cabin filter missing

[deerebilt]

went to change the cabin air filter in my 08 yaris s sedan. removed glove box and filter door. was no filter. the oe toyota filter fit in correctly. has any else run across this...

[texkid]

went to change the cabin air filter in my 08 yaris s sedan. removed glove box and filter door. was no filter. the oe toyota filter fit in correctly. has any else run across this...

Yeah, it is a common thing. Even my dad's Nissan Titan didn't have a filter installed.

The funny thing is that the Toyota dealerships will mail in offers to "change" out the cabin air filter.

[MadMax]

Search the forum, there are numerous threads on replacement filters that will fit.

But most on here had the same experience, myself included!

Cheers! M2

[cali yaris]

I have two of these in stock if anyone needs to buy one. I got them for an international customer that flaked on the purchase.

[Sandwash]

Just checked in my Yaris purchased new 6 weeks ago and, sure enough, no filter. My expectation is the dealer will be providing an initial filter - am i wrong in this?

[tuckevalastin]

I think it's pretty clear from everyone here that in general the Yaris doesn't come with a filter.

[slvryaris]

Ya I am pretty sure about 90% of everyone on here didnt have an in cabin air filter from the factory including myself. I told the dealership I got mine from and they acted like they didnt really care.

[BailOut]

Hey all,

A while ago I created a DIY that lets you make 8 cabin air filters for $15 or less:

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8828

Enjoy!

[Astroman]

Ah, Brian beat me to it! I still have 1 left from making mine over 2 years ago, way cheaper, and a superior filter I think.

[BLH]

My 2007 Users Manual said it was not always installed and if it was. A sticker was on the Glove Box Door. Indicating one was factory installed. Mine was not.

[RedRide]

The "WTF moment" is that my manual says to "never run without a cabin filter or AC damage may result" but, they never include one.

I assumed one wasn't included so I made one even before I took delivery on my Yaris.
I already had the materials on hand from making filters for the Celica.

[AlexNet0]

definetely dont have one here. the dust that pours inside confirms it. lol, i dont even have to look

[Sir A.Y. Atoyot]

This thread got me wondering, so I looked. The filter was there, but it was a bit dirty, so I replaced it. 2008 5-door

[Newyaris]

This is an email I have sent to Toyota Europe. The answer was that "This is our policy!" NO written reply...


Dear sir/madam,

I am an owner of a Toyota Yaris 1.3 5D SOL, which I bought in Greece one (1) year ago. I have paid almost 15.000 € and till now I am very satisfied with my car. Nevertheless, with this e-mail I would like to make a complaint.

A few days ago I discovered that my car is not equipped with an A/C filter (situated behind the glove compartment). That fact was not mentioned by the salesman when I bought the car and the owner’s manual does not mention that the filter is extra and installed in some versions only!

Further to our telephone conversation (08/03/2007) about the lack of cabin filter, I have spoken with Toyota Hellas – Greece, as I was instructed by your Customer Service. They said me that the lack of cabin filter is normal and I could buy it. Unfortunately my dealer says that he cannot order it. Another dealer said that he found it and it costs 59€. I think that I will find a solution and I will finally manage to buy the filter.

As I am allergic and air pollution is high where I live, I consider this matter very important. It is a matter of health and comfort. I strongly believe that Toyota, the world’s second car manufacturer shares the same ideas about the importance of health and comfort. I would like to be informed officially, in order to protect my legal right’s, if the lack of cabin filter in my Yaris version is a policy of Toyota Europe or Toyota Hellas – Greece. The car is shipped from France with or without the filter?

[silver_echo]

mine did not have it when i bought it, but had all the pieces of the system except for the filter... i raised a stink at the dealer and they paid for it... especially considering that all of the appropriate housings were installed already, and mine was certified used...

[Treyz]

Welcome to the USA where some standard options that are in every other country is non existent here.

I made my own using a carbon filter that you would use for central air. There's a DIY on how to make your own filter. Just typt it in the search field and you should be good.

[JonS]

I picked up my new 09 Yaris LB last Friday and then found this forum. I've been trying to get up to speed on some of the dos and don'ts. Anyway, took a peek in the A/C filter compartment....no filter. So, I gave the parts dept. where I bought the car a call and they referred me to Toyota Customer Care @ 800-331-4331. Some nice gal listened to my story, took my Vin and other info. and said she'd be contacting the dealer as a filter should have been installed. Next day (today) I got a call from the dealer saying I should pop over and they'd take a look. The popped the dash...no filter, as I had told them, and so they gave me one after I signed the warranty paperwork.
Have to say, I'm satisfied with that. The one on its way from Amazon will go on the shelf for now. I really didn't think that Toyota would make good on this one, but they did.

Jon

[Astroman]

Once I put a homemade one back in my car after a month of not using it, I couldn't believe how much less dust there was. When I asked my dealer the first time about it, they said they'd be happy to sell me one for $60 :mad:

[JonS]

Ouch, that sucks. I have no clue if it was the call from Customer Care to the dealer that made em honor the deal or if I just lucked out.

