Infiniti I35 Cabin A/C Filter Replacement

	I have an '04 I35 and replaced my cabin filter. It's not hard. Budget about 30 minutes including rounding up the needed tools. Only two tools are needed- a #2 philips head screwdriver and a pair of needle-nose pliers. If you have a spring loaded set of pliers, that's even better. A really crusty instruction sheet comes with the replacement filter. It's Maxima-oriented and year-generic, so expect some inaccuracies. Your car might differ slightly. Don't stress! Nissan/Infiniti has not made many changes over the last few model years. Caution- There are some plastic tabs on both sides to help align the box. During the removal and install, be careful. Take your time and don't jam anything too hard, and all will go well.
Step 1- two screws are located at the bottom
Step 2 - four screws are inside the box
Step 3 - disconnect the light. Push the tab to disconnect
Step 4 - instead of mesing with the airbag connection, just squeeze the little plastic tabs to remove the whole assembly from the bracket.
Step 5- push down from the top on the little metal clip. It'll pop right off. Then slide the white plastic cap up. There's a tab on the top that might need some coaxing.
Step 6 - slide the old filter out.
Here's the original "high quality" OEM filter in my Infinti
Compare to the $50 replacement filter. You can use either one. The two little ones stack together to replace the OEM filter. The replacement filters are dark because they have an active charcoal layer.

click for a larger pic