How to replace the cabin filter on a Nissan Qashqai with your own hands

A cabin filter installed in a car performs certain tasks, namely, it cleans the air in the car’s interior, and also acts as a kind of dust collector. Therefore, in order for clean and fresh air to enter the car interior, the cabin filter must be changed periodically.

Replacing the cabin filter is a rather complex and time-consuming process, but the car owner will be able to cope with this task on his own, because this procedure does not involve the use of special tools. To change the filter, you only need:

• actually a new filter;
• slotted screwdriver;
• Phillips screwdriver;
• cotton gloves;
• small flashlight.
• Key to "8"

Note from the forum: Replacing the cabin filter CORRECTLY is not so easy. Why? Because you need to first remove the damper drive “for heat” and the pedal assembly! You can push it in without removing it, as they do at the “official” service... Only with this installation, the filter shamelessly crumples and does not straighten out... leaving holes. Dust can cause the air conditioner evaporator to break.

ATTENTION!

• The arrow labeled AIR FLOW indicates the direction of air flow as it should pass through the filter - if the air flow is from top to bottom, then set in the direction of the arrow (top to bottom).
• If the arrow is accompanied by the inscription UP , this indicates which side (in this case up) it should be installed.
• If there are no inscriptions, they must be installed with “petals” against the air movement.

The extremely dense layout makes it difficult to access even the most popular consumables. The cabin filter is no exception. Replacing it yourself, especially when done for the first time, can take a lot of time, physical and mental effort.

But after completing this procedure, you will understand why car service centers are extremely reluctant to do it, and such a service costs much more than the filter itself. And this does not guarantee that the work will be done with proper quality. Therefore, the desire to save money here is quite commendable.

Replacing the cabin filter with removing the pedal assembly

The problem is that the Nissan Qashqai crossover is represented by two generations, differing in body style:

• the first generation in the J10 body was produced during 2006-2014;
• the second (in the J11 body) rolled off the assembly line from 2014 to the present.

Although the filters themselves are compatible, their placement is different. Accordingly, the replacement procedure itself will differ markedly. It is worth noting that, regardless of the year of manufacture, all Qashqais are equipped with air conditioning or climate control, so the presence of a cabin filter is simply necessary here - otherwise the life of the climate system will be greatly reduced due to the penetration of dust and other pollutants into its components.

When is the Nissan Qashqai cabin filter replaced?

The service book states that routine replacement of the air purification filter of the ventilation system should be carried out at every second service. If we translate this in terms of mileage, then the operation should be performed every 20,000-30,000 kilometers.

In fact, replacement should be done more often, especially if the car is forced to spend a lot of time in city traffic jams and congestion, or if its operating conditions force it to often drive on country roads without a hard surface.

Failure to comply with the requirement to replace the filter element will lead to contamination of the heater radiator and the evaporator of the air conditioning system, as a result of which the efficiency of winter heating or summer cooling of the air in the cabin will sharply decrease.

Many Nissan Qashqai owners, when planning to replace the Qashqai cabin filter, are guided not by regulatory deadlines, but by the actual condition of the filter element. This can be determined by a number of very clear and definite symptoms:

• when a persistent foreign odor appears in the interior of the crossover, the source of which is the deflector holes (this is clear evidence that the layer with activated carbon has become so saturated with volatile substances that, instead of restraining the penetration of unpleasant aromas into the car, it itself becomes a source of their generation);
• if the efficiency of interior airflow (regardless of whether the heater or air conditioner is on or only the fan is running) drops noticeably;
• when dust visible to the naked eye begins to fly in the cabin.

Signs of unsuitability

• Unpleasant smell in the cabin. A dirty cabin air filter may become moldy. This smell will be impossible to remove from the cabin.
• Deterioration of heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems. The stove simply stops blowing with the same force.
• Increased fuel consumption.
• Dust flies in the cabin. This means that it does not settle in the filter and goes out into the cabin.

A dirty cabin air filter accelerates wear and tear on your vehicle's air conditioning and heating systems.

A clogged cabin filter is a breeding ground for germs and diseases. Timely replacement saves car systems from expensive repairs and preserves the health of car owners.

Choosing a cabin filter

The manufacturer recommends using exclusively original consumables, which, in general, is not surprising. The problem is that the Nissan-Renault alliance has an established habit of constantly revising, changing and renaming the range of consumables, which also applies to the cabin filter.

The first option had catalog number 27277-EN000. However, if you use the search by VIN number, you may not find this consumable. Instead, other numbers may be issued (No. 27277-EN025, as well as No. 999M1-VS007).

For all that, this is absolutely the same filter. But that’s not all: the same product can be supplied to dealership service centers under different article numbers, which can further confuse those who want to purchase the original product. Due to the low cost of the filter element, such a desire seems quite justified - using a non-original consumable is not much more profitable from a financial point of view.

However, in some retail outlets the price of an original Nissan Qashqai cabin filter may turn out to be greatly inflated due to trade markups - in this case, it makes sense to purchase a non-original consumable item. In particular, cabin filters from:

• PKF "Nevsky Filter" (article - NF-6351), characterized by decent quality at a budget price;
• TSN (article 97.371), but it is worth considering that this product does not have a layer with activated carbon;
• TSN under article 97.372 is more expensive, but refers to carbon filters;
• Mann (item CU1936);
• Filtron (item K1255);
• Delphi TSP (article 0325 227C);
• Knecht (item LA396).

It makes sense to take a closer look at the products of the companies Sat, Asakashi, Concord, Bronco, Corteco, GodWill - they also specialize in the production of high-quality consumables for passenger cars.

