Guide to Pollen Filter change
 

Here's how I changed my Pollen Filter (multi filter):

Note; this is a horrible job, takes about an hour but I'd say you could do it in 30 mins next time around. I am 40 and probably not as agile as I used to be but some of the positions required to do this job will test your patience for sure. I've got quite a few minor cuts, saw elbows and a bruised hip! anyway, I'll soldier on....

First up, get this bit of carpet down in the PASSENGER foot well by pressing lightly in the centre of the two round 'popper' fixings:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...06/pollen3.jpg

This is what's up there, and in the way of the job:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...6/Photo024.jpg

This fuse holder/CEM unit needs to be lowered and pulled clear of its mounting bracket you release the unit with the two turn-buckle things. Here you can see where the unit can be lowered for changing fuses or pulled clear of the bracket:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...6/pollen15.jpg
The unit lowered down:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...06/pollen6.jpg
And the unit lowered (pull the carpeting down first) ignore the plastic trims I removed, that was me investigating the access:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...Photo006-2.jpg

Now you need to get the white bracket off (because it's in the way of the filter 'door') by undoing the two 13mm nuts using a socket on an extension bar, I just let the bracket fall down out of the way (careful not to drop the nuts though because they fall behind the carpet - twice in my case!):
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...6/pollen14.jpg

Now get the pollen filter cover plate off, this should have 3 x 7mm? hex-head screws but mine only had one in the centre (dealers probably lost the others or gave up the will to live at this point so one it is) the cover pulls slightly towards the bulkhead as it has a 'tab' along its length:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...Photo013-2.jpg
Me reaching to get the screw out by hand so it didn't drop somewhere:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...06/pollen8.jpg

Now, wrestle the old filter out by pulling to the left - you'll have to squash it down to get it past the CEM etc and some bits of leaves and stuff will fall out - I used a long hoover nozzle to vacuum the bits up and got my finger in the empty filter casing to flick out for any bits.

The new one has to be offered 'up' the back of the bulkhead to clear the wiring looms and then brought down level with the filter box and pushed in - again the filter squashes down when you need which helps:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...Photo008-2.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...6/Photo012.jpg

To compare, the old one has done about 14,000 miles in 17 months, that's 'if' it got changed at the previous service. Also note the direction of airflow is marked on the filter and must be fitted the correct way, for reference the air comes from the front of the car towards the Radio:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...06/pollen9.jpg

When you put the CEM/fuse holder back (remember to replace that white bracket) be careful as the wiring connectors can 'unhook' themselves one did it twice on me and was labelled 'cockpit 2' - just make sure the connectors are seated fully on both sides of the unit:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2.../pollen1-1.jpg

I was getting a slight smell each time I started the car and this has cleared. As I said it's a horrible job but manageable with simple tools and some patience. It is also possible to do without disconnecting the battery or unplugging the CEM which prevents possible faults later.

Excellent!

Nice little guide there.

:star-wars-smiley-01

Brilliant. Been looking for a photo guide to this for ages.

That is why I did it because I couldn't find one, well, I did find one and went off on a huge mission mistakenly following a LEFT HAND DRIVE guide and even got the cover plate off of the Heater Matrix! a FAR worse job than the pollen filter but all in vein.

I hate to say this but I can't help thinking some garages would skip this job if they could get away with it.

Done that. Absolute pig of a job I found. What a ridiculous place to put it. I found one of those plugs in the CEM "tray" a little devil as it looked fine on shutting but then gave me no power at all. Right little b****r.

This is a great thread! Thanks.

Your description is very similar to that given in the Haynes manual, except that their first step is to remove the glovebox! D'oh, i doubt very much that a Volvo technician would do that! I would suspect that a Volvo technician would do the job in about 15-20 minutes, but it does seem a very fiddly job for something that's meant to be done every service, and one wonders whether it's sometimes skipped.

Good guide, might have a crack at doing it myself, was put off by all the other guides saying to remove the glovebox as froggyted said.

Slightly off topic, does anyone know the part number for that bit of carpet, one of my poppers is broke so it dangles down no matter how many times I try to wedge it up.

Best to ring FRF or someone for a price, I don't think it would cost much.

I looked at removing the glovebox but couldn't really see it helping much so seeing as I managed without it then I guess my way works ok (albeit a right faff about) I'm still aching today with a stiff neck!

Removing the glovebox is actually very easy and doubles your working space!

I literally disconnected everything from the CEM and chucked the unit on the back seat out of the way. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY if you're unplugging stuff from the CEM unit however! You get a horrible beeping noise if you dont.

It's a very fiddly job, but anyone can do it with a basic set of sockets and screw drivers.

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.