[deerebilt]

my oe toyota filter was $25.00

[b_hickman11]

Both of my Yaris's didn't come with the filter. I also had a 2005 Tacoma that didn't come with a filter either. I talked to several different people from Toyota and they said a cabin air filter is newer concept that most Americans are not used to. Meaning that most Americans know they must change the oil and oil filter by now but they are not educated about the cabin air filter yet. If Toyota put one in there, a lot of DIYers would not know that they also need to change the cabin air filter. Over time their AC would probably go out from the cabin air filter being completely clogged. What percentage of Yaris owners (non yarisworld members) even know what a cabin air filter is? I'm guessing it would be a high percentage.

[Yaris Hilton]

I still can't see why I'd ever want one. I drive around town with open windows a lot, anyway. And when the air conditioner's on, I quickly go to recirculated air that wouldn't benefit from filtration. I think it's a strange idea. When I'm outside of the car I don't put a filter on my face. Why do I need to filter that air to let it in the car? Somebody with obsessive-compulsive disorder must've invented this thing.

[Astroman]

Actually, the filter isn't just for recirculated air :eek:! It also filters air from the outside. Seen plenty of exterior debris caught in my DIY cabin air filter. That thing gets worse than the engine air filter. Enough to make you sick you were breathing the air without that filter in place. I made 4 out of the wrong size filter with scissors, just putting it next to one I had already made. Works fine.

I've posted this pic before, but here is a 3 month old filter.
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb3/astroman87/airfilter1.jpg

[Yaris Hilton]

Yeah, like I said recirculated air wouldn't benefit from filtration. That air's already in the car. And with windows open nothing's getting filtered. Do you walk around with a face mask on? Anything you leave sitting around, let alone blow air through, is going to get dusty. I don't see what the benefit is.

[JonS]

I dont know, after seeing Astromans pic, it seems like a no brainer. Why not let a filter do some of the cleaning so the vac doesn't have to later. Yeah, if your windows are down all the time or you're never on recirc. then maybe it's not going to help. Keeps crap out, that's obvious. But then again, I have screens on my house windows to keep mosquitos out, too. Probably don't need them, but I don't like the itch.

[Astroman]

Yeah, like I said recirculated air wouldn't benefit from filtration. That air's already in the car. And with windows open nothing's getting filtered. Do you walk around with a face mask on? Anything you leave sitting around, let alone blow air through, is going to get dusty. I don't see what the benefit is.

The filter DOES filter recirculated air too! For less than $13 at wal-mart I made six filters in 20 minutes. Oh, that filter, only used recirculate 40% of the time. It's not a gimick the parts department came up with, seriously, look at mine. The dust inside a car is worse than good 'ol outside air. Within days I used to have a considerable amount of dust in the car, it's been cut down considerably. Also, it helps keep my vents and the blower fan cleaner. Pop open the glovebox and take a look at the fan, in about a month mine managed to gather a considerable amount of dirt, and I was only using recirculate with the A/C.

[PatrickJohnson]

yeah, the filter is on the blower, so no matter where the source air is it is going to filter. and even if not, a lot of us prefer to USE modern technology and use the AC, as even stale AC air is awesome when compared to hot and muggy outside "fresh" air.

the benefit is there for everyone because even re-circulated air is filtered, but even if it weren't there are those who actually use AC they purchased...

[b_hickman11]

Yeah, like I said recirculated air wouldn't benefit from filtration. That air's already in the car. And with windows open nothing's getting filtered. Do you walk around with a face mask on? Anything you leave sitting around, let alone blow air through, is going to get dusty. I don't see what the benefit is.

The central AC unit inside of your home filters recirculated air......so why is it set up this way if ''recirculated air wouldn't benefit from filtration?"

[Yaris Hilton]

Lot more sources of lint in a house. I think it's silly in a car.

[b_hickman11]

Lot more sources of lint in a house. I think it's silly in a car.

Dirt and dust from your shoes would be a source. The vent where the air is brought into the system is under the dash just about a foot from the passenger's shoes. Also dust and dirt flying in from opening and closing doors. And then of course there is pollen. We won't even go there!

[Yaris Hilton]

OK. If driving around filtered like "Bubble Boy" makes you happier, I'm glad Toyota's provided a way. :w00t:

[b_hickman11]

OK. If driving around filtered like "Bubble Boy" makes you happier, I'm glad Toyota's provided a way. :w00t:

There are other benefits besides the air you breathe. Without the filter, I would have to wipe down my dash about once a week from all of the dust that gets collected up there. With the filter, I only have to do it about once every six weeks. Now maybe you are older and retired and have plenty of time to be cleaning dashes or watching the grass grow, but I don't, yet.

[Yaris Hilton]

I let mine get pretty dusty before wiping it. The film on the inside of the windshield from the plasticizers starts looking like I've got cataracts, too. I'd rather wipe that stuff out, when it gets intolerable, than have to pull out the glove compartment and change a filter.

