How-to: Replace your cabin air filter (Mini Cooper / S)
There seems to be little information on the Internet about how to do this - the most useful article simply said “Take note of how you remove the filter so it’s not so frustrating putting the new one in”. Helpful. Especially when you (like me) removed the filter a month earlier and have not been able to find a replacement unit and have to put the old one back in temporarily.
This is what the interior cabin air filter will look like - I’ve heard it may come in a range of trim colours including white, grey and yellow. Mine is black. Click the image for a larger version:
The box containing the air filter is on the passenger side of the vehicle under the glovebox and has 4 clips which are quite tricky to remove - 2 at the front of the box, 2 behind. Don’t worry about putting pressure on the insulation/firewall behind the box when undoing the rear clips. My air filter box also had the Nokia car kit speaker screwed into the cover - that has since been removed.
This is what the cover will look like once unclipped from the box (click the image for a larger version):
The filter is quite long and slides on rails; Slide it out along the rails after flipping out the end closest to the door as it’s tucked in.
I’ve posted a photo of the air filter box (taken with my ultra wide angle lens) on flickr so I could put notes on it; click the image below to view it on flickr:









February 4th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Have you found mini2.com or northamericanmotoring.com - I would expect both sites to have had a how-to for this DIY???
I expect Nick Hodge may have already pointed you in these directions in any case.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Yep I’m registered at the MINI2 forum - and I’ve posted my question and a link to this guide in the only thread I found about cabin air filters there.
I’m not on North American Motoring though - I’ll have a look.
Thanks,
May 15th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Very helpful thanks!!
July 1st, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Thanx a lot. Very helpful
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Awesome, I’m going to check mine tomorrow.
September 7th, 2008 at 3:26 am
Thanks for the help…..I also sprayed some Ozium in the chamber to help kill bad oder