30 minutes chasing the right part, and literally 15 or less on the actual replacement work. Less than 3 hours total and $15.00 spent.....I feel really good about not spending that $187.00

Thanks for everyone's postings.

imj0257

iTrader: (1)

awesome. im gonna replace the air/cabin filter myself. bookmarking this page

RudeDogg

This worked perfectly on my '08 TL with the additional step of unfastening the plastic arm on the right side of the glove box by simply placing my thumb on the grooves on the arm and pusing forward to unhook it. Thanks for all the help!
Question - I broke the 2 "push pin" fasteners disassembling the glove box. Is there an easy way to remove those so you can re-use them?