[b_hickman11]

I let mine get pretty dusty before wiping it. The film on the inside of the windshield from the plasticizers starts looking like I've got cataracts, too. I'd rather wipe that stuff out, when it gets intolerable, than have to pull out the glove compartment and change a filter.

Like I said you must have a lot of time on your hands. It takes longer to clean dash and windshield than what it does to change the cabin air filter.

[JonS]

In several posts, I think Yaris Hilton has made his opinion clear. Maybe others who are using or will be using the filter in the future can comment as to how effective or not it turned out to be.

[Astroman]

I'm happy with my diy version. Can I live without it, yeah, but I'm perfectly fine putting one in.

[ScubaSteve]

So this thread got me wondering if my 07 Yaris had a cabin filter so I just went out and checked. Sure enough there was one.

[Yaris Hilton]

I probably ought to look, too...

[UTVitz]

How many people would have guessed it did not already have one in it from the factory-what a goof on Toyotas part. I convinced the sales dept. the car was not properly Pre-delivery inspected and they missed it so I got a freeby. Wow, they want $32 for one now-crazy! I go to PepBoys and buy almost the same thing for $11.99 every 10K miles.

[Yaris Hilton]

I'd never heard of a car having a cabin air filter before running across it on this board. Still seems really strange to me!

[b_hickman11]

I'd never heard of a car having a cabin air filter before running across it on this board. Still seems really strange to me!

They have been used in Toyota, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, VW, Dodge, Pontiac, Saturn, and Chevy since around 1997.
A lot of commercial vehicles have been using them for years, even before 97. You have probably owned a vehicle or several over the past 12 years that had one or had a slot for one but you just didn't know it.

[b_hickman11]

How many people would have guessed it did not already have one in it from the factory-what a goof on Toyotas part. I convinced the sales dept. the car was not properly Pre-delivery inspected and they missed it so I got a freeby. Wow, they want $32 for one now-crazy! I go to PepBoys and buy almost the same thing for $11.99 every 10K miles.

All Toyota's shipped to the US will not have a cabin air filter already installed.
A few select dealers will install them when they roll of off the truck but they usually do this to make even more money from the sale. If you got your Toyota in Canada then yours should have came with one in it.

[Yaris Hilton]

They have been used in Toyota, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, VW, Dodge, Pontiac, Saturn, and Chevy since around 1997.
A lot of commercial vehicles have been using them for years, even before 97. You have probably owned a vehicle or several over the past 12 years that had one or had a slot for one but you just didn't know it.

Might be why some of the ACs have gotten a bit musty.

[b_hickman11]

Might be why some of the ACs have gotten a bit musty.


And thats why the US Toyota do not come with one already installed because they know that there are n00bs out there that don't know how to maintain a modern day car.

[texkid]

I just had a thought. Yes, I know, most of my thoughts are odd, but this is a legit thought.

I was wondering why all this cars don't come with the cabin air filter. Now, could it be possible that maybe the fact that they are being shipped across the Pacific have any affect? You know, months of salt water air going into our cars would degrade the filter and have a negative affect? :iono:

Just trying to find a reason why they don't do this.

BTW, I purchased a Wix cabin air filter before realize about the DIY. By the time I need a new one, I am definitely trying the DIY instead. :biggrin:

[JonS]

Maybe Toyota is following the line of "Ya can't teach an old dog new tricks." Like, some people can't wrap their heads around the idea of a cabin filter because the 1949 DeSoto they grew up with didn't have one.

[Astroman]

Honestly, the most probable reason is cost for not including one. I did have a musty smell coming from my A/C when I didn't have the filter. Solved when I put a new filter back in. I don't go cheap on those, I get the highest quality, allergen reducing ones. Hell, for 12 or 13 bucks you get 6 of em anyway.

[Yaris Hilton]

Hee, hee, I got called a "noob." That's like getting carded. :biggrin:

I still think it's weird. I'm sitting outside right now, breathing unfiltered air.

[JonS]

Hey Astroman,
You into rock climbing, by chance? Living in Wenatchee, you've got the prime climbing around Leavenworth. I was totally obsessed with it for about five or six years until tendonitis in the elbows got the best of me.

[ROCKLAND TOYOTA]

Might be why some of the ACs have gotten a bit musty.

Honestly, the most probable reason is cost for not including one. I did have a musty smell coming from my A/C when I didn't have the filter. Solved when I put a new filter back in. I don't go cheap on those, I get the highest quality, allergen reducing ones. Hell, for 12 or 13 bucks you get 6 of em anyway.

smell has nothing to do with cabin air filter being in or not. TOYOTA's fix for the smell is to replace the evaporator.TSB has been out for a few months now and its a night/day difference was complete.my weak a/c coldness was also fixed when they recharged the system......

[Astroman]

Got a link on that TSB rockland? Would love to get it taken care of. Haven't noticed it since the filter was installed. I'm well past my 36k warranty. TSBs are only covered under warranty, after that its out of pocket right?



