I have an alternative way of doing this:
- after taking down that little bit of carpet under the glove box disconnect all the connectors on the bottom of the fusebox.
- turn the butterflies and unclip the box from the bracket.
- disconnect all the connectors from the top of the fuse box and remove.

Now you have so much more room to move your hands around. I did my swap in 20 mins flat.

On my 2008 model there was a single small butterfly screw on the filter cover instead of small nuts.

My old filter was filthy, full of dirt and pine needles. As my car was serviced in December last year, I am sure they didn't even touch the cabin filter.

After reconnecting the fusebox press unlock on your remote, this will deactivate immobiliser and allow you to start the car.

I highly doubt any garage would change this filter unless you specifically asked them too.

And tbh, Given the "faff" this job is they'll probably be less gentle with the under dash bits you dont see.

Can't believe this thread has bumped to the first page, I did my cabin filter today- Real coincidence! I left my battery connected, just bent the carpet down out of the way, unhooked the fusebox from its hinges so I could force it down out of the way to reach past, and unbolted the fusebox's bracket so I had more space to slide the filter in. Still a faff though! Only bothered putting one bolt back on the filter cover plate, to make it easier in the future!

When I did mine I found the filter only held in by two of the three bolts. Weighed the old and new and found the old one must have ben in ages as it was really filthy and weighed a hell of a lot more.

Good guide though.

one way or the other is really nasty one...

I'm glad you posted this guide, as I may have to do a little investigation of my own. You mentioned the smell that disappeared after the filter had been changed. I got a slight musty smell a couple of weeks ago and immediately thought of the pollen filter (the smell vanished after the A/C was run at nearly full blast for a few days, but came back today). However, the invoice from the service in March clearly states that the pollen filter was replaced. But now that someone else has mentioned that his had not been touched during a service, I think a personal inspection would be in order. I am sure it would take me way more than an hour though!

Pollen Filter change
 

Was there pictures of the sequence to change the Pollen filter from a previous posting.Any ideas.

Sorry , pictures available now were being blocked by software.

phew, just did this job - took 15 minutes of messing around to determine the best way is just to disconnect the battery, unplug all the leads and get the white CEM hell unit out the way :p Took about 45 minutes after that to complete the job. What where volvo thinking making it so hard to 1) access the CEM 2) Hiding the pollen filter up there with CEM in the bloody way.

Would hate changing a fuse in there late at night stuck at the side of the road ...

Oh yea little tip if you do go for the CEM removal method , if you can't swing the catch back down you might caught a wire, don't keep pushing and check :)

Does anybody know if this is the same filter as used on a C-max ?

Pictures certainly look similar and there is (or at least was when the things were designed) of course the Ford/Volvo family connection. Filter in a C-max is in what sounds a very similar position and I've got a couple of C-max filters that were supplied with a service kit but never used (for reasons that will be obvious to anyone reading above !).

Mine are 21cms tall (along the ribs) by (not quite) 24cms wide (across ribs) by 3.4 cms deep with a Ford part number of 1 315 687 or 3M5J - 19G244 - AA on the bag and T4FWB or 3M5J - 19G244 - AA on side of filter.

With the help of the guide above, it's perhaps time I changed mine - AFAIK it's never been done.