I know the MM will eventually tell me when to replace the air filter (manual says for severe service or driving in The Bronx to replace it every 15,000 miles) but I was wondering- in general when does the MM say to replace it? And does it give the indication at the same time as an oil change or is it independent?

 

Read the maintenance minder. When it displays x2 it is time to replace the air filter. X= either A or B. I do not know if A2 is a valid code but B2 definitely is. The mileage when that will display is variable and determined by the computer. I'm guessing it is over 30,000 miles.

 

I was wondering about roughly when that happens. For example- rough estimate for oil change interval is 6,000 to 10,000 miles. What might the similar interval be for the air filter?

And are you saying that it won't indicate a 2 code unless it's also indicating A or B for oil change? That was one of my questions.

 

^^ Something like that....

The maintenance minder does kick a "2" sublet code for filter (both cabin and engine air) inspection/replacement which pops up usually for the second or third oil change interval. This of course on kicks during both A (oil change only) AND B (oil AND filter change) services with other sublet codes if anything else should be addressed.

Now if you do not follow the maintenance minder as it recommends services or you have another Honda with the system, its recommended to replace the engine air filter once a year or 15,000 to 21,000 miles and for the cabin its 15,000 to 30,000 miles (if you don't use your A/C much/keep on recirculate a lot the cabin can go on longer change intervals) or sooner if you drive in heavily dusted areas for both filters.

 

I'm at 26,000 miles, have had three oil changes, haven't seen the 2 code yet.

Just realized- it HAS TO come up ONLY with an oil change interval, because there's no way to independently reset the MM for only the air filter change, so it'd think you've also changed the oil. I guess I'll see if it comes up at the next MM indication.

I just replaced the cabin filter and it was not at all clean.

 

Take the filter out and see what it looks like. Shake the leaves and gravel out and look through the filter. You will see how dirty it is. It will show the code next time. 30,000 and I would change the trans fluid too.

 

Okay, just went downstairs and did that. Not nearly as dirty as I expected. The cabin air filter was WAY filthier, which is surprising considering the engine probably sucks down a lot more air than the cabin does. Or doesn't it?

They used to say to change air filters every 10,000 miles, back in the days of carburetors and round air filters. What's changed in regard to the filters?

 

I would change the cabin filter because of mold issues esp there in New York. I have never changed the air filter but then I don't keep cars that long.

 

^^ 2x on this.

ATF change (if you're A/T that is, sub-code 3) is recommended at every 30k miles or 2 years. In addition to that Brake fluid replacement (not mentioned by the MM) is recommended to be replaced every 60k or 3 years, coolant (sub-code 5) every 60k or 5 years, and spark plugs (sub-code 4) every 105k miles just for the record.

Yes, the air filter code does indeed have to pop up with the only during oil change intervals. And yes, it is possible to reset each sub-code for the MM independently... BUT you'll need Honda's HDS to do so.

Whenever the MM is cleared but the recommended sub-code service is not performed, the PCM resets the interval (thinks the service has been done in other words) and continues its maintenance interval sequence.

 

I am at 11k I plan on changing my this month the problem I found is I can not just go to Autozone or Advance Auto to pick one up they do not carry in store have to order.

 

Save yourself some $$. Here's an alternate source I and others have bought cabin filters from:
Logical Source

FYI. Here's also an older thread relating to the same topic.
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...cabin-air.html

Good luck!

 

I change my intake filter every 15k miles. The cabin filter once every 2 yrs.

 

There's an argument for not changing the engine air filter too frequently; the dirt and grime help filter smaller dirt and grime. Too clean a filter allows more particulates to pass.

The recommended interval of yearly/10,000 miles went away with electronic fuel injection. Even a severely clogged engine air filter will not reduce fuel efficiency or increase pollutants. It will reduce power if it gets bad enough, but to be noticeable it would have to be really bad; like plugging it. It kinda negates K&N claims.

I'm not blowing smoke. The EPA and Oakridge lab did a study.

