Air Filter location for replacement? MODEL Y

[woojoo005]

Hi.
I open the side panel at passenger seat to replace the ac filter. But I couldn't find it. It doesn't look as same as model 3. There are many videos from YouTube for only model 3. Not Y.
Do you know where it is located?
hope anyone can explain what to do in the picture.

It smells very bad...

 

[Walter Jacob]

maybe here? looks like a cover that can be removed and air filters will be located underneath

 

[N1L CO2]

Hi.
I open the side panel at passenger seat to replace the ac filter. But I couldn't find it. It doesn't look as same as model 3. There are many videos from YouTube for only model 3. Not Y.
Do you know where it is located?
hope anyone can explain what to do in the picture.

It smells very bad...

I would think the air filter locations are exactly the same as a M3 seeing how it shares all the dash/center console parts.

 

[Mike_TV]

I would think the air filter locations are exactly the same as a M3 seeing how it shares all the dash/center console parts.

Not only that I think the air filter parts, two of them, are exactly the same as the Model 3 too.

 

[Srad600Volt]

maybe here? looks like a cover that can be removed and air filters will be located underneath

Ding ding ding... that is exactly it. One screw and remove the cover, pull out the two filters.

 

[AllCattleNoHat]

Just did mine, the screw to remove the cover is now a 6mm hex head instead of the T-20 torx on the Model 3. Not overly difficult but not nearly as easy as it could be and is in many other cars. My car was built Sept 2020. Watch a video or look at some diagrams first, it's not intuitive as to which screw to remove from where as there are several once the carpeted panel is popped off and the under glovebox panel is removed. I think it was the screw closest to the front of the car. Remove that and the cover for the filters comes off, the cover just clips in at the top.

PS the original filters were Made in Germany on my car. Replacements from EPAuto at Amazon looked identical but Made in China and something like $9 for the set of two. Part# CP681. I've used filters from them for other cars without issue.

 

[Catbiscuits]

I just did mine. I used these XTechnor filters from amazon. $50 but they seem to get good reviews.

 

[Tha_Ape]

I'm gonna ressurect this thread just to stress how much of a pain this is (especially cleaning the evaporator coil). Taking the filters out is WAY more work than any other car I've ever had. I could deal with it if I only had to change them every 30k miles, but since my car smells like a gym sock when the AC initially kicks on, I figured I should clean the evaporator coil, too.

That evaporator coil is really hard to see, maybe I have a big head, but I almost needed to break out a boroscope to look in there. I've never had a smelly A/C in any of the cars I've owned over the past few decades, maybe I was just lucky.

What is a ~2min job with zero tools in my Prius is a 15min job (45min if you clean the evaporator coils) with the need for multiple tools. I'm sure you could probably get away with a screwdriver and a socket, but since I have a bunch of tools I used a trim removal tool, a T-20 bit/driver, and a flashlight (its dark in there). Also had to remove my floor mats.

Sorry for the gripe, just wanted to let others know what to expect

 

[chump408]

How often are you supposed to change out the filters besides when it starts to smell funky?

 

[Tha_Ape]

How often are you supposed to change out the filters besides when it starts to smell funky?

I think its 2-3 yrs, I'd have to look it up, but I'd imagine it coincides with changing the desiccant bag.

I'm hoping whatever changes they've made to the A/C fan operation mean I wont have to do it again for a while.

 

[Walter Jacob]

How often are you supposed to change out the filters besides when it starts to smell funky?

Tesla recommends replacing these filters every 2 years

 

[chump408]

Tesla recommends replacing these filters every 2 years

Thank you!

 

[Mike_TV]

It is. About a 5 min job on VW Passat but not as bad as an hour or so with an older Honda Pilot where you have to remove the glovebox.

I think its 2-3 yrs, I'd have to look it up, but I'd imagine it coincides with changing the desiccant bag.

I'm hoping whatever changes they've made to the A/C fan operation mean I wont have to do it again for a while.

The desiccant bag is every six years, internal to the AC system and is not related to the cabin filters in a functionality way AFAIK.

 

[SDM44]

I just did mine. I used these XTechnor filters from amazon. $50 but they seem to get good reviews.

After reading a handful of reviews and watching some videos on youtube, I decided not to get those "HEPA" style interior filters since they restrict the air flow coming out of your vents. From the videos I saw, it was a decent amount of air restriction in the interior and I already think the Model 3/Y cabin air flow isn't the greatest to begin with.

I went with these for less than half the price, and they're similar to the factory filters. Worst case, I'll just change them out every 6 months instead of every year if needed, but at least I'll have more air flow blowing at me - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089YDXTFS/