How to Replace Cabin Air Filter 2010 - 2013 Mazda 3 

Not so easy unless you place the filters in exactly the right spot within the compartment. So I will share two pieces of info from own experience changing these filters: (1) Pay attention to the directional arrows on the filter frames to make sure the filters are facing in the right direction. The arrows must point to the front of the vehicle. The element with the foam strip is the upper element. The foam strip must be on top. (2) The filter compartment is considerably wider than the thickness of the filter elements themselves. Install the filters as far toward the rear of the vehicle as possible within the filter compartment. (3) The upper filter will generally not stay in place while you slide the lower filter underneath it. Be prepare to twist yourself into a pretzel in the floor of your car so you can hold the upper filter in place while sliding the lower filter underneath.

Thank you for teaching me how to do this. The dealership wanted to charge me nearly $100 to replace mine! $20 and 20 minutes later and not only do I have a new clean cabin filter, but I also have a new sense of accomplishment! You rock!

I'm 60 years old and have been driving since I was 16. I never even knew there was a cabin air filter! Thank you so much for this! Very easy to follow.

This is a great video. Mazda could not have put this in a worse spot lol.

Excellent video and narration! You saved me and looks like many others a lot of $. Everything went easy for me except for some reason, I couldn’t get the top filter to stay in place while reaching around to get the other filter. Kept trying and it finally stayed where it should. Bottom filter install and putting everything back together was a breeze. Thanks!

Just changed a ‘13 using this video in about 20 minutes. Don’t know anything about cars. Thanks a million!

I appreciate this video so much. I just did mine in about 15 minutes. Would’ve been quicker but I had to clean a bunch of wet leaves out of there. Thank you for the video!

Thanks! Great quality and clear.

Thanks a lot for sharing n doing such a great videos

Thanks for posting. They couldn't have put this in a more awkward spot.

Great video! Clear and concise instructions.

Pretty easy other than having to bend like a pretzel to see what you’re doing.

Very informative and to the point great DIY video. 👍

Thank you! With the help of this video I successfully found and solve problem with disconcerted plug of the fan.

Thanks for the video! Helped me save some $$$ from the dealership service!

Thanks a lot for the video 😁

This was perfect. The instruction sheet that came with my STP CAF said it was a difficult install and would take 30 minutes. Took me a little longer than you but not more than 10. Thanks.

Awesome vid bro, thx man!

thanks for this!

Great video I changed the filters in 10 minutes. Very helpful… 2012 MAZDASPEED 3…

Thank you for this video man

Putting it back in took me almost an hour 😠 man haha helpful video thank you!

Very useful, thanks.

Much better than previous gen, I have a 2008 and that thing was so difficult.

Thanks so much. Made my cabin air change way easier today!

Thank you for sharing how to change the filer , that let me save some dollar.

Thanks for great video

This is great thank you. For anyone thinks this is hard just go watch the video for the 2009 model, that was a horror show compared to this.

Omg!! That was a challenge. I didn’t know I was a contortionist 😅😆 I did it anyways, thank you very much 👍 God bless

thanks a lot. good and instructive video.

Thanks bro!

Very useful thanks

Thanks for making my life easier lol

Hi, i have a mazda 3 2011 and sometimes dust comes out when i turn the ac. Now im going to change my cabin air filter and hope it does not do it anymore during the summer.

I had never heard of a cabin filter before!

Appreciate for making this video I don't mean to say anything negative about it I just wanted to make 1 correction when putting the filters back in the one that has the foam on the top slides to the top of the housing and the other one slice underneath it..... In another words they not supposed to be one next to each other but they needs to be one on top of each other...... I repeat it again I'm not saying anything wrong the video... I just

Super perfect

I just replaced this cabin air filter, I have never considered suicide while on the job but this experience will change a man.

What is the little plug connected to the cover under the dash

Thanks for the video. I have mazda 3 2011 and the filters are stuck. I can't get them out. Any recommendations ?

I followed your instructions and now I hear a new sound when the fan is on, like a fan that needs a little of lubrication...which is not the case, just the kinda sound it makes. Any ideas?

Thanks

Is that on the passenger side of the vehicle? I'm guessing it's left hand drive also, is it? I'm trying to find it in my right hand drive Mazda and I can't. I'll try the passenger side on my vehicle. Thank a lot for your video.

