DIY: Cabin Air Filter Replacement
 

The Cabin Air Filter should be changed every 20k miles; or sooner if you detect an odor when driving, in particular shortly after starting out.

The Cabin Air Filter is located behind the glove box. Open the glove box and note the connecter arm (yellow circle) and retainer pin (red circle). There is a retainer pin on both sides.

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Start with the connecter arm, gently unsnap the arm's hook from the glovebox door (yellow circle) by pushing it towards the front of the car. Then press inward on both sides of the glovebox close to the retainer pins until the pins clear the frame (the sides are flexible) and you can lower the glove box door down:

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Now look inside at the filter frame and note the airflow direction arrows molded into the front of it. Airflow direction is down. Then note the two arrow shaped tabs on the filter frame (yellow circles). The arrow tabs point inward:

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Press inward on these tabs and slide the filter frame out of it's slot.

Lift the filter out of the frame and note that it too has airflow direction arrows pointing down:

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Put in the new filter with the airflow arrows pointing down to match the arrows on the frame and then slide it back into it's slot until the tabs click.

Flex the glove box sides in again and slip the retainer pins past the frame. Gently snap the connecter arm hook to the door. Shut the glove box.

Engage the K23 engine, depress throttle, breathe freely.

Very nicely done XLR8R! I'll know how to do it when that time comes to change it!

Looks very similar to instructions for my other Acura 2001 CLS. will be doing it myself :thumbsup:

Nice follow up post(good job)! :)

Great! and thank you. Another DIY way to save some cash for the mods.

I changed my TSX's cabin filter using a Honda Accord cabin filter (cheaper than Acura's). I don't know whether the RDX's is the same or not. My partner's RDX cabin filter should be changed around now. It's amazing how dirty these filters get. Does anybody know the part number or where you can get this air filter?

I think the rdx's one is similar to the crv's

Goto the WIX website and put in air filter for rdx (part lookup) and it will show what other vehicles its compatible with.

Use WIX (or napa gold both the same) they are good filters and priced good (both air and cabin as well as oil)

Pardon my ignorance guys. I just had my RDX in for service last week. I asked specifically when I should change the cabin filter and the tech told me, "The car will tell you." He meant that there was a service message triggered for this. I am surprised that the tech would BS me particularly when I was inviting him to do that service. There is no sensor that monitors the cabin filter or the air filter, is there?

He probably meant the Maintenance minder will let you know via service code (a1, b1 etc...) weather you have to change your cabin filter or not.

I changed mine at 13k and found it pretty dirty as with the air filter.

Thanks JMJ3rd for the wix filters.

Wow, less than two minutes to change the filter. Mine was quite dirty at just under 15k miles.

Cabin Air Filter choices:

Honda/Acura: part no. 80292-SEC-A01, active charcoal. This is the same filter for the Accord/Civic. Dealer price varies from $38 to $50. Call around.

Bosch: part no. P3875, electrostatic microfiber. About $30 at auto parts stores.

Purolator: part no. C35519, electrostatic microfiber (appears identical to Bosch). About $14 at auto parts stores.

Do you knows if the ATP Part # HA5 filter fit an 08 RDX.

it will, rdx cabin filter shares with a lot of other honda vehicles.

how many air filters are they in the RDX??

Thanks I did mine today and it was very easy. Bought the filter at Pep Boys for 14 bucks!

There's the cabin air filter behind the glove box and the engine air filter in the engine bay.

Does anyone have the active charcoal filter? I wonder if it makes much of a difference in neutralizing odors...

Oh, btw, everyone should be very careful with unhooking the plastic latch. It breaks easily. Luckily, the latch with the dampener doesn't cost much to replace.

I've used the ATP charcoal filter on past vehicles and it does make a difference as far as Lincoln tunnel traffic odors go. At one point they were cheaper than some of the standard cabin filter replacements on RockAuto so it was a no-brainer.

Worth it if it's more $$? I guess it depends on your area, my cabin filters are always black with city soot after a year. I guess if you live somewhere with clean air and some trees it might not be needed.

leaves in the filter?
 

I just installed my new cabin air filter and wow, was my old one dirty! 26k in NYC was not forgiving...:what: This thread was a great help! super easy job anyone can do this.

Did it today and it was easy as the A-B-C's. Hopefully this will fix the dust problem I've been having.

good stuff will do it this weekend!

super.. folks do it yourself, I just changed my cabin air filter in less than 5 minutes, its very easy, and saved myself at least 50 bucks. I got the filter from Acura dealer for $38, dealer was charging 94.99 to change the air filter!

WIX filters
 

I use the Wix filters for air and cabin and oil. The part numbers and prices in my area are:

Air Filter 49123 $11.92
Cabin Air Filter 24815 $11.41
Oil Filter 51356 $4.50

Have had no problems with any of them, about half the price of the dealer. If you can't find them locally, you can use someone like National Filters, although you may have to buy more than 1 at a time [I buy a box of whatever I need, and just throw it in the garage. I know I won't need to go to the store for a few years on some things!].

Just changed mine out never really frequented this DIY section much. thanks

love these kind of threads, big ups to the poster.

In this case is necessary to go oem?

nope, wix works well...ive ordered 2 bosch ones from rock auto and will see how they hold up.

mau108 do you have the oem part number for the air filter in the engine bay.

Thank you

does anyone know how to drop the blower motor in the rdx? I have junk that is in the blower and it makes a loud noise when the fan is turned up.

great great thread....i ordered the cabin filter and will be doing this as soon as it comes in...i went with the Acura/stock filter

I bought Mighty cabin filter from ebay for 10 dollars+ 5 for shipping.
Good quality same as OEM.

i received my filter...the "Acura" part number (80292-SEC-A01) is a Honda product (no surprise) paid 27 bucks.

I bought puralator for $15 that fits this car, looks pretty similar to Honda.

Acura want you to change cabin filter once a year. when i check my 3 month later it seen dirty. better check more offen.

In-Cabin Filter for 2007 RDX
 

Just went to Acura dealer for an oil chg. on 2007 RDX They said I needed a new in-cabin air filter, never been changed in 2 1/2 years. They wanted $95 to replace :ugh: I said I would buy one from them and replace myself.
Parts guy showed me 2 almost identical filters, 1 from Japan for around $45 and one from USA part # 80292-SDA-A01 for $25. (SDA) is lower priced filter. Bought the one for $25 and replaced it myself in about 5 minutes.
From the other posts seems like I could have found one for even less $ :thumbsup:

i did this over the weekend...took all of 1 minute. Unhook the clip on the right, push both sides of the bin in to take the plastic bumpers out of the guides, remove, replace, done

23k miles...the thing looked worse than a used chimney, including tons of pollen, bugs, tiny debris, leaves, etc.. GROSS. Ill be doing maybe every 20k.

i do it every 12k or every other oil change.

thanks for the insight..bookmarked it

+1

Thank you!

Will be doing this today.

That took a total of about 60 seconds.

22k and that thing was just sick.

Many thanks!