YIKES !!! Was that ever dirty !!!
 

Replaced the cabin filters in the 320 tonite,,, 131K and don't think they were ever changed. Nasty looking. I'm sure I'll breathe easier tomorrow on the way to work.

WOW - 131K is lot for the cabin filter. I change mine every 30K (SL's and ML) and they are pretty dirty, even then. In some cases, they look worse than the engine air filter, though I'm not sure why.
Cheers,
Jeff

You'll probably notice the blower is quieter and much stronger too now. I think clogged filters is the reason that the regulators overheat on so many cars.

It is just terrible that they did not make them easily accessable...
A FILTER whould be as easy to change as emptying an ashtray if I were to design it.

They did! It just took them until the W163 to get it right. Changing the cabin filter in my '01 ML430 takes less than 30 seconds. The only 'oops' is that when you pop the *bottom* filter door (not one of their more brilliant designs), a bunch of leaves, deceased bugs and other assorted flora and fauna falls onto the passenger floorboard! It would be interesting to hear what the MB dealership charges for labor to change a W163 cabin filter.

Cheers,
Jeff

Took an hour and 2 MGD's from start to finish, but as I was proudly looking over the final product, I spied that little clip that holds the bottom of the wiper assembly on the workbench. Tear the whole thing apart again. :eek::mad::o

LOL - Thanks for the visualization and chuckle this morning.:laugh3:

Cheers,
Jeff

Is there a step by step any where for this? My wifes is pretty dirty and I need to do it. I have the CD manual but did not see anything on there at first glance.

Thanks

Nah they still have some life in them, blow them out and put them back.:D:D

I still need the directions on how to get the peckers out. It looked like the wiper and everything needs to come of.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/121498-94-95-w124-replacing-fresh-air-filter-how.html#post1388627

Pay attention to post #12..that is the trick...

It looks like the link was removed or I am blind. Not sure which one :)

This is not a big deal,, a phillips screwdriver and a 10mm socket is all that is needed. I took the wiper assembly off because it is not a big deal at all. Eight screws at the bottom of the windshield under the moulding, 3 more in the center around that pull out grille, 2 white tabs that pull out at the bottom of the gutters, and 2 bolts and 2 nuts and a clip on the wiper. Gives you all the room in the world. There has to be a pictorial somewhere here.

I just did mine this afternoon, about 40k on the cabin filter and 20k on the air filter, and the cabin filter was definitely the dirtier of the 2. Grayer with leaves falling out all over the floor.

I'd say 30k is really the max I'd want to go on either of these 2.

As far as the grey color goes, keep in mind some M-B cabinfilters are offered in plain paper, and others are " activated Charcoal ".
The last of the two is grey in color ( vs. white for paper ). ;)