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GE8 Honda Fit/Jazz Cabin Filter DIY

Previously I have done a write up on how to change the cabin filter in the Swift, so here I am again, changing it in the Honda Fit.

Now, to paint a picture first, i have previously changed this filter about 1000km ago when i got my Warrant of Fitness. The old filter was black, filthy and had chunks in it. I promptly binned it and got hold of a new one. The genuine filter, which according to Honda was a standard dust filter, was in the vicinity of $140. I’m not paying that, its madness, so i went on a hunt and found that Repco could order in a Ryco version for about $50. PN RCA251P.

I fit the Ryco one, which is a standard paper/cotton dust filter, looks just like a small engine air filter. It worked OK, airflow through the vents was better, but we immediately noticed that the air through the vents smelt strongly of exhaust fumes when in rush hour traffic. The Fit is our daily driver, and most of its life is spent in rush hour traffic so this is no good.

It’s been about a month now, and around 1000km of rush hour traffic driving, and although we have gotten used to the smell it still can’t be good.

I went on ebay and picked up an Activated Carbon filter for very little money, about $15. Its listed under PNĀ 80292-TF0-G01 and listed as fitting a Honda CRZ and Insight, but it’s the same size as the Honda Fit one, 211x205x30mm.

Step one is to open the glovebox, and squeeze the two sides inwards. You need to clear the two rubber bumpers on the sides and then the glove box will drop down. It doesn’t need to be removed completely, so just let it hang down on its hinges.

Once that’s down, you will be able to see the removable panel that covers the cabin filter. This panel has a clip on either end, and shouldn’t take much effort to remove.

Remove that and pull the filter out. It might take some wiggling and jiggling. Here’s the filter that i installed about 1 month/1000km ago. It used to be crisp white, it’s now taken on a sort of grey color and has lots of grit and bits of bugs stuck in it.

Compared to the Activated Carbon filter

Now, you need to fit the new filter back into the housing. It’ll only fit one way, and that’s with the rigid sides along the edges of the slot as per my photo below. It doesn’t need to fit flush in the box, as the cover is designed to locate it. Most filters can only be installed facing one direction and will have an arrow to indicate which way airflow should flow through the filter (you can see the arrow in the Ryco filter picture above). The new activated carbon filter did not have an arrow, so i just installed it with the writing the correct way up, to appease my attention to detail. For future reference though, the fan that sits below the filter pulls air through the filter, so direction of airflow is downwards.

Refit the panel, taking note of the “UP” arrow on the front of the cover. This panel will fit one way, with the sharp “prongs” pointing into the box, and they should slide under the filter to help lift it up.

Once that’s done, lift the glove box back up and give it a sharp push to locate the rubber bumpers and then close the glove box. Enjoy your freshly filtered air.

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7 years ago

[…] it’s been almost a month since I swapped the standard cabin filter in the Fit out for an Activated Carbon filter. The […]