The cabin air filter in your Toyota Corolla lets fresh air into your car while removing dust and debris. But it can only work as intended when changed on the recommended service schedule. Thankfully, once the time arrives, you can get it done quite easily with the right part.
What’s the best cabin air filter for the 2020 Toyota Corolla?
You can get a replacement OEM cabin air filter for around $21 from the Toyota Parts Center Online. If you want a high-quality aftermarket filter, then go with K&N for about $40 from Amazon.
Should you get an aftermarket filter or is OEM just fine? How often do you need to change the cabin air filter on your 2020 Corolla? For the answers to these questions and more, you just have to read this helpful guide.
Service Interval for the 2020 Corolla’s Cabin Air Filter
Under normal driving conditions, Toyota recommends that you service the cabin air filter in your Corolla every 15,000 to 30,000 miles or 18 months. If you live in a dusty area, you can drop that interval to around 10,000 miles.
To make sure your filter always looks its best, ask your technician to check its integrity at every oil change. You can change it early if they discover that it’s dirty or damaged. If you’re comfortable doing minor service work on your car, you can check the filter yourself instead.
You can also change your 2020 Corolla’s cabin air filter by:
- Open up your glovebox and pull the stopper arms off the pegs
- Press on both sides of the glovebox toward the back and pull to pop it out
- Unlatch the clip and remove the cover over the cabin air filter
- Pull the filter cartridge out and throw the element in the trash
- Put the new filter in the cartridge and reassemble
Once you have everything put back together, you can run your HVAC system to see how it works. You should notice that the air smells fresh and clean with no debris coming through the vents.
Aftermarket vs. OEM: Which is Better for Your Corolla?
At just $21, an OEM cabin air filter from Toyota won’t set you back much. You do have to remember that you have to buy a new one at each service interval since these filters are not reusable like K&Ns.
The OEM filters use carbon elements to help freshen the air as it comes through the HVAC box while removing tons of contaminants like:
- Dust
- Dirt
- Pollen
- Mold spores
Aftermarket filters from K&N go beyond that by getting rid of germs as well. The biggest difference, however, is in the fact that these aftermarket elements are reusable. You just have to clean them on the same service schedule as the OEM parts.
The cleaning process does add a lot more time to the service — meaning more money spent at the shop if you go that route. Unlike OEM, you don’t just get to remove the old filter and toss it out.
Instead, you have to clean the filter element, let it fully dry, and then spray it with refresher. Only once that refresher spray dries do you get to reassemble your car and be on your way.
To make up for that, they come with a 10 year/million-mile warranty that guarantees they’ll last longer than your car. So, for just $40, you will never have to pay for another cabin air filter again, potentially saving you a lot of money through the years.
To figure out if OEM or aftermarket cabin air filters will work best for you, you will need to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each. As long as you always get the highest quality parts possible, you really cannot lose, however, so don’t fret too much over the decision.
Photos: Toyota
