[PICS]Don't forget to change your cabin filter!

22_AT4 · June 8, 2015

Dealer informed me this morning that this issue wasn't covered under warranty because I changed the filter myself and it wasn't due to be changed. If I had paid dealer to change the filter they would be liable.

It's been a week of running the AC on high and the noise has stopped. Whatever fell down in the fan has either settled or been chopped up. I hope the fan motor doesn't die at 37,000 miles now.

Silverado Steve · June 8, 2015

I changed mine last week and it was dirty, it looked like a charcoal infused filter. It was a fairly easy process; the hardest part was unscrewing the glove box (the bottom two torx screws are tucked away.) As others have said be careful. I used my shop-vac with crevice tool to suck out a leaf that fell down into the fan housing. No noise...total time 15 minutes to complete.

BringTheRain403 · June 19, 2015

There's a TSB for a screen that is supposed to keep snow and ice out of the blower botor. Thinking this may help with keeping the bigger particles out of the ductwork so it can't fall down when the filter is removed. All in all it's a piss poor design...

fondupot · August 6, 2015

Spurshot · August 6, 2015

Did anyone find a charcoal activated filter?

Jernik · August 6, 2015

This is an obvious design flaw, with as many folks have had it happen. I've been living with that damn loud fan for like 3 months now. Glad to know it is a leaf.

Almost need a thin sheet of cardboard or plastic to slip under the filter before you pull it so it could catch anything that might fall down.

Kinda bull$#!+ that we have to deal with this, but it's really not that surprising...

Just curious where the air inlet is for the system? And has anyone fabricated a screen to put at the farthest outside point where air enters the system? With all the leaves and such, there is obviously a big hole that needs to be covered somewhere to keep all of this debris out.

My neighbors have a "live oak" tree that is on the property line and provides a shade canopy where I have to park the truck. When it starts dropping leaves (about 3/4" wide and 1 1/2" long) I can see these things clogging up the whole system.

spectaculous · August 6, 2015

Just curious where the air inlet is for the system? And has anyone fabricated a screen to put at the farthest outside point where air enters the system? With all the leaves and such, there is obviously a big hole that needs to be covered somewhere to keep all of this debris out.

My neighbors have a "live oak" tree that is on the property line and provides a shade canopy where I have to park the truck. When it starts dropping leaves (about 3/4" wide and 1 1/2" long) I can see these things clogging up the whole system.

I'm pretty sure the inlet is somewhere near where the windshield meets the hood. I've never bothered to figure it out.

I finally got around to fishing out the pecan leaf that fell down into the blower motor. The blower motor is directly below the cabin filter plenum. Use a mirror and flashlight to find the debris, and then try to fish it out with your hand if possible. Next filter change for me, I will try to slip something under the filter before I pull it to catch any crap that is raked off the top...

fondupot · August 6, 2015

Did anyone find a charcoal activated filter?

On Rockauto they sell one made by Dorman (Part # 259201). Its $46.79. Whereas the standard ones are between $8 and $17.

Here is more info on the Dorman one: http://www.dormanproducts.com/gsearch.aspx?type=parttype&year=2014&make=GMC&model=Sierra%201500&parttype=Cabin%20Air%20Filter%20Retrofit%20Kit&origin=YMM

Spurshot · August 7, 2015

On Rockauto they sell one made by Dorman (Part # 259201). Its $46.79. Whereas the standard ones are between $8 and $17.

Here is more info on the Dorman one: http://www.dormanproducts.com/gsearch.aspx?type=parttype&year=2014&make=GMC&model=Sierra%201500&parttype=Cabin%20Air%20Filter%20Retrofit%20Kit&origin=YMM

Im suspicious that's for a GMT900

fondupot · August 7, 2015

Im suspicious that's for a GMT900

Hmm. Says it fits. Rock auto is good on returns, so if you buy it and it doesn't fit they will take it back no problem.

mafd2 · August 7, 2015

Im suspicious that's for a GMT900

Yep I'm with ya bud. When you enter 2015 it doesn't give an option for cabin air filter.

Spurshot · August 7, 2015

Yep I'm with ya bud. When you enter 2015 it doesn't give an option for cabin air filter.

It says "kit" and looks to show a cover plate, which is what is needed to convert a gmt900 to a use a filter.

waumo1 · August 7, 2015

It says "kit" and looks to show a cover plate, which is what is needed to convert a gmt900 to a use a filter.

Yes I put the kit in my 2011 a few weeks ago. Cutting out the door hole was real PITA but once I did it the door and filter worked fine.

SGI2015 · February 2, 2016

Purchased my 2015 GMC last February. For the past six weeks or so I've had a bad smell in the cab that reminded me of problems I had years ago when a mouse got into the AC on a Honda. That one required the dealer to disassemble the dash and ventilation system at a cost of several hundred dollars.

So, as a starting point I searched this thread for clues on changing the cabin air filter. Lots of helpful advice, especially from gone_fishing, fondupot, and, on the mouse possibility, jdcuster. After using the thread to figure out things to watch for in changing the filter (remember jdcuster and the mouse nest) I got concerned about things that might be causing my problem dropping into the blower motor. I was also sorry that no one had answered the questions that had been asked about maybe sliding something under the old filter before it was removed in order to keep this from happening.

Well, ordered the replacement from Amazon and put it in yesterday. I can now say from experience that it is possible to slide a thin sheet of fairly stiff, but still flexible, plastic under the old filter to prevent any stuff from being scraped off the top of the old filter and dropped into the blower during the removal process. From the picture you can see why I'm very glad I took time and trouble to slide the green cut to size plastic sheet under the old filter before it was removed. Doing it this way the mouse nest and dead mummified baby mice stayed on the plastic sheet, out of the blower, and and was easily removed by hand. New filter is in, blower is fine, and smell is gone.

Thanks to everyone on this thread for the helpful information. What I did is probably not needed for the routine filter changes but it might help someone who ends up with a problem similar to mine.

15slvrDbl · February 4, 2016

I read was thinking the redneck way. When I change mine I'll cut the side of the case of beer to fit. It should slip right in pull the filter vacuum off the cardboard and be ready for the new one.

Edited February 4, 2016 by 15slvrDbl