Tried to get mine replaced when I went for an oil change and they said "don't you have a friend who's mechanically inclined who can do this for you?"..... WHAAAAT 😂
OMG, I have a 3rd generation Mazda3 2014-2018, and the cabin air filter is just behind the glove box......Took me only 1 minute to change the filter.....Glad Mazda engineers came to their senses.....
I appreciate the assistance very informative but the guy that designed these little bitty tight spaces needs to be taken out back and horsewhipped repeatedly thanks again for the help
Amen to that brother! This has to be one of the most mediocre automotive designs ever. In most cars this procedure is trivial, however definitely NOT in this case.
The filters pretty much only go in one way but you’ll make your life easier paying attention to how the old ones were facing and positioned when you take them out. You definitely should unhook your battery and then unplug all the connectors to the fuse box and remove it. (Disconnecting the battery is optional but it could save you from frying your ECM...just sayin) I’m a former mechanic. I used power tools and did this in under 30 minutes, struggling a bit to get to those top screws on the filter box. Mostly cuz I’m old. I also cussed a lot. Nice video. Saved me from doing one!
Thanks for this, it gave me the courage to install the new filters I bought a couple of years ago and never got round to. The previous filters were installed wrong in my car, which didn't help. While the filters were dirty, I think it was the dried twigs and leaves blocking the filters that were the bigger problem. It's a lot easier to remove the fuse box assembly if you undo the bottom 3 fuse connectors first, the lever the box forward and tilt down into the forward latch position, then undo the top connectors, and then take the box all the way out. I found that out while re-installing it. Next time I buy a car I'm going to learn where the cabin air filter is before I buy.
A tip for inserting the filters HE SWITCHED THEM!! At 5:30 there’s a jump cut where he SWITCHES the filters. To align the filters the right way, make sure the foam seal goes on the top of the top filter. there’s a groove in between the filters which interfaces the top with the bottom filter. This is how they sit together. on the bottom of the bottom filter, there’s a protruding bit that fits into a groove at the bottom of the filter hole. to make sure they’re facing the right way, the longer protruding bits are the handles that should face outside, towards the installer. In short: 🇲🇹 goes on top, 🇬🇼 goes on the bottom. I hope this helps / makes sense i can clarify
Changed mine the other day after owning car for 7 years and i don't know if it was changed before, so it is possible that i did it for the first time :D
It's pretty simple actually. A 5min job even if it looks difficult. Just go for the extra mile and remove the fusebox right away so you don't need to struckle with tight space. The fusebox clips are simple to remove and reconnect. I would say getting the new filters in is the hardest part. When you get it done once It's a walk in the park the next time.
@@benjaminruggiero420 you do know that messing with fuse box, especial playing with those main harness connector increase the chance of bad contact and invisible wire breakage exponentially. For air filter which needs to be replacement annually to as little as 3 months (depends on where the car is driven) mess with the main fuse panel for every replacement is a very dumb idea....
After being on a few mazda fb groups, i thought it was just them that complained about everything. After seeing the comments on this video i guess its like 90% of mazda owners😂Go get some cheap harbor feight tools and get your hands dirty ffs. It took 25 min after watching this over once, awesome video thanks a bunch dude.
Thanks for the video. It really helped me avoid some pitfalls. I managed to do this in a little under an hour, so I figured that was pretty good. I think the most annoying part was having all those cable bundles dangling down in the way, while trying to get at the filter housing. It was hard to find a way to tuck them out of the way. Also, putting the fuse box back in required a lot of fiddling around. And to me, I really couldn't see a way to do this, without taking out the metal bracket that the fuse box mounts on. I was careful to look at the orientation of the old filters when I took them out. But getting the new ones in I didn't think was that hard. Annoyingly, the mechanic who did this the last time had installed the filters incorrectly. The bottom one was at a funny angle and not lined up in the track at the bottom of the housing where it was supposed to go. People should be aware that the filters, when installed correctly, should be right up against the air conditioning evaporator.
Thank you for the helpful video. I did a RHD 2008 hatch today. Process is identical however you can slide the bottom filter in first then the top one (the opening is a different shape). Still a painful job, I recommend outsourcing this one!
