If your Toyota cabin air filter is about ready for a replacement, the good news is that this isn’t one of those urgent maintenance jobs like an oil change. The bad news is you’re going to smell everything outside your car, inside your car, until you swap it out.
What’s the best cabin air filter for a Toyota?
An original equipment manufacturer’s genuine Toyota cabin air filter is your best choice. You can find these at Toyota’s parts store for around $20. Just make sure you have the correct model and year before you buy. You can get an aftermarket filter from AutoZone for about half that. Just check your owner’s manual for sizing.
How and How Often to Replace Your Cabin Air Filter
Replacing the Filter Couldn’t be Easier:
- Open your glove box.
- Find the plastic tabs around the edge of the glove box. Pop those and open the glove box all the way.
- Look for a rectangular plastic strip and squeeze the tabs on the sides to expose the air filter.
- Swap out the old filter with a new one.
- Pop everything back in place.
It’s as simple as that. This job could cost you over $100 at the garage, and it doesn’t really make a lot of sense to pay that much for something that will take you two minutes and requires no tools. You don’t even have to get your hands greasy.
Aftermarket vs. OEM Cabin Air Filters
When it comes to engine air filters, you definitely want to go with the original equipment manufacturer parts. They’re designed to the exact specifications of your car and come with the automaker’s guarantee.
With a cabin air filter, it’s not that big a deal to go aftermarket. The cabin air filter isn’t there to keep your engine running; it’s just to make the air in the car smell a little nicer.
If you find an aftermarket filter that works just fine, there’s really no harm in saving a few bucks. And we haven’t found anything in the owner’s manuals to suggest this will void your warranty.
