# Compass Cabin Air Filter **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 13, 2014, 8:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573 "2014-08-13T08:54:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![macfisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@macfisto](https://community.cartalk.com/u/macfisto)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 8:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/1 "2014-08-13T08:54:23Z")
My 2007 Jeep Compass does not have a cabin air filter. The owner’s manual makes no mention of it. I have the shop manuals however, and they point out that filters did come on some versions of the car. Pull the glove box and lo and behold, an easy to remove cover for a cabin air filter, and an empty slot. I see no reason why I shouldn’t put one in, except for what looks like mostly open space between the bottom of the filter slot and the fan. There’s just a few plastic arms spanning the space. So the question is, for anyone who has experience with this car, do the versions that came with OEM filters have any other plastic parts for the filter to fit in, or is the space as open as it is on mine? I’ll attach a picture too. ---
**Author:** ![macfisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@macfisto](https://community.cartalk.com/u/macfisto)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 8:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/2 "2014-08-13T08:54:45Z")
Nice of the photo to go in sideways… ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 9:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/3 "2014-08-13T09:13:18Z")
The shop manual should have an illustration of the parts involved so you can see what is missing. Normally there would be a plastic carrier that the filter fits in. ---
**Author:** ![macfisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@macfisto](https://community.cartalk.com/u/macfisto)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 9:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/4 "2014-08-13T09:17:48Z")
The shop manual shows a pretty basic process - drop the glove box, pull the cover, slide the filter in. No mention of a carrier. I’m starting to think that the shape of those plastic things in there is sufficient to hold the filter paper in place. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/5 "2014-08-13T23:36:02Z")
If you are uncomfortable with the open space below, then it would not be too difficult to fashion a tray out of hardware cloth and slip it in there. ---
**Author:** ![macfisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@macfisto](https://community.cartalk.com/u/macfisto)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 9:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/6 "2014-08-23T09:52:23Z")
Well, I bought the filter last weekend, and so far so good. No shredding noises yet, and no bits of filter flying out of the vents. Unfortunately it doesn’t do much for the greasy smelling air coming out of the back of a noodle house that I have to drive by every day. ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/7 "2014-08-23T17:30:58Z")
Yeah, cabin air filters are great for dust and pollen. But does nothing for odors and smells. Our Rav4 has a factory cabin air filter, but I’ve still had Diesel fumes choke me out following trucks up grades. ---
**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/8 "2014-08-23T17:34:36Z")
Some come with charcoal impregnated in the filter. I have also seen the ones with Febreeze. [http://www.fram.com/air-filters/fram-fresh-breeze-cabin-air-filter.aspx](http://www.fram.com/air-filters/fram-fresh-breeze-cabin-air-filter.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![crusty-XII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/53a042/32.png) [@crusty-XII](https://community.cartalk.com/u/crusty-XII)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/9 "2014-08-23T19:00:22Z")
don’t waste your money on Fram/Febreze filter, just put one in my mazda 3 (what a PITA), seems no different than a plain filter ---
**Author:** ![macfisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@macfisto](https://community.cartalk.com/u/macfisto)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/10 "2014-08-23T19:55:28Z")
@knfenimore It actually was a Fram filter, supposedly with Arm and Hammer baking soda in it. It was the filter the parts store had. I’m not surprised it didn’t do much. ---
**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-cabin-air-filter/86573/11 "2014-08-24T03:04:00Z")
Never used one, but now I know not to waste my money. I wonder if the carbon impregnated filters actually work [http://www.amazon.com/ATP-HA-5-Carbon-Activated-Premium/dp/B000C8T96Q](http://www.amazon.com/ATP-HA-5-Carbon-Activated-Premium/dp/B000C8T96Q)