Omg, thank you so much. I. So glad i found your video. I have spend almost 4 hours struggling to fit it in. Only to realize, they had to be switched around. Thanks to your video i saw that
Past me: "I'll change my cabin air filter - it's *never a complete pain the balls." Day 73: "Today, with enough reverse engineering, I've come to the logical conclusion that Mazda started the design of this car model with the cabin air filter as the keystone and built the rest of the car around this beautifully, logically, and most especially - deepest - engineering component." 😐 Well done, Mazda. Masterful engineering for a commonly replaced part.
The engineers who devised and approved this insane setup need to be kicked in the nuts. My 2006's air conditioner stopped working so I want to replace the 17 year old cabin filters, which I didn't even know existed until last year, to see if that magically fixes the problem. It'll probably take me two hours to get done what this guy did in 10 minutes and with my luck won't fix my problem.
I just fixed the air conditioner on my 2008 with one of those bottles of A/C Pro refrigerant you can get from Walmart or wherever. Maybe give that a try? I'm dreading replacing the cabin filter which probably needs to happen soon...
I just did my 2007 Mazda 3 and it made a big difference. My AC wouldn't blow strong air before and would probably freeze up and wouldn't work. My air is working great now but this is a pain in the ass unless you're a contortionist.
This was a great reference. Managed to get this done although getting the second filter to slide into place was a massive pain. Probably took me 45-1hr taking my time
thanks dude! thoughts while watching: - This is just the air filter change video, right? Why is he taking the whole car apart. - Oh, that's where the fuse box has been hiding! Jesus, Mazda.
Thanks for making this video, huge help! 1 hour of fidgeting later, new air filters are in. Did the filter cover really need FOUR screws?! Surely 3 would've been plenty...
no need for removal of anything other than bracket, lower the fuse panel cover and side cover yall, also back 2 top screws on filter opening cover dont need to be on, just the bottom 2, holds it on just fine
Holy hell. Might as well just tape my filters on the outside of my AC vents. 🤦♂️ no wonder the mechanic always says they don't have time for it that day.
My mechanic even said the worse. "Your car doesn't have cabin filter, it relies on your engine air filter" You don't have to be an expert to deduced that engine and my lungs is a separate thing 😂
Mazda sh*t is not very bright... look up pcv replacement for mazda 3. You basically gonna spend like 6 hrs to torn the whole front of the engine apart to replace a 10 dollar parts which most of the car have it sitting on top of the valve cover took less than a minute to change.
I can't get the nut off the left side on the fuse box holder panel. Like I think it's seized in there good. Right is loose. Can I cut the nut and replace it with one from the hardware store?
Did this today. 15 minutes to get the filter out, 15 minutes to put the new filter in and button everything up. One and a half hours cleaning out the filter bay. Don't think it had ever been done. Nasty!
WHY are you going to "cheat" - 1:38 - while trying to get the filters out AFTER you take the fuse box down, and not BEFORE that? You had better chance to "cheat" when the fusebox was attached in its place; right!
I did this, when I plugged the fuse box back in, I lost my high beams, wipers, turn signals and fog lights. The emergency brake light is stuck on as well. Help
Anytime you remove a fuse block like this, you should disconnect the battery first and allow the car a few minutes to discharge. Turn your lights on then off can help. Also those fuse blocks are a pain in the ass and sometimes dont fully seat. Make sure the handle is fully down, which helps it lock into place. Be extra careful because you can easily break or damage wires when doing this service.
@@mechdjango3490 ok i just wanted to rule that out because i did a full tune up before replacing the battery, and right after on the start up she was blaring the horn and the dash and the small red alarm light were flashing
I just did mine and it is ridiculous how they designed it for things that need to be replaced. I did my wife's Hyundai and it took 2 minutes. I will not be replacing cabin air filters on my Mazda again.
Whoever designed this cabin air filter setup should be fired. Absolutely terrible location. I don't need tools at all to do my Subaru. Literally takes 3 minutes.
LOL, Audi bud? Really? Enjoy your burnt rings and electrical gremlins. These Mazda 3's are super solid if you take care of them and do regular preventative maintenance. 90% of my 2008 is still OEM with 250k miles
Unbelievable, this is insane, Mazda should be ashamed of themselves.
They did this on purpose with pride, so that you go to their stealership for everything. So many things on this car is designed this way.
Absolutely ridiculous, I just replaced these and what a pain.
That's Fords for you.