You forgot to tell us which way the air flow. Great video

I may have missed it, did you mention the model number of the filter needed? Going to try and order one online and I can see me getting the wrong one.

Hello there, my car is exactly the same as yours showing in the video, and could you please tell me which of the engine filter and cabin air filters will fit in? (Brand FARM? But which one?) It definitely helps me out. Thanks

Way easier than first gen mazda 3s. Unfortunately i got the first gen

Are you sure they don’t stack on top of each other instead of side by side? The one with the foam goes on top. Foam to the top.

I have a 2011 Mazda 3. Got the filers in ok. My problem is getting the plastic piece in with the plastic card. Can't get in in to screw in.

I have an issue, the plastic with two tabs where the feats are dont stick on the back side to anything?! why?

If your in uk or your car is right hand drive the cabin filter can be reached from the passenger side .

Also whenever I put the top one in, it just falls down. I’m sure that has something to do with me not putting the new one in correctly.

Good video! How many years on that old filter?

I assume that the top filter fits in a channel but could not see you fit it thus because the blower motor resister was blocking my view.

Lort- my mechanic said the entire console needs to come out.

Thank you Mazda, for the hours of advanced Yoga to get the filter in place. Curses Toyota for making it a 2 minute job.

You from Boston? Lol maahhhzzda 3

It didn’t work for my 2011 Mazda 3 very upset

Great video but shame about the card piece blocking our view after 3.17. maybe if I wasn't so rigid, looks a massive faff to bend down there lol

Great, looks like Amazon sent me a 2014 filter (which is even easier to replace) rather than the double filter for the 2010 to 2013 models. @#$%

Helpful video but would have been so much better if you had moved and taped the component that was block everything you were doing while inserting the filter. No biggie.

The two filters are different and not interchangeable. You did not describe which one goes in first.

I own mine since 2016, I got bored and started changing both air filters, I went to change the cabin filter, it was really a pain in the ass to get to and there was no air filter, so I drove for more than 5 years without a cabin filter, that’s why I thought that the inside smelled like wet dog.

Thought this would be easy to do but looks like it’d be easy to screw something up.

Thank you for your post. It was very helpful. Even so, I think it might be improved with a little more detail about the installation of the upper filter. The upper filter install is quite tricky. The filter slides into the housing fairly easily, but pushing it upward and locking it in position is the tricky part. To push it upward, I had put my whole hand into the housing to maneuver the filter so it stays square to the side and top of the housing. To lock the filter to the top of the housing, the thin front edge of the filter has to fit squarely into a slot at the back of the housing. When the upper filter is locked in place, the second filter slides underneath it. It is helpful pair up the upper and lower filters prior to trying to install them to appreciate how the two filters fit together.

Would have been better if the sensor didn't block you installing it again

Wow what a pain, couldn't make it simple like toyota LOL

YOU SHOULD HAVE REMOVED THE RESISTOR SO WE COULD SEE HOW THEY FIT.

Thanks man but they dont look too dirty???? Wtf dude they're grey, almost black. You're effn crazy

not even close. a few things are missing. Its not this simple.

Seriously creator of this misleading, upper portion cannot be hold they way he is showing, you have to find holes which need to push inside so that upper filter can be hold, otherwise due to gravitational force it will come down. 1) filter which is having Foam part will be on top (it will go upward direction) 2) upper portion needs to put in into its slider which is on the left side then slide upward (make sure upper filter must be in its slider on left side) and then push into its holes which will help to hold upper portion. 3) if upper filter is not in hold position in its holes then down filter cannot be slide amd fixed in its place. Best way is to lay down inside and use both hand with the help of flash light. Time approx 15min if u manage to hold upper filter other wise you will spend hours and job will not be done.

The engineer who designed this set up should be mocked by his or her peers. Worst design ever.

Seriously creator of this misleading, upper portion cannot be hold they way he is showing, you have to find holes which need to push inside so that upper filter can be hold, otherwise due to gravitational force it will come down. 1) filter which is having Foam part will be on top (it will go upward direction) 2) upper portion needs to put in into its slider which is on the left side then slide upward (make sure upper filter must be in its slider on left side) and then push into its holes which will help to hold upper portion. 3) if upper filter is not in hold position in its holes then down filter cannot be slide amd fixed in its place. Best way is to lay down inside and use both hand with the help of flash light. Time approx 15min if u manage to hold upper filter other wise you will spend hours and job will not be done.