I used to do some rock climbing (minor stuff) when I was a kid. My Dad's friend loved to climb in Leavenworth. I grew up there. :w00t:

[Henry G.]

I just had a thought. Yes, I know, most of my thoughts are odd, but this is a legit thought.

I was wondering why all this cars don't come with the cabin air filter. Now, could it be possible that maybe the fact that they are being shipped across the Pacific have any affect? You know, months of salt water air going into our cars would degrade the filter and have a negative affect? :iono:

Just trying to find a reason why they don't do this.

BTW, I purchased a Wix cabin air filter before realize about the DIY. By the time I need a new one, I am definitely trying the DIY instead. :biggrin:
Im pretty sure it doesnt take months to get across the pacific!
20 mph=480 miles per day and the pacific is only a five thousand miles across=10 days.
Sorry but i thought that wuz funny.
Just checked mine=no filter. Owners maunual says "Cabin filter" (if installed)in the maintenance section.

[texkid]

Im pretty sure it doesnt take months to get across the pacific!
20 mph=480 miles per day and the pacific is only a five thousand miles across=10 days.
Sorry but i thought that wuz funny.
Just checked mine=no filter. Owners maunual says "Cabin filter" (if installed)in the maintenance section.

Oh shit! Never mind....there goes that theory. :biggrin:

[serious]

All Toyota's shipped to the US will not have a cabin air filter already installed.
A few select dealers will install them when they roll of off the truck but they usually do this to make even more money from the sale. If you got your Toyota in Canada then yours should have came with one in it.

I live in Puerto Rico and bought my 2009 Yaris new about 4 months ago and it came with the cabin filter. :thumbup:

[wiirenet]

What's the longest you guys have waited to go back to the dealer for a cabin filter if you were missing one? I got my car in March, have about 3,000 miles on it, plan on going back to dealer around 4,000 for oil change and will bring up that I looked and saw I was missing the cabin filter but didn't have time to come in.

Do you think they'll have a problem that I waited this long? Or should I go there asap and say my car was missing one when I got it.

[b_hickman11]

What's the longest you guys have waited to go back to the dealer for a cabin filter if you were missing one? I got my car in March, have about 3,000 miles on it, plan on going back to dealer around 4,000 for oil change and will bring up that I looked and saw I was missing the cabin filter but didn't have time to come in.

Do you think they'll have a problem that I waited this long? Or should I go there asap and say my car was missing one when I got it.

They are not required to give you one. If they do give you one then they are just trying to make you happy and wanting you to come back and spend money with them. It says in your owners manual, IF you have a cabin air filter installed from the factory, then you will see a sticker down there saying so. Toyota didn't just "forget" to install one or the dealer didn't skip a step on the pre-delivery inspection. The US Yaris is not suppose to have one from the factory. But you can sure try. The worst case is that they just say no. But hopefully they will give you a free one.

[wiirenet]

Thanks for the info. I went to the new owner event at the dealer where they walk people through the garage showing us different things in the car, they showed us the filters and repeatedly said to change them or else this and that will happen, so they totally pushed the importance of changing your filter- and never once said your car may not have one to start with.

Soo, I will bring up the 'new owner event' and how the guy basically scared me so much saying how important changing filters is, and I am hoping they will give me one! I'm just worried they will be like "no you've had your car for too long"

[tdron]

Getting a real bad smell when I turn on my ac, (currently in a heat wave 100 to 108 degrees the last 5 days. When I removed my glove box to see what was going on, my Yaris had no cabin filter. Went down to dealership to express my concerns, I was given one gratis. Good people at Griffith motors, thanks, now I need to pull the unit out a find the root cause of the foul smell. BTW my car had 21,000 miles on it when I finally got a cabin filter.

[yarisitis]

How long can you go (in miles) without a cabin filter until you do damage?

[CTScott]

How long can you go (in miles) without a cabin filter until you do damage?

Depends on how much stuff is in the air. Any organic substance (pollen, bugs, leaves, etc.) can enter the air box without a filter in place and can offer a great breeding ground for mold and bacteria.

[jackw]

Just picked up a new Yaris yesterday and discovered there was no cabin filter installed. After showing the sales person the manual that recommended not using the AC unless a filter was installed, he went to the parts counter and asked if one was supposed to be installed when the car was delivered.

They gave me filter on the spot, which I installed myself. It was given to me under warranty but it makes me wonder about the operation. Is this the source of replacement filters?

[YarisOwnersDad]

Well, I have had my brand new Yaris Sedan since April 13, 2009, and when I looked just a few minutes ago, I found that I do not have an A/C filter.

I don't think I will have any trouble getting a free one from the dealer. We have a good relationship.

Tom

[Reddog99]

How long can you go (in miles) without a cabin filter until you do damage?Well, it won't actually DAMAGE the A/C evaporator, but it sure will plug it up enough so that air flow will become restricted. Then it might be a real chore to clean it out.

I just looked at my girlfriends filter last week and it had leaves, lint, bugs, and hair in it. Needless to say, it needed replacement ...