It makes sense to focus on price if you are choosing one of two types of filters, regular or carbon, since they are in different price categories. The first ones are designed to purify the air from mechanical pollutants of a certain size and cost about 300-800 rubles.

Coal products are approximately twice as expensive, but provide additional purification from volatile substances, high molecular weight gases and pathogenic microflora, bringing the degree of purification to a qualitatively different level.

True, you have to pay for this by reducing the throughput of the filter element, but throughout the entire life of the product you will be free from unpleasant odors, burning and carbon dioxide.

Carbon cabin filters from Corteco and GodWill have proven themselves quite well - having a relatively low price, they have a quality that allows them to compete with original products at a decent level.

In principle, the same filters are suitable for both generations of Qashqai, since their seat geometry is the same. At the same time, experts claim that on the second generation Nissan Qashqai, you can easily install a filter element with an accordion located longitudinally - it is easy to install and at the same time difficult to dent.

It is quite possible that sellers will recommend that you replace the Qashqai cabin filter with non-original cheap filters with a much smaller thickness than the original. We would not recommend buying them, since their filtering performance is unlikely to be up to the mark.

Replacing the cabin filter on a Nissan Qashqai J10

Obviously, not all owners of a city crossover are friendly with the tools used to repair them. But the opportunity to save considerable money forces many inexperienced beginners to try their hand at this difficult task, which in fact turns out to be not so difficult.

You don’t need to look for or purchase any special tools for this. It’s enough to prepare a flathead and Phillips screwdriver, the filter itself, and a small LED flashlight will come in handy, since you’ll have to work in cramped conditions. The algorithm for replacing the Nissan Qashqai 2011 cabin filter is as follows:

• the procedure is carried out directly from the passenger compartment, so you should move the driver’s seat as far as possible towards the rear row;
• to ensure good access to the filter element, you should somehow fix the accelerator pedal all the way down;

• the next step is to dismantle the plastic casing located on the right side; this is done by snapping the casing using a flat-head screwdriver or by hand and moving it to the right. This must be done as carefully as possible, so as not to damage the easily broken latches (owners of mobile phones know what we are talking about). If the replacement takes place in the cold season, it is necessary to heat the interior while the engine is running - in this case, the plastic will not be as fragile as in the cold;

Note: Be sure to remember (or better yet, take a photo) what position the throttle switch gear in the cabin is in.

• Now you need to work with the control unit (see photo above). You can unscrew it with a Phillips screwdriver or an “8” key. This block should be set to the correct position: the temperature is set to the maximum position, and the stove is set to the windshield blowing mode.
• We remove the damper drive bracket, since it will also prevent the removal of the cabin filter;
• Now to the right of the accelerator pedal you can see the filter cover, which needs to be removed. It is held in place by 2 latches, which can be pryed off with a flat-head screwdriver from below, as shown in the picture below. (this operation must also be performed extremely carefully);

Cabin filter cover

• Now nothing prevents us from removing the filter element itself;
• Installing a new cabin filter is not difficult, but to do this it is better to bend its housing a little, fortunately it is made of soft plastic. Once in its normal place, it will straighten without the formation of cracks. We especially note that the orientation of the filter housing matters. Therefore, we pay attention to the arrow drawn on the end of the product - it should look in the direction of the floor;
• Having installed the new filter element in its original place, we press slightly on its end so that it straightens out and fits into the seat as tightly as possible;
• We perform all other operations in reverse order.

Preparing for replacement

To replace the filter on the Qashqai J10, you only need a Phillips and flathead screwdriver. For Nissan Qashqai J11, in addition, there is also a hex key. In both cases, you need a flashlight that is powerful enough. Filters are located in hard-to-reach places. In Qashqai there is 1 at the foot of the driver's seat, in Qashqai there are 2 in the passenger seat. To make it more convenient, it is better to take a headlamp or a magnetic flashlight so that both hands are free.

Also, before starting work, you should warm up the car and drive it into a warm room. Move the seats (driver or passenger, depending on the model) to the extreme position.

Some tips for replacing the cabin filter in a Nissan Qashqai j10

Dismantling the damper drive is a responsible operation that requires making marks on the housing and shaft, since if the splines are displaced during reinstallation, the temperature conditions of the stove will be disrupted. More details here.

Before starting work, it is advisable to set the heater damper to the extreme left or right position - in this case, you will not need to look for the middle position. To lower the accelerator pedal down, disconnect the pedal drive, after which it will move down until it hits the floor. To make it easier to install the new SF in its original place, you can twist it slightly along the longitudinal axis.

Useful tips

To carry out the procedure for replacing the filter yourself and not harm yourself and the car, the following tips will help:

1. The plastic cover of the center console should only be removed in a warm car and in a warm room. In the cold, the plastic becomes too brittle and there is a high risk of breaking the latches.
2. If replacing the Nissan Qashqai cabin filter is expected in the fall, then you should wait until the leaves fall and the leaves are cleared from the roads. Fallen leaves easily and quickly clog the filter, resulting in a much shorter lifespan.
3. To return the throttle switch gear in the cabin to the desired position after finishing work, you should put some marks (for example, with a marker) and, best of all, take a photo of it.
4. To make it easy to put the new cabin filter in place, you can twist it slightly along the longitudinal axis or bend it. Its body is made of fairly flexible and elastic plastic. Therefore, it is difficult to break, and once in the right place, it can easily straighten out on its own.
5. The correct operation of the filter depends on its correct placement. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the arrows or other marks indicated on it (depending on the manufacturer).

Correct and timely replacement of this consumable guarantees the correct operation of the stove and air conditioner, as well as comfort in the car interior. The air will not only be cleaner, but also safer for health, especially if you choose a carbon filter that traps pathogenic microflora.