Tried to get mine replaced when I went for an oil change and they said "don't you have a friend who's mechanically inclined who can do this for you?"..... WHAAAAT 😂
OMG, I have a 3rd generation Mazda3 2014-2018, and the cabin air filter is just behind the glove box......Took me only 1 minute to change the filter.....Glad Mazda engineers came to their senses.....
With FOMOCO stamped on everything, I blame Ford
it looks like i will not be changing my air filters after all
Lmfao 😂
I did it. Don’t recommend. This guide is probably the most accurate and helpful way to do it.
Thought the same thing it's actually really easy
This cracked me up. I was watching this vid and I'm thinking, I guess I'll just leave the dirty ones in there. Jeezuz.
It’s a little finicky, but well worth the fresh air if your filters are dirty. I could not believe how much dirt was packed into mine!
I appreciate the assistance very informative but the guy that designed these little bitty tight spaces needs to be taken out back and horsewhipped repeatedly thanks again for the help
Amen to that brother! This has to be one of the most mediocre automotive designs ever. In most cars this procedure is trivial, however definitely NOT in this case.
The filters pretty much only go in one way but you’ll make your life easier paying attention to how the old ones were facing and positioned when you take them out. You definitely should unhook your battery and then unplug all the connectors to the fuse box and remove it. (Disconnecting the battery is optional but it could save you from frying your ECM...just sayin)
I’m a former mechanic. I used power tools and did this in under 30 minutes, struggling a bit to get to those top screws on the filter box. Mostly cuz I’m old. I also cussed a lot.
Nice video. Saved me from doing one!
Thanks for this, it gave me the courage to install the new filters I bought a couple of years ago and never got round to.
The previous filters were installed wrong in my car, which didn't help. While the filters were dirty, I think it was the dried twigs and leaves blocking the filters that were the bigger problem.
It's a lot easier to remove the fuse box assembly if you undo the bottom 3 fuse connectors first, the lever the box forward and tilt down into the forward latch position, then undo the top connectors, and then take the box all the way out. I found that out while re-installing it.
Next time I buy a car I'm going to learn where the cabin air filter is before I buy.
A tip for inserting the filters
HE SWITCHED THEM!! At 5:30 there’s a jump cut where he SWITCHES the filters.
To align the filters the right way, make sure the foam seal goes on the top of the top filter.
there’s a groove in between the filters which interfaces the top with the bottom filter. This is how they sit together.
on the bottom of the bottom filter, there’s a protruding bit that fits into a groove at the bottom of the filter hole.
to make sure they’re facing the right way, the longer protruding bits are the handles that should face outside, towards the installer.
In short: 🇲🇹 goes on top, 🇬🇼 goes on the bottom.
I hope this helps / makes sense i can clarify
Thank you for letting me know that I won’t be doing all that
Very good info. Heard some people sick because there air filter gets so dirty. They never think to change it.
Changed mine the other day after owning car for 7 years and i don't know if it was changed before, so it is possible that i did it for the first time :D
@@setonas23 z
@@setonas23.. "q
Sigh, I’ve been putting this off too long, why can’t Mazda have made this more
straightforward.
Its not all that bad but yes you are correct Mazda couldve made this much more straightforward
It's pretty simple actually. A 5min job even if it looks difficult. Just go for the extra mile and remove the fusebox right away so you don't need to struckle with tight space. The fusebox clips are simple to remove and reconnect. I would say getting the new filters in is the hardest part. When you get it done once It's a walk in the park the next time.
@@benjaminruggiero420 you do know that messing with fuse box, especial playing with those main harness connector increase the chance of bad contact and invisible wire breakage exponentially. For air filter which needs to be replacement annually to as little as 3 months (depends on where the car is driven) mess with the main fuse panel for every replacement is a very dumb idea....
After being on a few mazda fb groups, i thought it was just them that complained about everything. After seeing the comments on this video i guess its like 90% of mazda owners😂Go get some cheap harbor feight tools and get your hands dirty ffs. It took 25 min after watching this over once, awesome video thanks a bunch dude.
Thanks for the video. It really helped me avoid some pitfalls. I managed to do this in a little under an hour, so I figured that was pretty good.
I think the most annoying part was having all those cable bundles dangling down in the way, while trying to get at the filter housing. It was hard to find a way to tuck them out of the way. Also, putting the fuse box back in required a lot of fiddling around. And to me, I really couldn't see a way to do this, without taking out the metal bracket that the fuse box mounts on.