[YarisOwnersDad]

As I thought would be the case, my dealership's service manager agreed to get me a filter and the frame it sits in for free. It was not just a matter of getting a filter; the frame or "tray" that the filter seats into was also missing.

I have a good relationship with the service manager, and he has helped me out on other issues over the years. He thinks that possibly tomorrow my filter and frame will be in.

Tom

[DevilGirl]

Just picked up a new Yaris yesterday and discovered there was no cabin filter installed. After showing the sales person the manual that recommended not using the AC unless a filter was installed, he went to the parts counter and asked if one was supposed to be installed when the car was delivered.

Can you tell me where in the manual it says that? I'm headed back to the dealer today for a few things, and I don't have much time to look for it once I get back to my car after work if I want to make it there in time (darn working so far from home). :cry:

The thing that bothered me yesterday, and maybe I'm dilusional, but the blazin blue pearl one I test drove last week had a piece in the cargo area that you could fold over the gaping hole left when the rear seats are folded down (3-dr LB model). However, when I folded down my seats yesterday to start moving all my sh*t from my apt to my storage (thanks to friends), I realized I didn't have this piece, and there was still the open area on the floor that I had to manuver all my stuff around, and getting things caught in it. Is this supposed to be a standard piece on the LB's? The only difference between the blue one I drove and the silver I bought was the shifter knob and a rear spoiler, all else was to be the same...

[CTScott]

Can you tell me where in the manual it says that? I'm headed back to the dealer today for a few things, and I don't have much time to look for it once I get back to my car after work if I want to make it there in time (darn working so far from home). :cry:

The thing that bothered me yesterday, and maybe I'm dilusional, but the blazin blue pearl one I test drove last week had a piece in the cargo area that you could fold over the gaping hole left when the rear seats are folded down (3-dr LB model). However, when I folded down my seats yesterday to start moving all my sh*t from my apt to my storage (thanks to friends), I realized I didn't have this piece, and there was still the open area on the floor that I had to manuver all my stuff around, and getting things caught in it. Is this supposed to be a standard piece on the LB's? The only difference between the blue one I drove and the silver I bought was the shifter knob and a rear spoiler, all else was to be the same...

Page 272 of the 09 owners manual. Ironically, on 270 it says "Air Conditioning Filter (if equipped)" and then on 272 it says that using it without may cause damage.

On the seat gap cover issue - Do you have the cargo mat? If so, the flaps that cover the gap are under it. They are part of the plastic cover for the spare tire.

[DevilGirl]

Page 272 of the 09 owners manual. Ironically, on 270 it says "Air Conditioning Filter (if equipped)" and then on 272 it says that using it without may cause damage.

On the seat gap cover issue - Do you have the cargo mat? If so, the flaps that cover the gap are under it. They are part of the plastic cover for the spare tire.

I was at the dealer last night for paperwork issues (which I got straightened out). They were busy (as usual), and the service dept was already gone for the day (was around 7pm). The issue with the seat gap thing, yeah, that was because when I tried to pull up on the flip-over part of the plastic cover for the spare tire, apparently mine is still tight and I didn't pull hard enough. Got that straightened out last night. :thumbup:

As for the cabin air filter, the boy checked it last night, I don't have one (I guess), since there seems to be a housing for one, but nothing in it. So I'll be headed back again at some point this week. Hopefully I can get them to give me one. The way I see it, since there is the option of having A/C or not, if A/c is not installed in the car, they didn't need to install a filter. But if the car has the A/C system, the filter should have been installed. So we'll see how I fair.... :iono:

[b_hickman11]

The US Yaris is not suppose to come with the filter.

[YellowJolt]

Getting a real bad smell when I turn on my ac, (currently in a heat wave 100 to 108 degrees the last 5 days. When I removed my glove box to see what was going on, my Yaris had no cabin filter. Went down to dealership to express my concerns, I was given one gratis. Good people at Griffith motors, thanks, now I need to pull the unit out a find the root cause of the foul smell. BTW my car had 21,000 miles on it when I finally got a cabin filter.

Keep in mind that paper cabin filters only filter dust and pollen. Charcoal-activated cabin filters are used to filter dust and pollen as well as odors and smoke. As far as I can see, the factory Toyota filter is a paper filter - we sell aftermarket versions of them here where I work, TYC PN 800025P.

[YarisOwnersDad]

As I thought would be the case, my dealership's service manager agreed to get me a filter and the frame it sits in for free. It was not just a matter of getting a filter; the frame or "tray" that the filter seats into was also missing.

I have a good relationship with the service manager, and he has helped me out on other issues over the years. He thinks that possibly tomorrow my filter and frame will be in.

Tom

OK, I now have my cabin air filter installed. The service manager did not charge me for it.

As it turned out, there was no extra part needed, just the filter. The service manager was wrong about the need for a tray or frame. The new filter seated into the existing frame just fine.

They were nice enough to give me an extra filter to take home for my son, who bought his Yaris at the same dealership a month before I bought mine. We haven't even looked yet to see if my son has a filter already, but the odds against his having one are strong it would seem.

