In-Cabin Air Filter Replacement

[killrwheels]

Anyone replace the in-cabin filter to date ??? Did you use a GM filter or have you been able to find a charcoal or carbon impregnated filter which are said to be much better and work longer ???

 

[Mad*Max]

Anyone replace the in-cabin filter to date ??? Did you use a GM filter or have you been able to find a charcoal or carbon impregnated filter which are said to be much better and work longer ???

go with this:

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/TYC-800149C-Lacrosse-Replacement-Filter/dp/B0041TOQ92[/ame]

 

[mmadden2]

How difficult is this to change?

My 2012 manual states... The filter should be replaced as part of routine scheduled maintenance. See Maintenance Schedule on page 11‑3 for replacement intervals. For more information, see your dealer.

The 2011 manual actually describes the replacement process. This new omission makes me wonder if it's a pain the buns or if they are just looking for a way to make a few more bucks doing it for you...

Sad to say, but after looking at this, I'm stuck on instruction 1. I'm good at opening the passenger door 🙂 then I'm confused... "Remove the end cover located on the side of the instrument panel in the top right corner." Huh?

 

[AK Goat]

How difficult is this to change?

Sad to say, but after looking at this, I'm stuck on instruction 1. I'm good at opening the passenger door 🙂 then I'm confused... "Remove the end cover located on the side of the instrument panel in the top right corner." Huh?

Yeah, I'm not sure where those instructions in the manual came from because they made absolutely no sense when I tried to replace my cabin filter. 😕 I didn't check online (there may be better instructions there) but I had the dealer install my filter when I took the car in for service. They didn't charge much to do the install so it could not have taken more than a couple minutes.

 

[InfiniteImp]

Dead simple to replace. I bought replacement filters off eBay - inexpensive and effective.

 

[mmadden2]

Dead simple to replace. I bought replacement filters off eBay - inexpensive and effective.

The instructions I posted above are in both the 2010 & 2011 manual (the 2012 & 2013 say 'see dealer').

Apparently I'm dead simple... can you elaborate on this process?

 

[GolfingDuo]

The instructions I posted above are in both the 2010 & 2011 manual (the 2012 & 2013 say 'see dealer').

Apparently I'm dead simple... can you elaborate on this process?

Those instructions are pretty vague. They don't really have a step by step feel to them. Currently I am away from my car. It is in Boston and I am in Little Rock AR. As soon as I get home and a little time maybe I can develop a process for that. It would be nicer though if the manufacturer would have had Americans write it instead of Chinese.

Bring back our JOBS GM!!!!!

 

[mmadden2]

Currently I am away from my car.

Might be better to practice on someone else's anyway. Do you have a mall parking lot or business park nearby?

 

[GolfingDuo]

Might be better to practice on someone else's anyway. Do you have a mall parking lot or business park nearby?

Nah. Right now I am at a military school in North Little Rock hoping that Isaac will not delay my departure. I fly tomorrow or so I am scheduled.

As for practicing on someone elses car well I am a good test case honestly. I am unique in that I am mechanically inclined and can translate to english proceedures that work.

 

[HMTJ6821]

The end cap on the right side of the dash has four spring clips that hold the piece on. I have replaced the passenger compartment air filter three times now (2010) and find the process relatively easy although my 67 year old frame disagrees.

You DO want to be careful when trying to remove that end cap. Using your finger nails will probably only end up with broken finger nails. Using a flat bladed screw driver has a tendency to make a permanent dent in the dash face against which it is pried.

I have found that using a small pry bar meant for baseboard moldings works very well to get it started.

After that it is only a matter of removing seven screws and tugging hard on the glove box assembly to get it to come down (again there are two of those spring clips).

The door over the filter itself is held shut by three plastic clips on the top and sides. I find that using a small flat bladed screw driver inserted through the U-shaped clip allows for the clip release relatively easily.

I order the AC/Delco filter from Amazon.com but the first one came from a company named Tye. They included an instruction sheet with grainy pictures the highlighted the locations of attachments that needed to be removed.

If you do not normally work on your own vehicles, then you probably do not want to tackle this one.