I was careful to look at the orientation of the old filters when I took them out. But getting the new ones in I didn't think was that hard. Annoyingly, the mechanic who did this the last time had installed the filters incorrectly. The bottom one was at a funny angle and not lined up in the track at the bottom of the housing where it was supposed to go. People should be aware that the filters, when installed correctly, should be right up against the air conditioning evaporator.
Thank you for the helpful video.
I did a RHD 2008 hatch today. Process is identical however you can slide the bottom filter in first then the top one (the opening is a different shape). Still a painful job, I recommend outsourcing this one!
I always wondered where the Filter was. Thanks for the Video, I have ordered a new filter and will have a go at fitting it when it arrives.
This was such a huge pain in the ass; thanks for the video
Omg, thank you so much. I. So glad i found your video. I have spend almost 4 hours struggling to fit it in. Only to realize, they had to be switched around. Thanks to your video i saw that
Awesome! 👏 and thank you for watching
that eyeglass commercial been saying today is the last day but its not
Past me: "I'll change my cabin air filter - it's *never a complete pain the balls."
Day 73: "Today, with enough reverse engineering, I've come to the logical conclusion that Mazda started the design of this car model with the cabin air filter as the keystone and built the rest of the car around this beautifully, logically, and most especially - deepest - engineering component."
😐 Well done, Mazda. Masterful engineering for a commonly replaced part.
The engineers who devised and approved this insane setup need to be kicked in the nuts. My 2006's air conditioner stopped working so I want to replace the 17 year old cabin filters, which I didn't even know existed until last year, to see if that magically fixes the problem. It'll probably take me two hours to get done what this guy did in 10 minutes and with my luck won't fix my problem.
I just fixed the air conditioner on my 2008 with one of those bottles of A/C Pro refrigerant you can get from Walmart or wherever. Maybe give that a try? I'm dreading replacing the cabin filter which probably needs to happen soon...
I just did my 2007 Mazda 3 and it made a big difference. My AC wouldn't blow strong air before and would probably freeze up and wouldn't work. My air is working great now but this is a pain in the ass unless you're a contortionist.
Great vid. My daughter’s first car project, big help.
This was a great reference. Managed to get this done although getting the second filter to slide into place was a massive pain. Probably took me 45-1hr taking my time
Do I need to disconnect the battery first before removing the fuse box?
Yes that would be best
Tried it today, it was one of the most acrobatic filter changes ever. Ill never understand how these engineers come up with so many stupid ideas
thanks dude!
thoughts while watching:
- This is just the air filter change video, right? Why is he taking the whole car apart.
- Oh, that's where the fuse box has been hiding! Jesus, Mazda.
Cabin air filter in 2003-2008 mazda 3 and it's a pain in the !
Nice video thanks 😊! I am pretty sure the connectors won't mix up. 😉
Thanks for making this video, huge help! 1 hour of fidgeting later, new air filters are in. Did the filter cover really need FOUR screws?! Surely 3 would've been plenty...
Wow Mazda really I did them on this one they made it such a big issue to replace a common item that needs maintenance and replacement.
Came all the way to the channel to like this thank you Man great video it helped
thx mate the bosch manual was opposite and didnt help. your video did 👍
no need for removal of anything other than bracket, lower the fuse panel cover and side cover yall, also back 2 top screws on filter opening cover dont need to be on, just the bottom 2, holds it on just fine
Holy hell. Might as well just tape my filters on the outside of my AC vents. 🤦♂️ no wonder the mechanic always says they don't have time for it that day.
My mechanic even said the worse. "Your car doesn't have cabin filter, it relies on your engine air filter" You don't have to be an expert to deduced that engine and my lungs is a separate thing 😂
that is BULL!! Who designed that, take the fuse board out??? madness. Should just be under the glovebox like most cars inc. toyota from this era
Right?! 🤣
Mazda sh*t is not very bright... look up pcv replacement for mazda 3. You basically gonna spend like 6 hrs to torn the whole front of the engine apart to replace a 10 dollar parts which most of the car have it sitting on top of the valve cover took less than a minute to change.
Damn lol this sucked to do.
Make sure you've got a headlamp, people! Cushion for the knees would be good too.
