How To: Changing Cabin (Pollen) Filter
July 27, 2006 – 10:00 am by Dan Volkens
Filed under Featured, How-Tos, Volkswagen Jetta
Changing the Cabin, or sometimes called Pollen, Filter in your vehicle is a very straightforward process. It’s required to be changed in the 20,000mi. service interval on the MkIV Jetta 2.0. And that’s the vehicle that we’ll be using today.
The cabin filter keeps the air coming into the interior of your car free of most pollens, dust and other small stuff like that.
Open the hood and you will find the cabin filter located at the top left of the engine compartment (facing the car), just in front of the windshield.
Step 1 of 4
First, carefully remove the rubber gasket between the engine compartment and the plenum cover. Next, remove the four phillips head screws holding the plenum cover on. It will be pretty difficult to pull the cover out. It’s packed in there tight, so be careful not to force it too much.
Step 2 of 4
After removing the cover, you will have access to the filter assembly. There are two tabs on the front of the assembly. Depress each towards the front of the car. This will release the filter and frame from the rest of the components. Now pull both the frame and the filter out of the car.
Step 3 of 4
Remove the old filter from the frame and throw away, or mount on your garage wall for posterity. While you have the filter and frame out of the car, now is a good time to remove any debris such as leaves, etc. from the filter assembly. Reach inside and pull out any junk that might be in there.
When installing the new filter back into the frame, be sure that the air flow direction is pointing to the ground.
Step 4 of 4
Place filter and frame back into the assembly and make sure that the clips lock down on the frame.
Be careful when reinstalling the plenum cover. It will be very difficult to fit back into place. There is a tab on the bottom left side that must slide below the hood mechanism while simultaneously clearing the rest of the compartment. Don’t break most of the tab off like I did. (See photo below) Thankfully though, there was still enough of it left to reinstall the cover.
Screw the cover on, reinstall the rubber gasket, and voila… you’re done!
* Photos by Mauro Takeute
How To: Changing Cabin (Pollen) Filter
July 27, 2006 – 10:00 am by Dan Volkens
Strong dude. Very well laid out & written!
Hah! Just did this yesterday :)
The process is somewhat similar if you’re removing your car’s “brain” to have sent to a chip modding place for upgrading. I will being doing this soon as well :)
Good instructions… everything you said was right on.
Getting it back together was PITA. If someone does this and doesnt break a piece off somewhere then you rawk IMO.
i have one of these for the new beetle. it’s a ton worse, not harder just mre involved from the interior/dash..
need to rewrite from a forum..
Hi
Thanks for the advice! I happened to break off the pointy part near the front of the piece. Do you know if it’s essential, or do I need to somehow reattach it? Thanks!
Hey Stefanie. Yeah, it’s really tough to get that thing back in there without breaking something. lol As long as the cover will remain in place, and the hole (if the breakage has created a hole) isn’t too big, you should be ok.
I just changed the filter in my MkV Jetta – and thankfully, access is gained from within the passenger compartment (which I discovered after disassembling the firewall area by the blower motor… only to discover… no filter!)
On the MkV, the filter is underneath the glove box. Access is gained by removing two plastic screws, gently pulling down a piece of foam insulation, and releasing a single clip to detach the filter. It (and some debris from it) fall easily onto the floor mat below. Insert the new filter, replace the insulation, re-screw the screws, and within 3 minutes, you’re back in business with fresh air and clean hands besides!
Jim
Hey Jim, thanks for the tips on the MkV! :]
Do the Jetta instructions for a pollen filter change apply to an 03 turbo 1.8 Passat?
Denny
Hey Denny. Changing the filter on Passats is just about the same, though because of a minor facelift in the B5 Passat’s design around mid 2001 (making the facelifted Passats’ model designation B5.5) there might be very minor differences. Check out this link that shows how to change it on a B5 Passat.
http://istargazer.ca/extras/pollen.jpg
I hope that helps!
How to replace the air filter and cabin filter for VW rabbit 2007
The dealer offered to do this service for me at a whopping price of $74. I ended up just buying the pollen filter for $26, and putting it in myself. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without this guide though. I Googled for the answer, and this was the first one that came up. My cousin and I just needed to figure out where the darn thing was for starters! Thanks for posting this. It was a huge help.
Hey Toni, here is a link to a how-to on VWVortex.com for the MkV’s. This how-to was done on a new GTI, but it should be the same for Rabbits.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3302867
As far as changing the air filter, I don’t have experience (yet!) changing one on the Rabbits. I hope someone else can chime in with an answer. :]
Rock on Jose, glad we helped!
Thanks for the great info. I found a nest under the cabin filter compartment and a cabin filter that filthy and partially crushed. $20 fixed it all.
By the way, anyone know what that ground connection is for (inside the cabin filter area)? My ground was in really bad shape.