A truly horrible job , you should get the modified hand wing nut from the dealer before starting , ( PN 30780788 ) as there is a volvo mod to throw away the 3 small self tapping screws and just use the hand wing nut screw in the centre hole as per current models , it makes life easier next time, that is how volvo got the fitting down from the original 54 minutes ( removing glove box ) to 42 mins then to the current time of 18 minutes I would advise taking all the plugs out and removing the CEM completely AFTER disconnecting the battery .Less of a struggle ..
Anyone wants a new genuine charcoal pollen filter at a reasonable price for S40 V50 C30 C70 PM me, i bought a few .

it had the wing nut lucky :) Seen a how-to to remove the glove-box, looks like another bugger of a job. Sometimes wonder if I should of just kept my S40 T4 :p - there glove box is just 2 screws and the whole thing drops out :p

How current is 'current' - i.e. which year did the change occur ?

It sounds to me as though the pollen filter was an afterthought when the design process was near its completion. It seems insane that something that is supposedly done every service is so awkward and time consuming, and no doubt the cost is passed on to the customers, whereas if it had been thought out better the charges for every single annual service could have been reduced.

about 2007

you are probably right but this is a directly inherited ford problem .( like most volvo problems today)

Good show ! Late 2008 ought to be one of the easier (or less hard anyway) models to work on.

Will perhaps have a go at it next month.

Meanwhile, I'd still appreciate knowing if dimensions of the Volvo pollen filter do match my spare Ford ones.

V50 pollen filter replacement
 

Huge thanks for this thread. There is no way I would have found the filter without it - let alone changed it!

I was surprised how little the fuse holder drops, but it doesn't need to as much as I thought - just enough to get the bracket out above the fusebox.

The cover for the filter needs to be pulled outwards by placing a finger just to the left of where the screw came out. Mine is a late 2008 and just had one winged screw.

Thumbs up for Mill garage of Stockton. That was where the previous service had been done, and I'm sure it had been replaced when last serviced.

It dose look a mission just for a cabin filter....?

After nearly 6 years of being a volvo tech i can do it in under 5mins.

by bending the bracket no doubt :thumbs_up:

Haha yes! How did you guess

see my signature :-)

Does anyone know what the difference is between the two filters listed for the car, apart from one containing carbon and one not, are they both the same size? Mines a 2006 (56) if that makes any difference? Started getting a funny smell on start up, with the fans on

Cheers

yes same size , the charcoal one is the standard fit and this filters out smells , Are you sure it is not stale wash fluid you can smell ? take a sniff down the wash filler tube ...

Cheers ill get the carbon one, its due a change, ill check the washer fluid smells, but it's been filled up a few times over the last few weeks due to the salt

On another note how much are you selling them for clan? Couldn't pm you sorry

Many thanks :natur008:

I did this job today - possibly for the first time ever though it might have been done by the indy who did my 1 year service. Old filter wasn't quite as bad as I'd been expecting.

In spite of Welton's caveat in last para I disconnected battery then unplugged fusebox & removed it completely. Perhaps a bit soon to brag but I think everything is working again now that I've put it all back together.

One slight 'improvement' : when removing fusebox support bracket I used a 13mm box spanner as a standard socket just wasn't deep enough. No doubt a 'deep socket' would have been even better but I don't have one of them.

One problem with job was that I just couldn't fit both fusebox retaining screws. LH one was fine but RH one seemed to have a chewed up socket. I'm hoping that one will be sufficient.

Earlier in this thread, I mentioned that I thought my C-max pollen filter looked the right size. I can now confirm it's identical. Anyone wanting a new pollen filter might therefore find it in stock and cheaper at a Ford dealer rather than waiting for a Volvo dealer to order one.

"Next month" proved a bit optimistic - I put it off for 18 months :err:

I can also confirm that my 58 plate model did indeed have the 'new improved wing nut' rather than 3 bolts.

Getting somewhat OT I know but I think I've identified one new electrical fault that removing & replacing fusebox might have caused.

Originally, if you pressed (or lifted any) of the window operating switches for more than half a second (or thereabouts), that window would fully open (or close) on its own. This morning I've noticed that the drivers window motor only operates whilst switch id pressed (or lifted) and stops when I let go. Other three windows work as they used to.

Can't say that I'm exactly heartbroken at that; I've always found it very distracting to try & open my window by an inch or two - now that's dead easy ! However, the other result is that a long press on keyfob now only opens (or closes) three of my windows. Not yet decided if new benefit outweighs the new snag but if anyone can tell me which of the many plugs on the box I need to wiggle to try & cure it I'd be very grateful. No doubt wiggling the wrong one might introduce a new fault !