Where is the cabin air filter located? Easy to replace?

[ahong]

Hi, I've bought an cabin air filter from a Nissan dealer ($39 before Tax) and hope to to replace it in my 2013 SV model, as part of the 15K maintenance.
I brought it to a mechanic and he took out the glove compartment. We've looked at http://sfbayleafs.org/technical/diys/leaf-cabin-air-filter-replacement/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://rcbullock.blogspot.com/2014/03/2011-nissan-leaf-cabin-air-filter.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; as guidance.
However we just cannot find the white ice-cube tray or any slot to put the air filter in.

Can someone who has a 2013 SV shed some light?
TIA,
An

 

[mwalsh]

Hi, I've bought an cabin air filter from a Nissan dealer ($39 before Tax) and hope to to replace it in my 2013 SV model, as part of the 15K maintenance.
I brought it to a mechanic and he took out the glove compartment. We've looked at http://sfbayleafs.org/technical/diys/leaf-cabin-air-filter-replacement/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://rcbullock.blogspot.com/2014/03/2011-nissan-leaf-cabin-air-filter.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; as guidance.
However we just cannot find the white ice-cube tray or any slot to put the air filter in.

Can someone who has a 2013 SV shed some light?
TIA,
An

Maybe it doesn't look like an ice cube tray anymore?

Anyway, it's towards the rear of the center stack assembly. Stick your head into the hole left by removing the glove box assembly until your forehead hits the carpeted bulkhead and then rotate it so you're looking to the left.

 

[Phatcat73]

See my post on pg 2

 

[ahong]

Your post said on the 2013 the ice cube tray clip is black and not white. That's totally correct! Thank you. I've found it. It turns out one has to stick one's head under glove-compartment base to find it. The opening slot size is about half the width of the filter. The filter is an accordion style. It must be squeezed in half, width-wise to put it in the slot. The whole replacement procedure takes about 5 minutes. The design of the filter location is very questionable.
An

 

[jlv]

Thanks! It was pretty fast and easy to replace given those instructions sfbayleafs.org.

 

[dhanson865]

Your post said on the 2013 the ice cube tray clip is black and not white. That's totally correct! Thank you. I've found it. It turns out one has to stick one's head under glove-compartment base to find it. The opening slot size is about half the width of the filter. The filter is an accordion style. It must be squeezed in half, width-wise to put it in the slot. The whole replacement procedure takes about 5 minutes. The design of the filter location is very questionable.
An

agreed, I hated doing it, not comfortable when sitting in the passenger seat, not comfortable with your knees on the ground outside the car, not enough room to sit in the passenger foot well. Best I found was to have a 6 inch exercise step on the ground outside the car so I could kneel on it and reach under the dash.

 

[TorC]

Here is a video on how to change the cabin filter. I have done it myself several times, and it gets easier after a few times...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EKE_1FINXg

 

[Tsiah]

I thought everyone has their head out of their ass when it came to cabin filter placement at this point... All the ones I've done recently are just behind the glovebox in their own little tray that easily slides out and back in in 2 minutes. Nissan really dropped the ball here!
I just changed my filter with an atp brand off Amazon for $17.

 

[oz10k]

I just replaced my filter yesterday. My back is still sore.

I did not remove the glovebox, but I did remove the panel below it (just pull down). I was able to remove the clip by sliding the top slightly off, then gently twisting the bottom latch with a small screw-driver. I used a mirror to help see what I was doing.

I have a 2015 with a bit under 25,000 miles. The filter I removed was not very dirty.

From Amazon I bought an "Installer Champ Premium Breathe Easy Cabin Filter" for $16. This is a pretty nice filter, but I don't recommend it for the Leaf. To install a filter you need to really bend the ends into a semi-circle (C-shape), and with this filter the end material is just too stiff. I was able to get it installed, but I'm pretty sure it did not fully expand after insertion.

Here's a picture of the box for the new filter, with the old filter sitting on top:

Please post details if you found a flexible filter that's easier to compress during installation.

Ron

 

[GerryAZ]

I have used Wix and NAPA. Both have end panel material similar to the Nissan OEM so you can carefully flex them. The amount of dirt they collect really depends upon your climate. I replaced the filter in the 2011 twice and have also replaced the filter in the 2015 twice so far. Each time, the old filter had trapped much more dirt than the one pictured in the previous post.