 

[GolfingDuo]

Well written HMTJ and good use of tools. That small pry bar is a great solution.

The end cap on the right side of the dash has four spring clips that hold the piece on. I have replaced the passenger compartment air filter three times now (2010) and find the process relatively easy although my 67 year old frame disagrees.

You DO want to be careful when trying to remove that end cap. Using your finger nails will probably only end up with broken finger nails. Using a flat bladed screw driver has a tendency to make a permanent dent in the dash face against which it is pried.

I have found that using a small pry bar meant for baseboard moldings works very well to get it started.

After that it is only a matter of removing seven screws and tugging hard on the glove box assembly to get it to come down (again there are two of those spring clips).

The door over the filter itself is held shut by three plastic clips on the top and sides. I find that using a small flat bladed screw driver inserted through the U-shaped clip allows for the clip release relatively easily.

I order the AC/Delco filter from Amazon.com but the first one came from a company named Tye. They included an instruction sheet with grainy pictures the highlighted the locations of attachments that needed to be removed.

If you do not normally work on your own vehicles, then you probably do not want to tackle this one.

 

[mmadden2]

The end cap on the right side of the dash has four spring clips that hold the piece on.

I have found that using a small pry bar meant for baseboard moldings works very well to get it started.

They included an instruction sheet with grainy pictures the highlighted the locations of attachments that needed to be removed.

I wouldn't hate a picture or two of this in it's disassembled state ^^^^

***********************

Googling brought back little info but I did find one interesting thing. I know this goes gainst the book's instructions and MHTJ's advice so I don't suppose there is any alternate method as shown in this .PDF?

 

[HMTJ6821]

Googling brought back little info but I did find one interesting thing. I know this goes against the book's instructions and HMTJ's advice so I don't suppose there is any alternate method as shown in this .PDF?

This technique of pushing in on the sides of the glove box to get it to release is an old trick from my past. However, I have found that the glove box on the Buick LaCrosse is too rigid for this to work. I just now tried it again but I was unable to get the glove box to flex enough to release. I would not want to press any harder than I did so I would not use this technique.

Sorry. Let me know if your gorilla is able to achieve this technique without damaging the glove box and I will get my youngest son, the one with the python arms, to come give me a hand.

 

[mmadden2]

Ok, I believe you. I'd hate to be the guy who buys a filter and gets the "squeeze" instructions.

 

[mmadden2]

So which piece needs to come off... Red or Blue?

 

[GolfingDuo]

Red

That should expose 3 screws for you to take off.

So which piece needs to come off... Red or Blue?

 

[BIG ROCCO]

For 2012:

http://www.justanswer.com/buick/6klcr-replace-cabin-filter-2012-buick-lacrosse.html

 

[mmadden2]

Red

That should expose 3 screws for you to take off.

For 2012:

http://www.justanswer.com/buick/6klcr-replace-cabin-filter-2012-buick-lacrosse.html

Great work guys, thanks! I pasted that diagram into the manual's instructions. I was able to pry off the panel with an old putty knife with the end wrapped with a few layers of electrical tape to protect the interior.

 

[FiftysLost]

Ok, I believe you. I'd hate to be the guy who buys a filter and gets the "squeeze" instructions.

Dont take out that screw (even if you could) behind the end cap. It comes out with the whole unit. At least on my 2010 CXL. After removing the red end cap the blue part has a "clip" at the top to be released. The blue part comes out with the "unit" after removing the 3 screws at the top and 2 screws at the bottom (1 on each end). My screws have a hex head that are metrix

 

[mmadden2]

Thank FiftysLost, I'll check that when I get a chance. So what's the point of pulling off that end cover? Just to unclick the tab? The directions do say to "remove the screw affixed to the side of the glove box", is that an error? That torx screw was the only one I noticed in there.

*** EDIT. I think you're right about the torx screw. It seems pretty much impossible to reach from the angle I show in the pics. I guess next step is undoing the screws with metric heads and undoing that plastic clip and seeing how that works out. Car is gone at the moment so maybe I can give it a shot this weekend some time.