'Toyotas Have One Filter': Woman Films Her Husband Changing the AC Filters On Their Tesla Model Y. It Doesn’t Go As Expected
'There’s a filter there too?'
A Tesla Model Y user detailed the process of replacing the HEPA + Carbon Filter unit on her vehicle, which she refers to as an air conditioning filter. Lily (@lily_mom_fun) posted a viral TikTok capturing footage of her husband performing the swap, which accrued over 94,000 views on the popular social media application. While she states in the clip that the process was easy and straightforward, there were others who remarked it was simpler to do in other vehicles.
Tesla: HEPA + Carbon Filter Replacement
Lily begins her video with a recording of her husband popping open the frunk of their Tesla Model Y. Next, he removes a ventilated panel located on the upper portion of the frunk, which sports a small hole that makes room for the windshield wiper fluid container. Beneath it is another plastic panel that he lifts up and out, revealing two large, dirty air conditioning filters. The filters were removed from the car, revealing two more filters beneath them nestled inside two separate plastic cubbies. Lily’s husband pulls these out and replaces these bottom filters with brand new ones.
He unwraps the bottom filters from their plastic wrappers and, while holding a flashlight and pry tool in his hand, places them in their grooves. The bottom filters fit snugly in place after he pushes them in. Afterward, he then drops in the two other top filters, followed by the secondary flat plastic panel.
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Not shown in the first portion in the video is that there are several screws that secure this panel into the vehicle. Lily records her significant other fastening numerous screws all along the sides and upper and lower portion of the secondary panel in place. Finally, he takes the first, ventilated panel and places that on top of the screwed-in plastic one, and pushes it into place until it is fastened into the top portion of their Model Y’s frunk.
Lily ends her video with a thumbs up before it comes to a close.
An Easy Process?
Accompanying Lily’s video is a series of text overlays that further delineates the air conditioning filter replacement process on the couple’s Model Y. “Let’s change the air conditioning filters on our Tesla Model Y. They cost $90 dollars on the Tesla app but we got them for $50 at Amazon,” she writes.
The TikToker added that the time it took to swap these components out was negligible. “This whole process took my husband literally less than 10 minutes.” Furthermore, she remarked that they’ve been fortunate to not have had any maintenance repairs on their vehicle in the three years that they’ve owned it. That is, outside of the $25 cabin air filter they swapped out and the $50 air conditioning filters they just recorded themselves replacing.
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“Been driving this car for three years and the only $ [money] we have spent on it is $25 for the cabin air filter. And $50 for air conditioning filters. Only $75 on maintenance in three years!” she remarked.
This hassle-free driver experience ultimately led to her proclaiming that she “absolutely love[s her] Tesla!”
Tesla Cabin Air Filter/Air Conditioning Filter: Same Thing?
While Lily mentions that there’s a cabin air filter and air conditioning filter in her video, she only demonstrated replacing the latter in her Model Y. Indeed, Tesla lists a Model Y HEPA + Carbon Filter on its website for $90, which she references in her clip.
As others have indicated online, like the folks in this Tesla Motors Club forum post, the cabin air filter in Teslas almost always come in two parts. One person on the application seemed confused about the different nomenclatures for both of these components. But there was another user on the site who broke it down, highlighting a setup similar to the one presented in Lily’s video. “The cabin filter for the AC is actually two identical filter ‘parts’ that stack on top of each other. You need to buy two filters,” they wrote. However, it seems that they neglected to mention two additional cabin air filters that are located inside the cabin of the car itself.
Another Model 3 owner on Reddit expressed confusion about being charged for an additional air filter component after they brought their car in for service. They stated that they scheduled an appointment for a cabin air filter replacement only, but were billed for a secondary filter. Folks who replied to their query stated that the service tech more than likely assumed their Model 3 also sported a secondary, HEPA filter, which the Model 3 isn’t equipped with. “No. They’re confusing it with the other models that have the HEPA filter. Model 3 is the only one that doesn’t have that,” another Redditor wrote.
On Tesla’s website, the brand posted a video showing how folks can go about replacing their own cabin air filters on Model Y and Model 3 cars. The clip shows a multi-step process that involves removing the front passenger footwell cover with a pry tool. Then, two electrical connectors need to be carefully extricated from the cover. Afterwards, a right side panel has to be extricated “from the center console,” Tesla states. This part is located on the right side of the center console, just left of the front passenger’s seat. Doing so reveals the cover for the cabin air filter, which is secured with a single screw bolt. Once removed, drivers will have access to the two-piece cabin air filter; each has its own tab. The tech in the video removes the filters, which have been stacked on top of each other in the recessed compartment.
Again, these filters are in addition to the ones shown in Lily’s Model Y.
Commenters React
Typically, most ICE vehicles allow drivers to replace their cabin air filters without any need for screws or finagling. Oftentimes, they’re accessed behind a small panel located in the car’s glovebox. All drivers need to do is unfasten the box, press in on the tabs keeping the panel in place, and then swap out the air filter.
Several folks who replied to Lily’s video highlighted this engineering difference in comments they made in response to her clip. One person said that changing filters on other types of cars can be considerably more difficult.
Whereas another remarked, “Toyotas have one filter for cabin and air conditioner.”
And there was another user on the application who made sure to clarify that the HEPA and Carbon Filters located above the frunk is separate from the vehicle’s cabin air filter system. “There’s 2 more inside,” they said. Lily also spoke to this point herself in response to a question from another TikTok user. They asked, “There’s filter there too? I thought it was just inside the cabin under the glove compartment.”
To which Lily replied: “Yes, that one is a cabin air filter and the air conditioner filter is this one on the video.”
According to Tesla, drivers should swap out their cabin air filters every 2 years, and HEPA + Carbon Filters every 3 years.
InsideEVs has reached out to Lily via TikTok comment for further information.
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