Kia Optima Cabin Air Filter
Replacement Guide
How to clean or change the A/C system's
cabin air filter element in a fourth generation 2016 to 2020 Kia Optima.
2019 Optima Glove Box |
Open - Empty Out |
Damper Arm - Right Side |
This automotive
maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the 4th
generation (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 model years) Kia Optima sedan in
cleaning or changing the A/C system's cabin air filter element located in
the HVAC blower motor housing. Owners of other Kia, Hyundai or Genesis vehicles such as the Niro, Sportage, Sedona, Telluride, Sorento, Rio, Forte, Soul, K900, Cadenza, K5, Stinger, Tucson, Santa Fe, Kona, Palisade, Elantra, Sonata, Accent, Veloster, Ioniq, Nexo, Venue, G70, G80 and G90 may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful. A few compatible replacement cabin air filters with their part numbers are as follows: Premium Guard PC99206C, Fram CF12159, K&N VF2016, EcoGard XC10647C and TYC 800210P. No tools are required to access and replace the filter. The first few steps are to sit in the front passenger seat, open the glove box and empty out the contents. Then move to the outer right side wall of the glove box and locate the damper arm. |
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Pop Arm Off Mount |
Right Side Stopper |
1/4 Turn Counterclockwise |
Gently pull the
bottom of the damper arm off the two prongs on the mounting peg attached to
the right outer side wall of the glove box. If you have trouble pulling the damper arm off its mount, use a plastic pry bar tool or a flat head screwdriver for more leverage. Locate the two round plastic side stoppers inside the glove box. There is one on the left side and another on the right side. Raise the glove box about an inch to take the weight off the side stops. Rotate the handle on the side stop 1/4 turn in the counterclockwise direction before pulling it straight out of the side wall of the glove box. |
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Right Side Stop Removed |
Remove Left Side Stopper |
Left Side Stop Removed |
Then repeat the
process to remove the side stopper on the other side. Set the two side stops aside in a safe place. |
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Rubber & Plastic Stops |
Lower Glove Box |
Rectangular Filter Cover |
Gently lower the
glove box down to the floor mat. If the two plastic hinges on the bottom edge of the glove box become separated from the dashboard, they can easily be re-attached later on. Once the glove box is out of the way, you'll be able to see the HVAC blower motor housing and the rectangular shaped filter access panel. |
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Two Release Tabs - Right |
Pinch Together Tabs |
Swing Open Right Side |
Squeeze together
the two tabs on the right side of the access cover to release the retaining
clips. Swing open the right side of the filter cover towards yourself. |
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Remove Large Tab - Left |
Old Filter Exposed |
Slide Out Old Filter |
Then pull out the
large tab on the left side of the filter cover from its slot. Set the filter cover aside in a safe place. Slide the old filter straight out of the slot in the HVAC blower motor housing. |
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Old Filter Removed |
Inspect Both Sides |
Clean With Vacuum |
Inspect both sides
of the old air filter. If the old filter is dark grey or black and clogged with dirt, dust, pollen, soot, leaves, insects, twigs, hair, sand and other debris, it should be replaced with a new element. I recommend buying the Premium Guard PC99206C cabin air filter since it has excellent reviews on Amazon. If you would prefer to have a more environmentally friendly filter that can be washed and re-used many times, choose the K&N VF2016 filter. If the old filter is relatively clean, just tap out the large debris and remove any fine dust with a vacuum cleaner. The OEM (original equipment manufacturer) filter was marked as part number Hyundai / Kia 97133-C1010 HUCC F178LFDBA (also known as part # 97133C1010). |
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HVAC Blower Motor |
Install New Filter In Slot |
Line Up Access Cover |
Inspect the filter
slot in the HVAC blower motor housing for any large debris such as leaves,
twigs or insects.
If you have a crevice attachment for your vacuum, clean out any debris from the slot. Orientate the new filter with the "Air Flow" arrow pointing down towards the floor mat. Slide the new filter into the slot until it is fully seated. Line up the access cover with the filter slot. |
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Re-Insert Tab - Left Side |
Push, Secure Clip - Right |
Filter Cover Secured |
First, re-insert
the large tab on the left side of the filter access cover into its
corresponding slot on the blower motor housing. Then swing the right side of the cover towards the filter. Push on the right side of the cover to secure the retaining clip. You should feel or hear the retaining clip "click" securely into place. Double check that the cover is properly installed and secured to the housing. |
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Raise Glove Box |
Push On Damper Arm |
Re-Insert Side Stops |
Raise the glove box
up towards the dashboard. Pop the hole on the bottom of the damper arm over the two prongs on the end of the mounting peg. |
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1/4 Turn Clockwise |
Close Glove Box |
Filter Change Complete! |
Raise the glove box
up an inch or two until the holes for the side stoppers are clear of the
dashboard. Re-insert the two side stops and rotate them 1/4 turn in the clockwise direction to lock them into place. Replace the contents of the glove box and close it to complete the job. Be sure to write down the filter change in your vehicle's service records. Enjoy the fresh clean air from your A/C system! The owner's manual service interval specification for replacing the cabin air filter is every 30,000 miles (48K KM) or at least every two years. Please
check out all of my
2016-2020 Kia Optima DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides. |
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