One good reason to check your cabin air filter

[Dee-Bug]

Been doing some maintenance on Dee-Bug so it'd ready for my wife in the spring.Today I decided to remove the dash and look at the cabin air filter. Since the car is a 99,I was betting that it was never looked at in it's lifetime before me. So,today I decided to take a look. To my expectation,I found a little debris...



I would highly suggest that if you haven't done this,you take 20 minutes and remove the 3 pieces of the dash and give it a look.Sweeping it out wouldn't hurt either..

[LoLoBug]

I sent The 2006 Bug we just purchased for our daughter in for 80k service and the guy took a photo because he didn't think I'd believe him. It was loaded with leaves and debris!

[janitz]

One might say, "That leaves something to be desired."

[IndyTom]

LOL, I think yours actually looks very good compared to most. Mine looked like a family of Birds was living in it.

As far as 20 minutes. It took me closer to an hour to take the upper pieces of the dash apart and then clean everything properly and tape up some of the insulating material that looked like a birds nest. Looks like it has never been cleaned or the filter replaced since the car was born.

[LoLoBug]

Originally Posted by IndyTom

LOL, I think yours actually looks very good compared to most. Mine looked like a family of Birds was living in it.

As far as 20 minutes. It took me closer to an hour to take the upper pieces of the dash apart and then clean everything properly and tape up some of the insulating material that looked like a birds nest. Looks like it has never been cleaned or the filter replaced since the car was born.

That sounds more like what ours looked like

[IndyTom]

Check out this video

2000 VW Beetle Cabin Filter - YouTube

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Okay, I'm curious. Haven't had one of these apart, and if all those leaves and debris can get in there, what keeps out the water? Is the air passage a significant updraft? Somebody...

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

Okay, I'm curious. Haven't had one of these apart, and if all those leaves and debris can get in there, what keeps out the water? Is the air passage a significant updraft? Somebody...

I don't have a clue, but I know that the old filter and the area where it sits in was not wet or damp. So there must be something that prevents water to enter but air to enter freely.

[VDubYah]

The drains are supposed to keep it dry. The lip between the tray and the passenger compartment is about quarter inch so it doesnt take much water to cause a problem. Suprising my 2008 does not have a cabin filter just a screen thingamabob.

The you-tube video looks like the car got a pet. That pile looks like a nest of some kind.

[h_2_o]

when i saved my buglet from the scrap yard it had a nest like the one in the video but it went all the way across. Not sure if a squirrel or a mouse or maybe a groundhog was in there. Crazy the stuff that gets in there.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by h_2_o

when i saved my buglet from the scrap yard it had a nest like the one in the video but it went all the way across. Not sure if a squirrel or a mouse or maybe a groundhog was in there. Crazy the stuff that gets in there.

I had a Possum live between my transmission and my air cleaner once. He was properly evicted Lucky for me he didn't fit in the cabin filter area.

[PRM502STREET]

I removed the cabin filter and left it out,but am about to put a new one in,as it lets outside air come right in the vents. i.e cold in winter. Im not going to wait for summer as it was over 100 over 100 days last summer here.

[janitz]

Originally Posted by PRM502STREET

I removed the cabin filter and left it out,but am about to put a new one in,as it lets outside air come right in the vents. i.e cold in winter. Im not going to wait for summer as it was over 100 over 100 days last summer here.

Make sure you get a good quality filter, the last one I put in was junky, doesn't seem to filter worth a damn.

I'll try a Fram filter next time I guess.

[nitroman]

Fram air filters are good? I know a lot of people say their oil filters are bad. But their cabin air filter is OK? What about Mann, I noticed those are about the same price.

[janitz]

Originally Posted by nitroman

Fram air filters are good? I know a lot of people say their oil filters are bad. But their cabin air filter is OK? What about Mann, I noticed those are about the same price.

I don't know in comparison to Mann. But the one I put in last was the only one I could find easily and it was some cheap crap. I think the ancient dirty filter I had was better than this new. I saw a Fram filter on the shelf the next time I was at a store and thought I'd try it.

I haven't really had any issue with their oil filter. But I don't have a lot of comparison references to make so it could be bad in comparison.

[BillyMagnum]

just did my filter a few months back and it looked about the same as the one pictured. Vaccumed the dash out and put in a new charcoal one from ecs. Was like 12$ I think. No complaints of smells or anything.

[beerad1111]

Thanks for the post. Big help.

[AceJay]

Decided to vacuum mine out today, wanted to see how bad it was...

Guess not too bad, maybe it was done 5 years ago when I got the car.

[Albert'sLove]

I just wanted to drop by and say THANK YOU! especially to IndyTom for the link!
I decided that because my "GILBERT" is a 1999, i'd better check out the filter. However, to my delight it was clean and clear - albeit a few small leaves. The previous owners really did look after it well. I must admit, i was looking forward to sharing a photo of the muck that i thought i'd find though! lol. The Org is so fantastic!

[alovelylifex]

How to change the cabin air filter on a 2003 Volkswagen beetle. - YouTube

I found this video to be really helpful. I haven't done mine yet but I'm a lot less afraid of attempting to and breaking things now.