What exactly do I touch under the bonnet to make it safe? Just remove the negative battery connection or..?
Yes just remove the negative cable
Typo sorry should not be horsewhipped. Taken out and flog thoroughly don't be mean to the horse
Thanks this video helped a lot!
Thinking a post factory delete is in order for my EOL car just to get by.
Not straight forward at all
thank for your video. I decide to let boss earn my money instead of let me do this hard working.
Ford Motor Company deserve an uppercut for the poor design and access to the cabin filters. Absolute Muppets.
The foam goes down in some later versions of the 1st Gen Mazda 3
Pro tip you dont have to remove that piece with the connectors on it. This will save you huge amount of time
Great video
Silly place
Which way should the air flow towards the cabin or towards the engine
I can't get the nut off the left side on the fuse box holder panel. Like I think it's seized in there good. Right is loose. Can I cut the nut and replace it with one from the hardware store?
Similar issue, I reassembled it to try again later with our family mechanic helping
Did this today. 15 minutes to get the filter out, 15 minutes to put the new filter in and button everything up. One and a half hours cleaning out the filter bay. Don't think it had ever been done. Nasty!
Thanks brother 👊💪
Is this an American car ⁉️ my glove box is on the left hand side 🤷
Hi, i just changed my filter today and Check engine light came on after the whole process. Any tips on how can i get rid of that?
me it's brake light and cannot shut the door car with the fob xD, did you solve it ??
Now I'm hesitating to even replace cabin filter 😂 Did you guys already solved it?
Thanks for the video! This design is atrocious tho. SMH.
WHY are you going to "cheat" - 1:38 - while trying to get the filters out AFTER you take the fuse box down, and not BEFORE that? You had better chance to "cheat" when the fusebox was attached in its place; right!
Very helpful
Thanks !
literally havn't changed my filter in 10 years cause ive been annoyed to do it again
dancing queen
Good job 💪
I did this, when I plugged the fuse box back in, I lost my high beams, wipers, turn signals and fog lights. The emergency brake light is stuck on as well. Help
same light brake... did you solve it ??
Did u solve it?
Anytime you remove a fuse block like this, you should disconnect the battery first and allow the car a few minutes to discharge. Turn your lights on then off can help. Also those fuse blocks are a pain in the ass and sometimes dont fully seat. Make sure the handle is fully down, which helps it lock into place. Be extra careful because you can easily break or damage wires when doing this service.
Time to sell after watching this video
Does anyone know if changing the air cabin filter, while having the battery disconnected, could cause the car to go into anti theft mode???
Please I need help my car is a paper weight right now!
That would be the most uncommon thing
@@mechdjango3490 ok i just wanted to rule that out because i did a full tune up before replacing the battery, and right after on the start up she was blaring the horn and the dash and the small red alarm light were flashing
I just did mine and it is ridiculous how they designed it for things that need to be replaced. I did my wife's Hyundai and it took 2 minutes. I will not be replacing cabin air filters on my Mazda again.
Bruh this shit took me an hour to do :( fkn Mazda
A great operation for fatal solution
Thanks but the music in the background was horrible! Get rid of it
it was so good my absolute favorite soundtrack
I was wondering why my boss only gave me a cabin filter to do. The aprrentice abuse doesn't end😔
Well most are pretty easy except this one.
Worst design ever by Mazda back in the days when it was influenced by ford
If I really have to remove all that I'll just pay some a****** hundred bucks to do it
I did it myself it was a pain in the ass make sure you vacuum it out before you put the new one in there is a slot
They charge 200.00 around here
Damn all that for a cabin air filter lol they really wanted to make it hard on us huh really regret totaling my last car lol
Well if that is the definition of awkward or what
This suuucks. I just left them out. Definitely not doing that again
What a cluster f#*k of a design lol can u do mine for me
Whoever designed this cabin air filter setup should be fired. Absolutely terrible location. I don't need tools at all to do my Subaru. Literally takes 3 minutes.
What tf mazda
Nice now i hate this car
same 😂
@@zea2031 hahaha😂😂
Thanks ! It s very very shit car.. Mazda is 00000 quality i like AUDI FOR LIFE
LOL, Audi bud? Really? Enjoy your burnt rings and electrical gremlins. These Mazda 3's are super solid if you take care of them and do regular preventative maintenance. 90% of my 2008 is still OEM with 250k miles