What's the great mystery about the Accord A/C Filter?

The manual for my newly acquired '99 Accord describes replacing every
maintenance item but directs an owner to have Honda only replace the
A/C (ventilation) filter: Why?

Is it a situation like the Alfa 105series heater core: They laid that
one part down and built the car around it?

TIA

 

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Read the post above about 'Odyssey A/C filter'

Same drill, basically. Do a google search and you'll find the full
directions.

'Curly'

 

It is damned awkward to get to, that's why. Straightforward once you've
seen it, but the first time it's awkward.

Hint: that lower dash panel has a screw at the top left, underneath
some trim. Don't forget that one. If you do, you'll break the tab off
and have to buy a new dash panel for $40 or so. (There are some
instructions out on the net that specifically don't mention that screw,
and I made the mistake of following the instructions that said "now the
dash panel will pop right out" instead of following my instincts, which
were screaming "but it's attached up there somehwere, it *can't* just
pop out...")

So says the voice of experience. But hey, even with that, the *total* I
paid to replace the filter on my 00 Accord was $51--far cheaper than the
$30 for parts and $72 for labor that the dealer charges.

 

Thanks, got it.

....Looks like I was right after all.

Looks like a three hour job? (Any idea what the Honda book rate night
be?)

After reviewing the manual it appears *every* other consumable in this
car can be serviced and maintained by a monkey with strong
fingernails: Do you have any idea why Honda made the servicing of
that one particular part so onerous?

....Perhaps a corporate pettifogger with a distorted understanding of
product liability?

 

The book calls it an hour.

 

Not sure what the "book" rate for it might be. But after doing it a couple
of times on my '00 TL, I can say that you have to take a beer break in the
middle of the job to stretch it to a half hour.

 

Standard practice in this man's garage...

;0)

a

 

Looking at http://www.honda-acura.net/forums/showthread.php?t=43307 it
appears it will take a half-hour just to label all the screws...

What's your tip?

 

Those pictures show how to take that whole side of the dash off. All you
have to do (at least on the TL of the same generation) is take out the glove
box itself - one screw in the damper piston on the right side, two on the
bottom holding the hinges, and the stoppers on the sides of the box slide
forward and pop out.

 

Those pictures show how to take that whole side of the dash off. All you
have to do (at least on the TL of the same generation) is take out the glove
box itself[/QUOTE]

Nope. On the Accord, you have to remove the dash panel as well.

 

The dealer that I deal with charges .5 hour for the job. Well worth it in my
opinion.

Brian

 

it's a 10 minute job at best.
Chip

 

it's a 10 minute job at best.
Chip[/QUOTE]

.....once you've done a couple of them.

First time, without any help? It takes more than it should.

At least VW knew to put the filter at the air intake under the hood,
where (a) outside air that needs to be filtered comes in, and (b) you
can GET to the stupid thing.

For years, we did without. Mercedes started using them in the mid-80's
as a marketing-luxury thing. Now it's a necessity?

Take it out and leave it out, I say.

 

At least one manufacturer discovered the hard way they were necessary, under
some conditions. Volvo introduced the 850 model in 1992 (IIRC) and soon had
serious reliability problems. A/C evaporators were failing at an astonishing
rate, with pinholes appearing in them. At about $2000 to replace the
evaporator, customers were becoming disgruntled. It was also costing a
fortune in warranty repairs, so something had to be done. The cause was
traced to normal condensation on the evaporator turning pollen and dust into
a paste that caused cavities in the evaporator. Adding a pollen filter cured
the problem.

Mike