# Is it bad to drive without my air filter cover secured? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [November 19, 2022, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477 "2022-11-19T00:03:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 7:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/23 "2022-11-19T19:06:29Z")
You’re either going to have to go to the dealer or a junk yard to get this bolt , or find the one you lost. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/b/3b1bbe263c0ccc4790d961d3663a7b0245e53de6.png) Tester ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/25 "2022-11-19T19:53:12Z")
Good find. I do see the bolt listed on Amazon and eBay. I guess the quality can be questionable though. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/26 "2022-11-19T20:02:15Z")
> [@nickc498](#): > > I guess the quality can be questionable though. C’mon. It’s a bolt. 🙄 Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 9:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/27 "2022-11-19T21:16:55Z")
> [@nickc498](#): > > tried to do a DIY air filter change. I lost one of the screws for the cover. My Corolla’s air filter configuration is similar. I think it was designed that way to maximally increase the odds of my fingers getting pinched. … lol … Not easy at all to get bottom top and filter correctly aligned so it closes completely. Filter looks like post 9 above, orange part goes on top b/c the rubber-like orange part makes the air tight seal. Suggest next time you do this sort of job make a sketch or take photos of the configuration before removing the old one. When I do this job, it takes several adjustments to finally get everything aligned. Just take your time wiggle this, wiggle that, eventually it will line up and you’ll be able to get the clips on. There’s no bolts involved on mine, just to replace the filter element. Hold down method is just the clips on all four corners. The bolts hold the bottom part of the air-cleaner box to the chassis. That part doesn’t need to be unbolted & removed from the chassis just to replace the filter element, at least on my Corolla. As far as worrying about the missing bolt, imo the main worry is the missing bolt gets sucked towards the throttle body. Make sure it hasn’t gone in that direction, may have to remove the top part of the air box and hoses right up to the throttle valve for a visual inspection. Bolt might now be lodged up against this side of the throttle valve, and you definitely don’t want it to get sucked into engine when you step on the gas and open the throttle valve fully. On mine the lower part of the box is held to the chassis w/four bolts. 3 would be good enough I think, not something I’d worry about other than eventually buying another bolt and installing it next time you change the filter. I usually remove the entire airbox ass’y & hoses right up to the throttle body whenever I’m working in the engine compartment b/c it makes for a roomier experience and easy to do. As soon as that’s all removed I always use a rubber band to hold some sort of cover over the throttle intake area to avoid stuff going in there. ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2022, 12:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/29 "2022-11-20T00:18:38Z")
You left some great advice here. Thanks. I do wish I took a picture of what the air filter cover looked like before I messed with it. I tried over and over again to align the cover in the best way I could, but the filter is still slightly exposed on the right side. Its not as bad as the pictures I posted here though. The tabs are connected and everything else does look right. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2022, 11:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/30 "2022-11-20T11:36:49Z")
> [@nickc498](#): > > I tried over and over again to align the cover in the best way I could, but the filter is still slightly exposed on the right side. Its not as bad as the pictures I posted here though. Seeing that small bit of the filter edge is normal. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2022, 2:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/31 "2022-11-20T14:04:38Z")
Redneck it. Use a small visegrips pliers to hold side missing bolt. Then you’ll always have pliers under hood for future work. ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2022, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/32 "2022-11-20T20:25:16Z")
> [@Nevada\_545](#): > > There are three rounded corners and one square, the filter only fits one way. You do remember the old GM Distributor Rotors with a square and a Round Peg, they too “could only fit one way…” ![rotor](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/1/01b08af1b506e4458651d3e1084da8d40acadcd6.png) [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477.md?page=1)