Did ANYONE get a cabin air filter in his or her U.S. bought Yaris????

Tom

[wiirenet]

I asked my dealer about my cabin filter when they changed the oil, and they said it doesn't come with one and made me buy one. I also had to install it myself, I don't even know if I put it in the right way.. which way the lines go.. I don't know. So it was a shitty experience.

I told my dad and he got pissed and called toyota and complained. Supposedly the customer relations person from my dealer (elmhurst toyota, IL) is going to call us. I hope my dad talks to him, I feel really bad/guilty asking for things or complaining haha.

When I asked for the filter, the guy basicially looked at me acting like I was weird for asking for it and that I have to buy it. I wish they would have offered to at least install it.

BAH. We'll see how the call goes. I don't even know what my dad's goal is, get a free filter, or get a refund.

Also, does it matter which way the filter goes? Does it matter if the accordian-like lines are in there horizontally or vertically?

[yarisitis]

I just bought a cabin air filter I'm not sure how it goes in.

In this picture it has an arrow pointing up:

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=7937&stc=1&d=1189665846

And on the filter I bought it also has an arrow, do I install it so that the arrow on the filter is also pointing up?

I would assume so but I'm confused because one side of the filter is furry and the other side has plastic mesh, so yeah I don't know which way the air is flowing and whether the furry or mesh side should be getting the flow of air.

Little help?

[CTScott]

Arrow goes up on the plastic cover, down on the filter itself. Filters are labeled for direction of air flow.

[ellenbetty]

The filter that I bought at the dealer was square. Plus I do not remember seeing any arrow. Do it yourself after buying a new one to use as a cut guide sounds OK to me. It looked to me like you could install the OE filter any old which way you want and the filter would clean the same. The basic filter is good for catching lung cancer causing soot from trucks. You really need a HEPA filter to cut allergens. So you may live a little longer using the air filter. I think that activated carbon air filters are over rated. You need a chemically reactive filter to have real impact reducing toxic road fumes. Those types of filter have a heavy use life of 4 hours. Some air filters for house units have a metal wire backing to support the air fliter. The metal wire backing must be installed toward the unit.

[mrbond]

Arrow goes up on the plastic cover, down on the filter itself. Filters are labeled for direction of air flow.

This is true. If any of you look at an air filter, you'll see a difference in texture and appearance. Air filters that are not just a basic pad of cloth are supposed to be installed a certain way, as they will catch more dust, allergens, and other pollutants. Special HEPA filters meant for a house's air circulation system can catch debris up to half a micron in size, which would include paint and metal vapor.

[b_hickman11]

I just bought a cabin air filter I'm not sure how it goes in.

In this picture it has an arrow pointing up:

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=7937&stc=1&d=1189665846

And on the filter I bought it also has an arrow, do I install it so that the arrow on the filter is also pointing up?

I would assume so but I'm confused because one side of the filter is furry and the other side has plastic mesh, so yeah I don't know which way the air is flowing and whether the furry or mesh side should be getting the flow of air.

Little help?

The air flow is going down. I always install my filter with the furry side up since that is the side that will come in contact with the air first.

[RedRide]

The arrow on the cover is only there to indicate how the cover goes on.

Air flow on the cabin filter is from top to bottom.

[Revsson]

Just for grins, I finally got around to looking for my filter. :iono: Nope :frown:

So, I guess I will find that DIY on filter making.

[DandiDani]

Our 07' sedan didnt come with one and my 09' liftback did not have one either(still needs one)

[amtoro]

I discovered mine had the filter missing too and I consider that unacceptable; it is like like telling you that the gas cap is optional if you want to avoid the fuel going away in the air... I went to the dealership and after showing them the manual where it says (paraphrasing) " Do not operate the A/C system without an air filter installed or damage may occur to the system" the service department said I needed to call Toyota and get a case # from them and if they get a service order from Toyota they would give me one.

Not happy with that, I talked to the sales manager, he gave me a "We Owe" note to take to the service dept.
They gave me the filter and I installed it in about 30 seconds.

[ivanivanix]

My experience with Toyota Mall of Georgia was totally negative. After reading this thread, checked and there was no filter. Bought my 5 door a month ago. Called my salesman, he told me it's the first time he ever heard about it, but "no problem, come to service dept. and they will install it for you. If they refuse, have them call me!"

We agreed on the time, I came and Service denied my eligibility. "Well, call my sales guy, he will tell you" - "We already did, and he says the same thing". Ticked off at the futility of my visit, I rush off to work and give him a call. That's where the denial starts: "I told you that I didn't know anything about it." - "Why didn't you tell me your opinion over the phone not to come for nothing?" ...more denials in reply.
Gave a call 800 number and they were very surprised at my experience and told me that the matter will be straightened out through the dealership customer relations manager. Let's see what happens. By the way, this particular dealership also screwed up a guy who referred and brought me them, denying the referral payment saying that they "discontinued" it, then sending me an invitation later to refer somebody for a reward. Not the nicest experience around.

