Replacing the Cabin Filter (A5)

Clean air to breathe!

Cabin filters are often neglected. And neglect can affect quality of the air inside your car and a very dirty filter can restrict airflow, causing you to be warmer or cooler than you’d like.

Here’s how to change the cabin filter.

Where is it?

VW moved the cabin filter from under the rain tray in the engine compartment to behind the glove box in the passenger cabin with the introduction of the 5th generation of the A platform cars. You can get to it by looking up at the glove box base in the passenger footwell.

Replacing the filter

Replacement is easy. All you need is a standard screwdriver.

There’s a piece of carpet in the top of the passenger footwell, between the glove box cover and the firewall. It’s held in place with two screws. Remove the screws and pull the carpet out.

Once you’ve removed the carpet, you’ll see a narrow piece of plastic that holds the filter in place. Slide it towards the passenger side door and it’ll come out.

Pull the old cabin filter out and slide in a new one.

Replace the plastic cover, and screw the carpet back into place.

You’re done!