I found the following procedure for How to Replace the Cabin Air Filter in a Honda Pilot, and printed that replacement guide out. However, I needed to piece the article together with the comments, in order to get to the dirty filter.
- Yes you need to completely clear out the glove box.
- On the 2005 Pilot, it is absolutely necessary to remove the glove box completely. To do this, you must first remove the right fuse panel plastic cover assembly (do not try to just remove the small fuse cover or you will break plastic hinges). You will need to first lift up on the front of the kick panel plate for the passenger door. Then remove the plastic push nut at the very front top of the plastic fuse panel assembly, underneath the dash. Then you can pull out the fuse panel cover completely. Be careful not to break anything.
- Remove the small plastic bumper clips from the inside of the glove box. These clips have a small raised plastic surface on the inside of the glove box for slightly prying on with a set of sturdy fingers or thumbs, and are removed from the outside to the inside of the glove box with a certain degree of force. Be careful not to break the plastic clips on the outside of the glove box. The glove box has to be open partially in order to remove these plastic rubber stops. The glove box will now swing down completely, but still will be connected to the bottom of the dashboard area with attached hinges. Visually note the location of two screws holding the hinges where the glove box is connected to the metal frame. Close the glove box.
- With a nut driver (not sure what size the metric fitting is), remove the lower left and lower right glove box hinge mounting bolts. Open glove box, lift out, and remove.
- On the lower section is a plastic section of the dashboard in what appears to be what Honda uses for quick assembly and proper alignment of the lower passenger side dashboard parts. This plastic section is typically covered by the glove box and is not visible from the inside of the passenger compartment. The link to the above procedure says to cut this plastic section out. What I did was actually just cut the left hand side of the plastic cross piece at what appears to be small break away tabs. I used a sharp knife. Be extra careful doing this cutting.
- Remove two sets of screws on the lower left and lower right side of a metal cross brace. Once these screws are removed, the metal cross brace can be removed completely from the area. Note that there are small metal indents to hold this cross brace in place. This has to be slightly pulled out to allow these small metal protrusions to clear the other metal sections of the dashboard that it is attached to.
- Now you have full access to the cabin filter chamber area, although the plastic cross bracket will still be slightly in the way. This can be slightly pulled away to clear for the next part of the procedure. Remove the small upright cabin filter cover that is in the form of a rectangular plastic piece that has a large clip for the top and the bottom. Lift these clips slightly on both the top and the bottom to allow this plastic cabin filter cover to come off toward the inside of the passenger compartment.
- Remove the now visible upright cabin filter using the finger pull tab, noting which direction the arrow indicator is pointing. This indicates the direction of the air flow.
- Clean out cabin filter box. Outside debris build up in this area. I used an air hose to blow it out. Quite a mess, but better to get the dirt out than keep it on the inside of the cabin filter box.
- Install the new cabin filter in the same orientation as that of the old one.
- Reinstall everything in the reverse order.
Get your Honda Pilot cabin filters
here.Notes:
While the author of the other Honda Pilot cabin filter procedure said to cut the plastic strip out completely, I have an aversion to removing things permanently. I repositioned this plastic piece and placed an anti-vibration piece of padding behind it and in front of the metal cross beam bar. I was a bit concerned when I first read to cut the plastic out. There was however what looked like paint over-spray on that section of plastic. So, it must have been used by Honda in the assembly process only.
I suspect, based on my allergies and the reduction in the air flow, not to mention the musty smell, I should have changed the cabin filter sooner. It was clogged and very dirty.
Take your time, and do it in the daylight so you can see clearly.
It took me a little over an hour. Plan for an hour or two for the cabin filter replacement and for the clean up process afterwards.
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