[nick.dollimount]

My experience with Toyota Mall of Georgia was totally negative. After reading this thread, checked and there was no filter. Bought my 5 door a month ago. Called my salesman, he told me it's the first time he ever heard about it, but "no problem, come to service dept. and they will install it for you. If they refuse, have them call me!"

We agreed on the time, I came and Service denied my eligibility. "Well, call my sales guy, he will tell you" - "We already did, and he says the same thing". Ticked off at the futility of my visit, I rush off to work and give him a call. That's where the denial starts: "I told you that I didn't know anything about it." - "Why didn't you tell me your opinion over the phone not to come for nothing?" ...more denials in reply.
Gave a call 800 number and they were very surprised at my experience and told me that the matter will be straightened out through the dealership customer relations manager. Let's see what happens. By the way, this particular dealership also screwed up a guy who referred and brought me them, denying the referral payment saying that they "discontinued" it, then sending me an invitation later to refer somebody for a reward. Not the nicest experience around.

That sounds like a dirty group of people. Not sure if I lucked out but I've had really good service for a year and a half at both dealerships I've dealt with here. Always friendly, never got ripped off. Very fast when ordering parts as well. Hopefully you have another dealership nearby you can go to as an alternative to that place. They're only hurting themselves by treating their customers like that.

[ivanivanix]

Update: that 800 number (800-331-4331) is really effective putting the dealership's attitude straight - not 3 hours passed and a manager from the dealer was on the phone with me saying "I've checked and indeed you were supposed to get a cabin filter. Was it not there when you checked? Let's set up an appointment for you". Looks like they really listen to their corporate HQ for one reason or another. May have to do with perks and awards when the time comes.

[RUFFSTUFF]

I'm going to check for the filter and of course it won't be there. Then I will call my dealer and see what happens.

[toddo]

Thanks to this thread I checked for the filter and of course it wasn't in there. I went back to the dealer, the sales manager saw me first and asked if he could help me. I told him about the missing filter and that the manual states you shouldn't operate the a/c without it. He drove the car around to the service department and brought it back with the filter installed. No questions asked and an apology on his part. I wonder if it was because I left a piece of paper on the passenger seat with "Toyota Customer Service 800-331-4331" written on it :biggrin:

[the_boss]

I have no AC so no air filter, cost 5$ at walmart for a furnase (sorry my spellink suk tonight!) and you cut it in 4 pieces so 5$/ 4 = freaking cheap filters!

[yarisitis]

So I was looking through the owner's manual and saw this:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm295/elscorcho2686/Misc/Random/dfe95c39.jpg


So does the arrow on the filter go up or down?

[CTScott]

Interesting. Maybe the OEM filters are labeled opposite of airflow to make it match the arrow on the cover. Aftermarket ones are definitely labeled for airflow and therefore should be installed with the arrow pointing down.

[robkay]

Hey everybody. Just thought I would chime in on the DIY filter thing. My '07 with A/C did not have one, so thanks to this thread I bought a furnace filter and made some up. I then made myself a note to check it it 90 days. Man, it was black! Of course I changed it right away. Now, I'm not out in the country or anything, just out in the burbs of a small city. Couldn't believe how dirty the thing was.

I don't know if this tip is of any value to anyone, but I used one of the 3M Filtrete filters--the 600 rated one in the light blue package. Even though it has an aluminum mesh reinforcement I was concerned of the possibility that, since it was cut into pieces, it might collapse and fall down into the distribution tubing. I wanted to find something to slip in there to support the filter to prevent that. In our garden shed we had a few of those black plastic trays that garden centers give you to carry small potted plants--they're maybe 30" long and about 16" wide, and have like a criss-cross mesh bottom to them. I took one of those and cut myself a mesh support for my air filter and slipped into the filter housing. It works perfectly. There's still plenty of space to slip the filter in and I never have to worry about it collapsing and getting sucked down into the distribution system. This way I don't bother trying to tape up the edges of the cut filter, or taping cardboard to it to strengthen the edges. I just slip the cut filter in there and I'm done.

There are probably a lot of other things you could use the make a support, but that's what I had on hand.

FWIW...

[Lafiro]

Yes, the airflow is going down everyone. Hence, if you look up, that is where the outside air comes from, and that also has to be filtered, so thats why it must only be able to go down! Not joking, its how the car is.

[RedRide]

Yeah, it's really not open to dicussion as the air flow is without a doubt from top to bottom.

[Black Yaris]

you can get filters just about anywhere now...... they are like $10 at Autozone

and most cars, no matter who makes it, do not have a cabin air filter installed.
They are not a necessity, they are just nice to have

[b_hickman11]

I know this is kinda bumping an old thread, but I want to point something out to you.

Not having a cabin air filter has caused problems with the car, and if you don't install one or get one installed you are asking for trouble.

