Air Filters

[JLM3rd]

Had my truck in for its 25k check at the dealer last week. They rotated the tires and recommended changing the cabin air filter and engine air filter - for $90. I said I'd take care of it. Not knowing what I might be in for, I ordered both from Amazon for about $30.

Kudos to Toyota for making the cabin filter so easy to change! Simple panel in the glove box. I've had two cars that were way over complicated to do. When it's easy and inexpensive to do yourself it'll be more likely to get done.

 

[Redsoxx1918]

Absolutely! I'd never pay a dealer to do something so simple.


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[3wbdriver]

K&N now makes a reusable cabin filter for a little more than the paper one. I'll be installing one of those on my next change. I have one bookmarked on Amazon. If you get one bear in mind they use a different filtering fluid (also available on Amazon).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NEL6HT...TF8&colid=3LYDJAVWWT1A5&coliid=I1W85HW01B3VYU

 

[NuclearN8]

For the cabin air filters I used the highest for filtration rated furnace filter I can find at home depot or lowes. I can usually get a 24x30" filter for $20 and get 4-6 filters cut from it. This means it's $3-5 a filter. (I
I've used this method for 6 years now changing the filter element every 3 months and my wife has never complained. She's allergic to everything and even she commented on how much cleaner the interior of the vehicle smells and looks. Just an idea.

Honeywell 24 in. x 36 in. x 1 in. Elite Allergen Pleated FPR 10 Air Filter-91001.012436 - The Home Depot

 

[Bossman]

This was the first diy service that I did, upon getting my new-to-me 2011 Limited recently. Went with WIX air filters for both the engine and the cabin.

The cabin air filter removal/install is even easier in the 5th Gen than it was in my 4th Gen - definitely no good excuse as to why this cannot be diy.

 

[Lester Lugnut]

Yes - Toyota did a good job with the way they structured the 5th Gen cabin air filter change. No need to disconnect or drop anything.

Empty out the glove box and at the bottom rear of the glove box is the gateway to the cabin air filter.

Too bad they didn't do the same for 2nd Gen Tacoma's. Certainly not an insurmountable task in that case, but you'd be surprised what can go wrong.

 

[mrevilandy]

I love the fabrease cabin air filters

 

[SL.UG]

I love the fabrease cabin air filters

Wait... That's a thing?!

 

[mrevilandy]

Wait... That's a thing?!

Yes, yes there is I usually put a laundry sheet dryer with it too

FRAM Fresh Breeze

 

[Friggin Idiot]

I first used a FRAM Febreeze charcoal filter, and now the Wix Charcoal filter. I'm getting a funky smell when starting up with the A/C on. Started before I replaced the 1st filter, and has only gotten worse. Continues after I replace the cabin air filter. Is there a pre-filter somewhere else that I missed replacing?

 

[JLM3rd]

I first used a FRAM Febreeze charcoal filter.....

That FRAM Fresh Breeze was what I got from Amazon. $16 and change.

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

I first used a FRAM Febreeze charcoal filter, and now the Wix Charcoal filter. I'm getting a funky smell when starting up with the A/C on. Started before I replaced the 1st filter, and has only gotten worse. Continues after I replace the cabin air filter. Is there a pre-filter somewhere else that I missed replacing?

That "funky" smell you have is mold growing in the condenser. Lots of posts on how to get rid of the smell. You can try blasting Lysol spray (in whatever fragrance you can tolerate) into the condenser to see if it controls the mold, or you can go all out and run BG Product's Frigi-Clean Kit or similar kit that foams the whole condenser and drains through the a/c unit's drain tube in the floorboard.

I opted for BG's product as I've used it on several other cars in the past and I no longer have that smell at all.

It also helps to turn the a/c off and turn fan on high several minutes before you park the vehicle, letting the outside air to dry the condenser out. The smell is usually caused by the moisture produced by the condenser when using the a/c. Not all of it drains, and what does get trapped in the condenser's housing will get moldy after repeated use of the a/c.

I believe there's several posts and some other links here, try searching for smelly a/c or a/c smells bad or something like that.

 

[Danimal]

You can try blasting Lysol spray (in whatever fragrance you can tolerate) into the condenser to see if it controls the mold, or you can go all out and run BG Product's Frigi-Clean Kit or similar kit that foams the whole condenser and drains through the a/c unit's drain tube in the floorboard.

I think you mean evaporator - not condenser.

I wouldn't recommend anything like Lysol. The residue left afterwards will encourage growth of more nasty stuff and potentially make the problem worse in the future.

And Toyota has a service kit similar to Frigi-Clean that blasts up the drain tube so you don't have to add a fitting to the evaporator box like Frigi-Clean requires. (not my photo)



Dan

 

[Lester Lugnut]

That "funky" smell you have is mold growing in the condenser.

It also helps to turn the a/c off and turn fan on high several minutes before you park the vehicle, letting the outside air to dry the condenser out. The smell is usually caused by the moisture produced by the condenser when using the a/c. Not all of it drains, and what does get trapped in the condenser's housing will get moldy after repeated use of the a/c.

The mold is actually in the evaporator - up under the dash. The condenser sits in front of the radiator.

Your Car's Air Conditioning Components

 

[LandCruiser]

Had my truck in for its 25k check at the dealer last week. They rotated the tires and recommended changing the cabin air filter and engine air filter - for $90. I said I'd take care of it. Not knowing what I might be in for, I ordered both from Amazon for about $30.

Kudos to Toyota for making the cabin filter so easy to change! Simple panel in the glove box. I've had two cars that were way over complicated to do. When it's easy and inexpensive to do yourself it'll be more likely to get done.

My AC blows harder without it, so I took it out.

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

DOH!!!!

Yes, I'm an idiot today. That's exactly what I meant, evaporator, not condenser. :sorry:

Do I win the dingbat award today?

Need to stop working 7 days a week already...

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

I think you mean evaporator - not condenser.

I wouldn't recommend anything like Lysol. The residue left afterwards will encourage growth of more nasty stuff and potentially make the problem worse in the future.

And Toyota has a service kit similar to Frigi-Clean that blasts up the drain tube so you don't have to add a fitting to the evaporator box like Frigi-Clean requires. (not my photo)



Dan

The fitting is not required, actually. I did mine without drilling a hole at all, just used the drain tube like the toyota kit does. Sprayed it into the system till I got foam at the vents like the directions say, got a good amount of grey crap out when it drained (I drained it into a pan on the floorboard so I could see how bad it was),it was definitely dirty in there and that stuff didn't just look like dirt either.

Found the thread on this, it has photos on how to do this:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/210683-evaporator-heater-core-cleaning-anyone-done.html

There's a good amount of talk about other brands too, but mainly BG and the Toyota brands seem to be the ones that work well.