How often do you folks replace the engine air filter & the exterior cabin air filter?

[imr3n]

Since I don't have a good idea about the history of my car (bought it from Shift), I decided today to change the 2 cabin air filters myself (under the hood). I understand there is also an air-recirculation filter under the passenger side dash (not too worried about that one yet).

Next I'm planning on visually inspecting what the engine air filter looks like, and if it doesn't look good, I will change it.

Just out of curiosity, how often do folks here change the:

1) engine air filter
2) cabin air filters (under the hood)

[RED_Y_]

That depends on the environment and driving conditions. I go camping in the summer quite often and take my car off the paved roads so I usually replace my engine air filter every 12 month, cabin filter is the same way, when we got bad forest fires in California I replaced filter twice a year.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by imr3n

Next I'm planning on visually inspecting what the engine air filter looks like, and if it doesn't look good, I will change it.

Unfortunately you don’t mention anywhere which model X5 you have.’

‘If you have the N63tu engine, the engine air filters are in cased in white plastic…and are really easy to change by removing the 6-8 screws that hold the cover. What a BMW dealerhship charges to change them is CRIMINAL!

[Qsilver7]

BTW…the CBS schedule for engine air filter is 50K…but i would personally check them to see how they are holding up…especially if you drive in dusty areas or have been near or around forest fires.

[imr3n]

Thank you so much Qsilver7. This is super useful! Where do you find these
btw, I have a n55 engine.

Also, what is the ventilation microfilter? Is that recirculation filter inside the vehicle, under the passenger side dash?

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by imr3n

Thank you so much Qsilver7. This is super useful! Where do you find these
btw, I have a n55 engine.

Also, what is the ventilation microfilter? Is that recirculation filter inside the vehicle, under the passenger side dash?

Sometimes the words used to name parts can vary from person to person or region to region…but I would assume that “ventilation microfilter” probably refers to the filters used in the HVAC system to filter fresh air intake. The filters inside the cabin for recirculated air will probably use the words recirculate or recirculation which indicates their location.

I tend to not shop for parts by name alone…but use the online part database sites like www.realoem.com or www.bimmercat.com or www.bmwfans.info to pull up the diagram and part nbr index using the last 7 digits of my VIN. This will give me the current correct 11 digit BMW part number to shop with as well as any other part nbrs that are retro or bilaterally exchangeable.


The database also helps with the name of the part and how many are required since there’s a QUANTITY column. And even through the illustration may not be visibly correct, the part number is…and you can simply google “BMW xx xx x xxx xxx” (where x=the actual numbers) to get an idea of what the part really looks like.

Items #3, #4, and #5 are the engine air/HVAC ventilation/recirculation air filters…again, the diagram’s illustration may not be accurate but if you google the part nbrs…you should be able to find images of what these 3 filters look like:

http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/F1...nance_service/

[Edwardsc1]

I always replace all of my filters as soon as I purchase a vehicle. I haven't kept a vehicle long enough to need to replace them again though haha

[///d]

outside of oil filter changed every oil change, air/HVAC, and fuel filters (diesel) changed every 4th - 5th oil change.

Which reminds me, thats all coming up this next oil change. I should probably order everything...