N55 Cabin Filter Replacement

Your N55 has a cabin filter, and the X models have more than one. Which one, and where, depends on the chassis: the E8x and E9x keep it under the hood, and owners put the F30 and F10 in the footwell.

Cars in the rows below. Not the ActiveHybrids.

Which filter, and where

E82, E88, E90, E92, E93BMW 64 31 9 313 519One filter, in the engine bay. BMW's repair data puts the housing in the cowl at the base of the windshield.Charcoal filter $24.99 →
F30, F32, F33, F34, F36, F22, F23, F87BMW 64 11 9 237 555One filter. F30: BMW's steps start at the lower dash trim, and owners put the filter in the passenger footwell behind an under-dash cover. BMW's text is muddled on the side: confirm on the car. The rest of this group takes the same filter; where it sits is not confirmed.Charcoal filter $47.99 →
F10, F07, F06, F12, F13, F01, F02BMW 64 11 9 272 642F10 owners report the passenger footwell with the glove box dropped (forum, not BMW). The one we sell is a set of 2, and one BMW filter job (no car named) slides two filters out downward, so look for both. Location on the others in this group: not confirmed.Set of 2 $55.99 →
X3 (F25), X4 (F26)Two filters. Main filter: BMW 64 31 2 284 828 on an X3 built to September 2013, 64 31 9 312 318 from September 2013 and on the X4 (September 2013: send us your VIN). Plus a recirculation set, 64 11 9 237 159. Owners put the X3's filters in the cowl on the passenger side and in the glove box. X4 location: not confirmed.
X5 (E70, F15), X6 (E71, F16)A two-element set, BMW 64 11 9 248 294, plus a separate recirculation filter, 64 31 9 194 098. A vendor listing puts the main set in the engine bay under a housing cover (X5 E70). E71, F15, F16 access: not confirmed. BMW's F15 recirculation filter job has you take off the trim at the bottom right.Recirculation filter $25.99 →
Not that charcoal filter. BMW's parts catalog also lists an "activated charcoal filter" in the fuel group (16 13 7 163 596 on the E8x and E9x). That's the fuel vapor canister, not a cabin filter. On cars with automatic A/C the charcoal is built into the cabin filter.

How often

20,000 miAbout. BMW's US service chart, for F-series cars built from July 2013: every 2nd oil service.
What BMW givesThe car's service reminder decides. For F-series built before July 2013 the chart has no cabin filter figure. For the E82, E88, E90, E92, E93, E70 and E71 we found no US figure.
One owner site, not BMW's15,000 to 20,000 miles.
Figure 1Two filter elements sliding out of the housing. Generic layout: yours may differ.

What you need

ToolsAn 8 mm socket for the E8x and E9x cowl screws (a vendor's X1 walkthrough: check yours). For the F30 cover screws, something that reads 2 Nm. A rag for the housing.
Fit the filter made for your car. BMW warns that a filter it doesn't approve can hurt the A/C, and not to run the A/C without the right one in. Shop rule, not BMW's: engine cool, ignition off before you unplug anything.

Out in this order

  1. Cover or trimE-series: cowl cover. F30: lower dash trim. F10 owners: glove box.
  2. Anything plugged inF30: a connector sits behind the trim. Unplug it.
  3. Housing coverScrews first, then latches.
  4. Old filtersSlide out. Photograph the arrow first.new filters
  5. HousingWipe it out. Clear the drain hole.
F30 housing cover screws2 Nm
Every other carSend us your VIN and we'll send yours

Steps, by car

The arrow on the filter points in the direction of travel: BMW's rule in its F30 and two-filter steps. Other cars: photograph the old arrow first.

E82, E88, E90, E92, E93

  1. Hood up, cowl cover off. A vendor's walkthrough has six screws and a lid that lifts from the rear. It reports about 10 minutes.
  2. Old filter out. Photograph its arrow.
  3. Wipe out the housing and clear the drain hole.
  4. New filter in, arrow as in your photo. Lid and screws back.

F30

  1. Lower dash trim off. BMW's first step. Owners say passenger side.
  2. Unplug the connector behind the trim.
  3. Loosen the screws and latches, pull the filter out of its housing.
  4. New filter in, arrow in the direction of travel. Check the water drain hose is routed right. Cover screws 2 Nm, trim back.

F22, F23, F32, F33, F34, F36, F87: these are the only BMW steps we have. Use them as a guide.

F10 and similar

  1. Footwell trim off. F10 owners drop the glove box; a BMW two-filter job (no car named) starts at the right footwell trim.
  2. Cover screws out, then the latches. Mind the water hose.
    Figure 2The cabin filter housing with its lid circled. Generic layout: yours may differ.
  3. Slide the filters out downward.
    Figure 3Two filter elements sliding out of the housing. Generic layout: yours may differ.
  4. New filters in, arrows in the direction of travel. Cover and trim back.

F07, F06, F12, F13, F01, F02: location not confirmed. Use as a guide.

X3, X4, X5, X6

  1. Count your filters first, from the rows above.
  2. Find each one from the locations in those rows. Don't stop at the first.
  3. Change every one, arrows as in your photos. Access on the X4, E71, F15, F16: send us your VIN.

Reset the cabin filter reminder

Do this last. These are BMW's in-car steps for the speedometer display:

  1. Ignition on, engine off. On a push-button F-series car, owners say that means Start/Stop without your foot on the brake.
  2. Hold the trip reset button about 10 seconds, until the first service item shows.
  3. Step to the microfilter (cabin filter) item with short presses of the button on the turn signal stalk.
  4. Hold that button about 3 seconds until Reset? shows, then about 3 seconds again to confirm.
The 80 percent rule. In the car, BMW only lets you reset an item once it is under 80 percent available, with no Check Control message and the date right. Above that you get a reset lock, and only a shop's BMW diagnosis tool clears it. No microfilter item on your display? Nothing to reset.

Owners (not BMW) say F-series cars work the same way, but the buttons sit in different places.

Where people mess it up

  • Arrow backwards. Direction of travel, per BMW's F30 steps. F10 threads argue about it, so photograph the old one first.
    Figure 4A cabin filter element. Photograph its airflow arrow before you pull it out. Generic layout: yours may differ.
  • Missing the second filter. X3 and X4: main filter plus a recirculation set. X5 and X6: a two-element set plus a recirculation filter. F10 family: look for two.
  • Forcing the cover. Prying before the screws and latches are out. BMW's steps list both: find them first.

Steps, torque values and part rules come from BMW's repair instructions for the cabin microfilter (main group 64) and its US service chart, with owner and forum experience labeled. Part numbers come from BMW's parts catalog up to 2020. Check yours by VIN.

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