cabin air filter questions

[sawduck]

Hello all. Frequent lurker, first time poster. I did a search and found a few threads about the cabin air filter, but I had a question that hadn't been addressed.

First off, folks, if you think you'd like to get your cabin air filter changed, please don't. It's just too easy to do yourself. The dealership with charge you $31.15 for the filter, and then $28.80 for the labor. That's what my invoice says, any how. Here is a link to a PDF file for you. Click Toyota on the right and you'll see what to do. I am not advertising a product, by the way. These are the only online instructions I could find for free: http://www.micronair.us/

Now my question. On my invoice, it says, "Customer declined blower motor clean out." They didn't really ask me if I wanted one. The filter had a bunch of leaves and sticks on it when they showed it to me, which makes sense because I used to park under trees in town.

Has anyone gotten this blower motor clean out?

Also, it may be my imagination, or my distrust of mechanics, but I think my blower motor is making a strange humming sound now, as if some careless mechanic dropped sticks and leaves down into the hole. A few particles of leaves did come out of the vents, but really only a very few. There was a sound of something rattling in the blower motor housing when I first turned on the fan, but it stopped right away.

Has anyone changed the filter and had stuff fall off the top of the dirty filter down into the blower motor housing?

Any information would be appreciated.

Edit: I have a 2003 Corolla.

[dandxg]

I am just thinking out loud, could you get a compressor and blow it out yourself? I don't know just thinking, I need to change my filter too, it has 31k on it! Get the Haynes manual for sure before trying I would say.

[sawduck]

The thing is, if there is a stick down in there, compressed air won't get it out. That's what I'm most worried about. I'm still kicking myself for saying yes when they approached me about that dirty filter. I only went to the dealership in the first place because they were having an anniversary special on oil changes.
When you change yours, especially if you have parked under trees, be careful when you pull it out that sticks and leaves don't fall down into the blower housing.

[dandxg]

Well then all I can suggest is get the haynes manual or read the stickys on this website and see if you can figure out how to take it apart.

[burnt03]

Email me at shawngrundy@shaw.ca and I can send you a .pdf file with instructions. Sure doesn't look easy to get at though.

Replacing that cabin filter is super easy.

- open the glovebox.
- look on the right hand side of the box, remove the screw connecting glovebox to "ram".
- squeeze glovebox where it's stopped near top of opening and pull back.
- lift glovebox up and out.
- look under, you'll see a little black compartment with 2 clips on either side.
- Squeeze the clips, remove the cover.
- Pull out filter and note positioning (arrow supposed to be pointing up I believe)
- Reverse

Didn't think I'd be able to get that many steps in to do this

[SR5_4WD]

31K ?!?
Man no wonder I have athsma, mine has near 180K on it.

[Bad_dude]

I have a1999 corolla, does this car have the cabin filter?

[Flashmn]

I dont have a filter in my 1990