A bad ground can cause electrical problems.
hey ppl
I live down under in Oz and have mkV 2007 TDI. does anyone know if fillter is located under glove box as it is on Jettas
Great post by the way
What’s up acdcfan, I’m not up on the MkV generations yet, (I gotta pick up a Bentley manual for these new models) but I believe it should be in the same location as the others. Here’s a write-up from VWVortex.com that should help you get it changed out. Let us know how it goes!
You can find a video of this same filter change at http://www.cincitdi.com/richc/cabinfilter.html
Along with several other (sometimes VW TDI specific) videos.
Thanks for the post-up Tim! Great video and site.
My girlfriend is at the dealer right now and just called me. They said they could do it for $125. I told her to tell them to put it back on and I’d do it this weekend based on what you’ve provided here and the feedback from those who used this to help them. Great info and keep up the good work!
Awesome Trey! Glad we can help.
GOLF 2005 TDI uses this method. I’m glad I didn’t try to get it from the glove box!!!
I bought a Cabin filter for my 2005 (new) Jetta for 17 bucks and have no idea where it’s located on the car and how to change it. Can anyone help
How ya doin Bob? If you have the new model Jetta, here’s a how-to over at VWVortex.com on changing it out. Hope that helps!
Do you know how to replace the pollen filter in a 2006 Jetta. I had a 2003 Jetta and replaced the filter as you described, but I can’t figure out how to get to the filter on my 06.
Hey Phil, check out this how-to over at VWVortex.com. It should get you set straight. :)
where is the air filter on a 2006 passat 2.0 turbo
Hey Bob, here’s a how-to on changing the air filter on the 2.0T. Hope that helps!
how do you change a pollen filter in a 2007 eos? can any help thanks
Hi Melissa, I searched for a while and didn’t find something myself. I suggest you head over to the Volkswagen Eos forums on VWVortex.com and post your question there. Another owner should be able to point you in the right direction.
Wow! I am glad I found this. I was just quoted 80.00 from my dealer to change it. From the feedback that you have gotten on how well you have laid out instructions – I think that with the help of a few friends and a 6 pack of adult beverages – I should be able to get this changed!
Hahah that’s great Scott. Glad it helped.
I am new to the VW Jetta 2008 wolfsburg edition 2.0 T, first of all I am not sure if this edition has a cabin filter and if so I have no idea where it is located…can you help me?
Hey Richard, it does have a cabin filter, but is located a bit differently from the previous generation Jettas, which is the one in this article. Here’s an article on VWVortex.com outlining how to change it on the MkV generation jetta.
Dan,
Thank you for your help!
2005 GL TDI Wagon. I am still unsure about where the cabin filter is on this car…. just bought this car and a new filter, and am dying to get started… please help!
Sorry I meant to say Passat…. Passat Wagon
Thanks
Ah, I was just going to ask what model when I saw your second comment, Raji. :D Here’s a post on changing the filter on a 1.8T Passat. I would assume it’s very similar if not the same for the TDI. Could be wrong though. Give it a shot and let us know!
My friend the air filter on a 2007 rabbit is in the motor cover…what you do is take off the cover, a rough little task I may add….and in the cover itself when you turn it around there will be 4 screws, take em off, and you will discover that the air filter is part of the motor cover…a very weird way of placing an air filter on a car. But it does help it from getting wet in a flood while driving. Happens in my city.
hey guys I just gotta say thanks and if you have a donation ability,account or whatever I would be more than happen to donate the amount of money your saving me from the dealership….We love VW, but we have to know, how to keep em tuned…vwvortex has everything but its a pretty disorganised forum…you guys gave me answers straight forward and quickly.
Hey Fabian, thanks for your help there. And thank you for reading! That’s all we’re trying to do here, pass the knowledge around. If you would like to donate, you can send through Paypal to: dan@jeepbarracks.com. That’s an old site I used to run, and I still have the email active. I need to get around to changing my Paypal to a Volksbloggin one. Thank you SO much whatever you decide to do. :)
Thanks, my 2006 VW Jetta TDI was easy to change. 2 plastic screws and drop the insulation under the glove compartment was easy except you have to stand on your head to see it. Slide the cover to the right and it falls off. Pull out the old and insert the new. Took 5 minutes.
Hey Guys,
I just bought a 2006 passat and i can’t find the location for the cabin air filter. Any help on this issue??? Thanks,
Hey Jason, if you have the older style Passat model (2006 was a transition year, so you may have the old or the new one), here’s an image showing the filter’s location on the older Passat model, which is in the engine bay right in front of the passenger.
The new Passat model’s filter is actually inside the car below the glovebox. This how-to is on a new Jetta or GTI, but it should be relatively the same for you if you have the new model.
