I just changed the filter in my MDX, I have a little over 30 k on my 2001 Biege Base model. I replaced the Air fliter for the engine and the Climate system. I took a picture of the Micron air filter and mine was very dirty, actually about the same as the Engine Air filter. Here is a picture of the new one side by side with the old filter. Judge for yourself if it was a good time to change it!!
I took the Front Door Sill trim and the cover off of the right kick panel to get at the screw on the right side of the Glove box. It made it easier to get at. I would have been possible to get to that screw without doing that but it was easier with that kick panel out of the way. The time to take the passenger side Sill panel and the kick panel out, was about 60 seconds. They both use those plastic clips to hold them in. Installation is a Snap...lol.
We have done no offroading and only drive on dirt roads when we visit some relatives in South Georgia that live on a farm. I think we have been down there 3 times. The occasional dirt road to the horse barn where my Daughter takes horseback riding, but other than that my wife just drives it around town. We got the MDX in April of 2001 and is has 30,325 miles.
Sounds like an easy installation. Once you removed the front door sill trim and the cover off of the right kick panel, guess you still had to remove the glove box door, cut the plastic brace and remove the glove box frame like it says in the 2003 Service Manual? How long did the whole process take? Where did you buy the filter and how much did it cost?
Sorry about all of the questions, but it sounds like a job that around 60,000 of us are going to have to do sooner, or later.
Everything in the Manual is correct. The hardest part was cutting the plastic cross brace, the Service Manual states to cut it using Diagonal cutters. This works but you need a big pair of Diagonal cutters, or you could use a Dremel tool or a air powered cut off tool. The whole process was about 30 minutes start to finish. The manual is a great thing to have, especially when you finish and the wife asks, "what is that plastic thing " and "why do you have parts left over?!" Show her the manual and point to the line that says to discard it. As usual the best place to get the filter is Tim at www.hondacuraworld.com
Acura MDX Air Filter
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Code: 17220-PGK-A00
Retail: $18.86
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Feel a bit queazy about cutting something away that Acura put there for a reason. Do you think the cross brace was doing anything? Any rattles, squeaks, etc. now that it's gone? From your experience, do you think the brace can be removed and reinstalled, or can the filter be changed by squeezing it around the brace?
My assumption is that the plastic you remove is not needed becuase the metal glove box frame is really what holds it together. I am also assuming that the reason that Acura does not remove it, is the dash panel is more sturdy during installation into the vehicle. The only way to remove the filter and not remove the plastic brace is to remove the entire dash assembly, not really practical. There is no way to get the filter out with out removing this piece of plastic, as I said before the Metal Glove box frame in reality replaces the Plastic Cross brace. No rattles or squeeks, works just fine. This is a one time process, after the first replacement you only need to remove the glove Box and the metal brace. If you are looking at buying a used MDX it might be something to look at to see if the MDX has been maintained properly.
No Smokers at all in our car! Of course Atlanta is the pollen capital of the world. Even if you are not allergic to pollen it gets so bad in the spring and summer here it bothers everyone. The pollen scale lists 100 as very high and routinely the pollen count is 1,000 and 2,000. The yellow-green pollen collects on your car 5 mins after you wash it. So if I had to guess the combination of pollen and air pollution contributed to the filter looking that way.
Greg
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