My wife's yaris (an 07 4d sedan) started to occasionally make a strange noise. It sounded like someone was pouring water on a fan. The noise was intermittent, and at first we did nothing. Then the car started to smell bad. We bought an air freshener. Then, after it had been warm and raining for a while cold smelly water started dripping onto the feet of both the driver and passenger when you went around a corner. This is finally when we decided to get it looked at. Before I brought the car to the dealer i did a quick google search, and found there are others that had the same problem.

It turns out that there is no screen where the outside air gets sucked in under the cowl, so some debris comes in with the air. Once it is in the car there is no cabin air filter to catch it. The debris settles into a pan at the bottom of the system, under the console, that is meant to collect condensation that forms when you have the a/c on. The pan empties through a small hole into a tiny rubber tube that attached to a nipple on the floor of the body in front of the passenger foot area. It is supposed to drain outside the car.

I unplugged the rubber tube at the body end and it was damp. I got a container in case my plan worked, then blew air into the tube. There was a small popping noise when the clog moved out, then OVER A QUART OF SMELLY DIRTY WATER drained from the a/c system. There were several pieces of leaves in the water.

The moral - get a cabin air filter. The car stunk. Cold smelly water on your feet sucks. paying a dealership to dismantle the console if blowing into the tube doesn't work sucks. Just get a filter. One filter will keep debris large enough to cause a problem out of the system for years.

Actually most of your problem is covered under the TSB and has nothing to do with the cabin air filter or lack of. http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17099&highlight=tsb

[AlexNet0]

^ I agree. I live where muddy, puddle ridden dirt roads are a must to get anywhere in a good amount of time. couple that with all the pine needles and rain, you get the ideal situation for HIS (http://yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?p=418867#post418867) problem, but I dont, Im at almost 80k miles and no cabin filter installed. with no problem.

[Yaris Hilton]

My daughter's boyfriend and I got together, cut up a furnace filter and made filters for all three of our Yarises. I notice less dust settling on my dash since I put in the filter and now seldom drive with the windows open with the weather cooling off.

[b_hickman11]

I read through that thread, but i don't think that is the problem we had. Others have had the same problem i did because of the missing filter. I unclogged it, drained the water, put a cabin air filter in and haven't messed with it since. I installed it during the spring, now at least 6 months later we have not had a problem with smell since we got the carpet to stop smelling.


So you changed about 4 or 5 different varriables(including the filter) and you got better results....And you are claiming better results solely on the filter install? I have had a cabin air filter since day 1 in my 2007 Yaris and the AC smells pretty bad. I have a cabin air filter in my 2008 Yaris and it doesn't smell at all. Therefore it sounds like your smell was being caused by one of the other few things you changed not on the fact that you added a filter.

[b_hickman11]

True I did fix the smell by changing several variables, but the filter was the root problem. No filter let debris in, debris clogged drain, excess stagnant water got smelly and was splashing around in car. There may be other ac smells, but it mine was caused by the filter. The smells are not taken away by the filter, clogs are prevented by the filter.

Awwww I see now. Guess you must live in an extra dusty/debris area. Don't think Toyota would consider making the cabin air filter standard based on a few area's conidition.

[amtoro]

In case it helps anyone.

Just a few weeks after buying the car I read this thread and quickly went to the dealership asking for my filter. For a while, they argued that if the car didn't come with it they were not obligated to give me one for free. The thing is, with all the paperwork they gave me when receiving the car, there was a "pre-delivery check list" and very clearly, they had checked "Install cabin filter". Asked for the sales manager and they accepted it. Got the OEM filter from their part's department for free.

Spray some fabreeze or sprinkle baking soda on top of the filter before installing it; it keeps the car very fresh.

[DANIELTNIEVES]

There was no cabin filter in my 2010 Yaris. I got one at napa auto parts, but there were no instructions in the box and no one at napa knew exactly how to position it.

1.Do the ribs run side to side or front to back?

2.There is an arrow on the side of the filter but no words like TOP or UP. Do I install it with the arrow pointing up? At napa they said the arrow should point in the direction of the air flow, but I don't know if the air flows from top to bottom or bottom to top. The fan is under where the filter will go.

3.So how do I position the new filter?

[CTScott]

There was no cabin filter in my 2010 Yaris. I got one at napa auto parts, but there were no instructions in the box and no one at napa knew exactly how to position it.

1.Do the ribs run side to side or front to back?

Front to back

2.There is an arrow on the side of the filter but no words like TOP or UP. Do I install it with the arrow pointing up? At napa they said the arrow should point in the direction of the air flow, but I don't know if the air flows from top to bottom or bottom to top. The fan is under where the filter will go.

Arrow points in the direction of flow, which is down.


3.So how do I position the new filter?

See 1 and 2



See notes above

[eddie054]

went to change the cabin air filter in my 08 yaris s sedan. removed glove box and filter door. was no filter. the oe toyota filter fit in correctly. has any else run across this...

Went to change mine today after owning the car since new ten years later. Well, no cabin filter installed. Guess that's part of Toyota's "Lean Manufacturing".

[dogsridewith]

Cabin filter also stops mice...or they make a nest out of it so you know they got in. (Search "Mice" here...there are at least two places they crawl in.)