Let me know if that helps out!
it is the new one and i got it… many thanks…
Great! :)
Now that we are on a roll… One more question that i heed some help.. The drivers side rear bumper strip trim is missing… I am having a real hard time tracking it down. Do you have a part number or suggest a site that can help me with this?
Thanks for your help.
Ooh, that’s a tough one man. Sorry for the late reply. I don’t have access to a part number for that piece, but you can try these sites:
WorldImpex.com
1stvwparts.com
If you happen to have any junk/salvage yards locally, that’d be a good spot to look as well. Good luck!
Any clue where this filter is on a 2006 New Beetle TDI? It’s definitely not in the same place! Thanks.
Thank you very much for the advise. I replaced it with no problem. I’m also thankful for that last tip on having the left bottom side go under the hood mechanism. You explained it very well!
Hey Kelli, here’s a how-to on accessing and changing the cabin filter on the New Beetle. Wow, that’s pretty complicated, sorry! :D But good luck with the change. Take your time, make sure not to misplace any bolts/screws, and step through the process that’s illustrated.
Great Krissy, glad it worked for you!
Thank you. Holy cow, well apparently this is why the dealers around here feel that $275 -$500 is acceptable for a 20K service. I’ll have to see who I know with lots of tools!
Thanks for the help… This site is AWESOME!
On my 2006 VW Passat, the steering column warning light has been coming on the last couple of weeks. Even though it is easy to re-set, it seems to be more frequent. I am taking it to the VW dealership next week, however my question to you is why would this be occurring? It looks like an electrical problem? Also, 2 times it will not start until the steering column resets. Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.
Jason
Hi, Where is the pollen filter on the 2007 passat (B6)wagen?
Hey Jason, I hadn’t heard about this one myself, but it seems others have had the same problem with their Passats. Looks like it will be covered under warranty, which is good, but it’s never fun to find something wrong with your car. Here are some threads on the subject:
- VWVortex.com
- TheCarLounge.net
- MotiveMag.com
Hey Ron, this link shows the location and changing process for a Golf/Jetta, but it should be very similar for your Passat. Let me know if that helps!
Hey Jason,
You are doing a great job, helping people :)
I have a 2007 VW Jetta and had few questions:
1. How to open the rubber gasket on the engine compartment. It seems quite difficult and I don’t want to break anything.
2. Where is the Air Filter located?
3. Is the Pollen filter is the same place you have shown above
Sorry for any dumb questions but I have to do the 20K mile oil change and thought I could save some money if I can change something my self :)
Thanks for the informative blog,
Hey Wini, this link at VWVortex.com shows how to change the filter on the new Jetta and Golf. It’s completely different from the older models, and you don’t have to worry about messing with the engine at all. :)
I recently have been having problems with the heat in my 2004 passat V6 and decided to change the control unit, thermostat and oll other components for timing belt replacement. Both heater hoses going to the heater core are hot and one even coos when the heat is turned one, but no hot air. I then went to change the cabin air filter and recognized that there was no cover over the filter. Could the lack of a cover be causing the heating problems? I have no other answers.
Hmmmm, not sure on this ne Kris, but it shoul dhave a cover, regardless. Sorry I can’t help ya more, but that one is above my head! :D
Where is cabin filter located in a 2001 beetle?
Thanks for posting this instruction. I have been looking for step by step instruction on how to change cabin air filterspecific for VW. I just found general ones.
Hey Carol, here’s a how-to on changing the cabin/pollen filter. Good luck!
how to change the thermostat on a 2004 tdi jetta
Hey Johnny, I did some extensive searching for a how-to on this one and came up empty. However I highly recommend signing up over at TDIClub.com and asking the guys there. Very knowledgeable and they’ll point you in the right direction. Good luck!
2001 beetle cabin air filter is this about the same or quite different
I know that this Blog is from a few years back, and not sure if it is still maintained. But would a ‘03 Jetta 1.8T be the same as the directions above. I am doing this on my own. I don’t like going to a shop, or auto store, and being treated as a dumb female who knows nothing about cars… so I am insistent & determined to do this on my own. But, now I am a little intimidated after reading that pieces can snap off easily.
glad i found this awsome site :-)
I have a VW Passat 2003 on 03 plate, where is the pollen / cabin filter located on this please? looked at the engine bay earlier today and it does not look similar to the pictures above, i guessing its under the glove box would appreciate some advice
Cheers
Vin
I was originally doing a search for this over at VWVortex but then I found this link (and I’m glad I did). I printed the directions but I was wondering about OEM parts vs parts from parts stores like NAPA or AutoZone. Anyone know how they compare?
Thanks!
Greg
The 2006 Jetta I have the cabin air filter is under the glove box inside the vehicle not under the hood. Can these instructions be updated to reflect this.