[lalochezia]

2017 EX HEV; Changed the cabin air filter as shown here.

It was FILTHY - full of dust and gunk. I don’t think it’s had been changed in 30k+ miles.

The fan (presumably) runs with much less resistance, but has a whine (vibration) that increases with cabin fan speed that is very loud and noticeable! I’ve checked to make sure the clips are attached properly on the filter cover and on the glovebox.



How would I go about fixing this considering the fan unit itself isn’t that visible?

 

[FlNiro]

Did you vacuum out all the leaves and other debris that gets trapped in the box and ducting?

 

[lalochezia]

Nope. Just scooped out with my hands. Note: this is the CABIN filter, not the engine filter. How do you get to the ductwork behind the cabin filter?


FWIW The sound sounds like something has become unbalanced, not something rattling around....

 

[Techy]

Nope. Just scooped out with my hands. Note: this is the CABIN filter, not the engine filter. How do you get to the ductwork behind the cabin filter?


FWIW The sound sounds like something has become unbalanced, not something rattling around....

Changing the cabin air will not unbalance anything as long as you put the new filter in correctly and it would be very tough not to.
Pull the cabin air filter out and then run the fan motor and see if the noise/whine is still there.
Something possibly dropped into the fan??

 

[FlNiro]

Changing the cabin air will not unbalance anything as long as you put the new filter in correctly and it would be very tough not to.
Pull the cabin air filter out and then run the fan motor and see if the noise/whine is still there.
Something possibly dropped into the fan??

Leaves I bet.

 

[Techy]

Leaves I bet.

Yep, that is what I would put my money on and it should be easy enough to find and remove.

 

[WorldPlayer]

Is the cabin filter directional? Some filters have arrows that need to match the airflow.

 

[Techy]

Is the cabin filter directional? Some filters have arrows that need to match the airflow.

Cabin air filters are directional but even if the direction was incorrect, that would not cause the issue mentioned.

 

[lalochezia]

Update : Resolved! As others suggested, feeling around in the fan area with the engine and fan off, and manually rotating the fan blades with my fingers released more crap (a twig and 3 leaves!). This got rid of most of the noise when the fan run!

 

[doro6529]

Glad it's resolved. The design is a bit flawed in that the opening for the filter does not allow one to pull the filter out without wiping off the larger bits of debris that landed on the top of the filter. It ends up landing on the blower throwing it out of balance. I had to remove a large maple leaf and a twig from the blower wheel but after removing them vibration was gone life is good again.

 

[chuckhawley]

I have a 2019 Plug-In Niro, and I do the maintenance on it. I finally got around to the cabin air filter because, like many others, I couldn't find it in my local auto parts stores. It was so filthy that it looked like dirt had been poured on it, plus some fluffy cotton stuff that looked like a mouse had taken up residence on the top of it. The car has 17,300, and since we live near the ocean in California, we have remarkably clean air when the forests are on fire.

The engine air filter, by comparison is impeccably clean. It's hard to tell which side is "up". After 17K, there's no way I would replace it with an identically-clean filter.

The replacement filter is made by WIX and cost $15.00. I think I'll replace it every six months. I tougher question is how often to change the engine oil. With 100% synthetic oil, and top-quality oil filters, I am tempted to go 9,000 miles between changes. That's about one year, and probably 4,500 miles on the ICE.

Chuck

 

[Techy]

The replacement filter is made by WIX and cost $15.00. I think I'll replace it every six months. I tougher question is how often to change the engine oil. With 100% synthetic oil, and top-quality oil filters, I am tempted to go 9,000 miles between changes. That's about one year, and probably 4,500 miles on the ICE.

Chuck

The maintenance schedule would say that is a no-no but because it is synthetic and as you say approx 4500 miles, I personally would not have a problem with once a year. I am aware of others on this forum that have stretched the oil change much longer on a PHEV.

 

[kia_niro_bob]

I will likely have some major issues with changing oil every 4,500 miles.. I have a PHEV and going to be using mostly the electirc until winter and road trips. My 2010 Prius the last 10 years I owned it was changed 1x a year and was supposed to be changed every year or 10K miles. Used Mobil 1 0-20.

This car looks a lot easier to change oil compared to Prius... Anyone else change own oil regularly>

 

[Techy]

I will likely have some major issues with changing oil every 4,500 miles.. I have a PHEV and going to be using mostly the electirc until winter and road trips. My 2010 Prius the last 10 years I owned it was changed 1x a year and was supposed to be changed every year or 10K miles. Used Mobil 1 0-20.

This car looks a lot easier to change oil compared to Prius... Anyone else change own oil regularly>

I have always change my own oil, regardless of vehicles I have owned.
Changing oil in Niro is easy. My previous Equinox was even easier as the filter was accessed from the top - cartridge style.

 

[FlNiro]

Don't forget to replace the crush washer on the drain plug.

 

[chuckhawley]

Do we think that using a copper crush water would be 100% terrible compared to what appears to be aluminum? As a sailor, I am concerned about galvanic corrosion, but it seems like it would be pretty minimal in this oily environment...

 

[Griswald]

Don't forget to replace the crush washer on the drain plug.

I have 87,000 miles on my Niro, and that's like 8 or 9 oil changes. I have never changed the washer and it still does not leak even a tiny bit.

In fact, in my 50 years or so of doing my own oil changes. I can't even remember ever changing one except on a 79 Dodge Colt, the oil filter even came with one in the box.

 

[Dovidan]

I'm doing the putting on about 5,600 miles/yr on my PHEV, figuring that ICE is on for less than 1/3rd of that. So far I have changed my oil annually but really think that is totally unnecessary as there are a number of posts of individuals going well over 100K (miles and no reports of significant ICE problems. The I.5 ICE engine in our Niros appears to be very well designed and solid. Chances of a warranty claim on the ICE of PHEV -- especially one related to lubrication -- unless the level is too low -- seem extremely low..