I change the cabin filter in the spring after the pollen explodes, or it starts to get smelly a few weeks later...

 

Well I just drove the Fit last night and guess what popped up Code A2. This Fit has 26,000 miles on it. I stopped by a local auto parts store and picked up a new air filter, cabin air filter, and an oil filter. All of them were Wix brand. I guess I'll have to change them all next week.

 

Here's my maintenance schedule which mostly follows the electronic manual for GE8. Other than the valve adjustment, I basically do the maintenance myself.

cabin air filter: check every year in the spring. If bad, replace
engine air filter: follow MM. Usually comes up once every 2 years.
engine oil and filter: follow MM, but I change the oil and filter together. I also put in a bottle of Techron Fuel System Cleaner
tire rotation: every 5K miles ( free at tire place I bought the tires)
auto transmission fluid: every 30K miles (full 6 quarts)
spark plug: inspected only. Will replace at 75K
coil pack: inspect and replace as needed
engine coolant: inspected only. Will replace at 100K then at every 50K
brake fluid: every 3 years
brake pad/rotor: inspect and replace as needed
brake shoes/drum: inspect and replace as needed (probably will be ok for over 100K)
inspect valve clearance: planned between 60K - 100K miles
check underside for rust/corrosion: during every oil change. Clean and apply rust prevention spray paint as needed.
Clean Throttle Body: when I feel like doing it

 

The manufacturers also finally got smart over the past decade or so with the ducting and mounted the filter upside down against gravity within a relatively larger chamber compared to the intake pipe. So bigger particles won't get sucked into the filter media.
It is similar to how a (solid body) vacuum cleaner doesn't suck just simply push all the dirt against it's filter, but rather most of the particles settle out in the chamber, rather then hitting the actual filter.
Fancier vacuums use specific shapes to aid separation (dyson spams their cyclonic technology) but just having any box allows the particles to succumb to gravity rather then vacuum. They don't really go to this degree in the car.

The above applies to most general new cars, but more on the Fit, the filter is located in the back of the engine bay where the way the ducting is broken up and positioned also works to separate out particles before it even gets to the actual air box..

But for above reasons is why your engine filter still is clean after 30,000 miles. Also, being more fuel efficient helps, but I should mention gas guzzlers also go 30k miles without changing the air filter too. But in general, less fuel means less air passed through the thing.

In older but still modern cars (say anything with a serpentine belt), the filter was vertically placed in the box, so the the ducting helped slow the air flow to separate the particles out, but didn't use gravity to help.
For cars before that, with the filter directly in the flow of the air with no use of a air box.



For your cabin air filter, all this isn't really in place, because you got all the leaves and dust in the intake in the cowl just dropping straight onto the filter.

 

Here's a rare one for the books.

Driving to Winterpeg this morning I could not get my 2007 Fit up to
the posted speed on the hwy. of 100km. Felt like one cylinder not
firing.
Later I noticed the check engine light come on so I stopped at a dealer
to perhaps use their OBD reader We don't have any.

Short of driving 30km. home to use mine I opened the hood.

Now in the rubber throat of the intake I have used for years a
sort of pre-filter to keep out bugs, dust and even sunflower seeds
from getting to the filter. I use a floor vent filter element.

Lo, after our last blizzard, the vent filter was clogged with a 1/4"
of snow. Not sure if it would have been better in getting right into
the reg. filter, melting, etc.

 

Better then what i found in my airbox of my VFR800, some litter critter decided to make a home inside the airbox, it was full of nuts and rat shit all over.

 

My cabin filter is a litter box for a chipmunk. I empty it every so often and when I put it back I add a piece of dryer cloth.

 

I was thinking about changing my air filter today. I got 40,800 miles on it. It didn't look too dirty when I inspected it, but I believe it's time to go. Now I wonder if I'm best off with the factory filter or a aftermarket filter? Long ago I used a K&N in my 1994 Sentra SE-R, and didn't notice any difference at all. I really just want to increase MPG though.