Cleaning out your in-cabin air filter

**underactive** · 11-26-2006, 12:47 PM

(Okay this isn't really engine tech, but this seemed like the best place to post this. Mods: move this if needed)

Yesterday I went on this 6-hour run which was quite dusty to say the least. I had left my ventilation set to Recirculate so the dust wouldn't get in. Towards the end of the run, I noticed the Recirculate switch would change modes on its own, letting "fresh" dusty air in. I lost count of how many times I had to turn Recirculate back on, but this was happening to all the other FJs on the run. Our guess was that it was resetting because the in-cabin filter was clogged. So on the way back home, I decided to stop by the dealer and pick up a new filter.

This morning, I opened up the glove box to get to it (it's in your manual -- page 178), and found a very dirty filter. Here's a comparison shot:

I had around 4000 miles before the trail run so it couldn't have been too dirty before then. And this photo was taken after I shook some dust off the old filter while taking it out of the holder, so it was much dirtier than pictured. You could hit it with a wet noodle and a pound of dust would rain down from it.

When the recirc button reset on its own, I saw a bit of dust coming through the vents, so I knew there had to be some dust in the system between the air filter and the vents. I wanted to try to flush all that out so what I did was take some compressed air and blow it all around inside the blower assembly:

Also stick your finger in there and rotate the fan blades around so that they all get evenly covered with a blast of compressed air:

Dont make the same mistake I did -- unless you want to get dust sprayed all over your interior, get some damp towels and cover up the vents. Also cover up the side vents too.

I didn't figure this out until I first started blasting away, so I still have some wiping up to do on the interior.

So there you have it -- my needlessly lengthy post for a terribly easy procedure.

***Bostonian1976*** · 11-26-2006, 01:03 PM

thanks for posting

nice write-up

fyi the recirc timer can be disabled....just push and hold the recirculate button for more than 3 seconds and it will stay on.

TMAG · 11-26-2006, 01:16 PM

Oh boy, Ive got right at 10k. Better check mine out asap. Thanks.

Nevada_FJ · 11-26-2006, 05:04 PM

That thing is worthless! Mine is always clogged I have cleaned it about 4 times in 7000 miles. Over at TTORA there was a suggestion to replace it with a 3M home filter and just cut it to size. I am not sure what the dealer wants for a new one, but I place it in the same group as the plastic cover on the skid plate. Good idea to blow all the dirt out of the vents.

Thanks

**ZroBug** · 11-26-2006, 05:07 PM

Great info and pics. I've now got another filter to check out next weekend...

wrigman · 11-26-2006, 06:06 PM

Rep points comming your way dude. I would have NEVER thought of the damp towel thing over the vent's. After yesterday, I needed to do some clean up too! OBTW: The recirc. problem everyone was having was because of low outside temps, not our filters needing service.(although they DID NEED to be looked at.) What the heck was Toyota thinking:" Replace cabin filter at 60,000 miles"!

**underactive** · 11-26-2006, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Bostonian1976 previously said:

fyi the recirc timer can be disabled....just push and hold the recirculate button for more than 3 seconds and it will stay on.

Wish I knew this yesterday.

Good to know.. Thanks!

**underactive** · 11-26-2006, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Nevada_FJ previously said:

That thing is worthless! Mine is always clogged I have cleaned it about 4 times in 7000 miles. Over at TTORA there was a suggestion to replace it with a 3M home filter and just cut it to size. I am not sure what the dealer wants for a new one, but I place it in the same group as the plastic cover on the skid plate. Good idea to blow all the dirt out of the vents.

Thanks

Yeah I'm thinking I might do that the next time this needs replacement. When I took it out, I was expecting a HEPA type filter with a ton of pleats but this was A LOT flimsier and porous than I thought. I got it for less than $20, but still, it's a really thin filter that probably cost Toyota 5 cents to make.

jkwhite · 11-26-2006, 07:24 PM

Thanks for the info. I'm checking tmrw

Canito is1 · 11-27-2006, 03:33 PM

After reading this, it prompted me to check all my filters last night. What I found:
1. the air filter is really dense and for the most part clean
2. the inner air filter is clean, but I have no clue as to what it is for
3. the cabin filter had about 6 small leaves in it. Now how in the hell do I get leaves in the INNER cabin filter. Im talking twice as many as in my engine air filter?