How to Replace Cabin Air Filter on 5thgen Maxima

Member Credit: Sparky

This 2003 Nissan Maxima had a faulty blower resistor and as a result I wanted to look at the cabin air filter as a possible cause of the resistor failure. To see that repair please click here. The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box area and the glove box has to be removed. To do that the kick panel and rocker panel trim have to be removed. The plastic nut at the top of the kick panel will unscrew with just finger pressure.

The rocker trim panel has to be lifted at the rear edge and removed from its location.

With the rocker trim panel out of the way the passenger kick panel will now come out.

Removing the lower left glove box retaining screw.

Removing the lower right glove box retaining screw is the reason why the kick and rocker panels had to be removed.

There are a total of four screws that have to be removed along the upper edge of the glove box opening. Two in the center at the latch area and one in each corner.

Ease the glove box assembly down and detach the light assembly and the airbag connector from the glove box housing. there is no need to disconnect the airbag connector. If for some reason you decide to you must disable the airbag system according to the manufacturers instructions.

Finish removing the glove box assembly. The white vertical strip behind the glove box is where the cabin air filter is located.

There is a small spring clip located at the bottom of the filter cover. I used a small screwdriver inserted into the slot to flex and remove the clip.

Be careful not to lose this clip.

With the clip removed the white plastic strip will slide up. Then it can be pulled away from the box.

I slid the bottom filter out first and then the top.

There was good bit of debris that had gotten past the filters and I had to use a small hose attachment that I made for my shop vacuum to remove the debris.