The filter is located on a UK car under front edge of the black plastic scuttle panel on the near side. To gain access, using a small screw driver, push out the centre pins of four round plastic clips securing the front edge of the scuttle panel to the traverse cross bar. Collect the pins as they eject from the clips and remove both the clips and the pins safely. The clips are easy to break so go easy with them. Expect to have to replace with new due to embrittlement which occurs with age.
Lift the front edge of the scuttle panel and release clips holding the panel filter into blower casing. Lift the filter from the casing and fit a new filter. Reassembly is the reverse of dismantling.
The pollen filter is approximately 300mm x 300mm, length x width. At service intervals it is replaced with a new filter if heavily soiled. A blocked filter restricts cabin airflow. The filter gauze is made from pleated fibreglass scrim mat rather than being made of paper. The function is identical to a paper air filter element found in the car engine induction system.
Once I had noted that the filter was made from glass fibre mat, I chose on this occasion to clean the filter rather than to replace it. The saving amounts to around £13. The method I used to clean the filter is not recommended for filters with paper elements. Compressed air would wreck a paper element.
Using an air line of moderate pressure, I blew out the filter from the inside face to the outside face. Then repeated in reverse. A large quantity of dust and muck was cleaned from the element. I immersed the filter in a large paint tray partially filled with a petrol/white spirit mix and used a paintbrush to wet out and clean remaining filth from the filter. Having cleaned the fibreglass element, I gently blew out the filter again to evaporate the petrol and dry the element off. That done, I replaced the top soggy seal with a length of foam draught excluder and refitted the filter to the car. Job done on the cheap this time, but I shall be replacing the element with new, next time around.
Having refitted the cleaned filter, the increase in cabin airflow is noticeable.
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Mike