POTAUTO MAP 2009C (CF10218) Activated Carbon Car Cabin Air Filter Replacement for MAZDA 3 5

This cabin filter was very similar to the original equipment filter in my Mazda 5. The big difference was that the original filter had a foam seal along the top of the top filter, this replacement did not have one. I managed to remove the foam seal from the old filter and fasten it to the new one. Other than that issue, it was an identical match. Note also, the filter is not easy to install, not just this brand. Be prepared to work in tight spaces to remove the filter cover under the dash, then maneuvering the new filters into place. Watch the U tube videos before attempting.

Aside from the filter on the Mazda 3 being a pain. This filter is super cheep. The filter medium is very thin and the folds (pleats) are wide. The frame is also poorly made and the pieces don’t fit well together making the install a much more painful process. This is one part id recommend spending a bit more money on and get a quality one.

These filters fit my Mazda 5, but they were a bit inferior design from the original, in my opinion. The original had a soft foam strip across the top where it pushes against the top of the filter housing; this one has a thin plastic ridge that is supposed to bend over a bit to create a seal against the top of the filter housing. I don't think the bendable plastic ridge seal could be as good as the foam, and bending the ridge means you have to push the top filter in with one hand, kind of hard, just to get the second filter to slide underneath it. It's already a tight spot, and this makes it a bit harder. Also, in the original filter, two ridges on the edge of one filter creates a grove where a similar ridge from the second filter slides between, creating a seal--and there is a "V" shape in the groove to make it easier to get the second filter started into the groove. On these replacement filters, the groove for the second filter is just an alternating wall--first on one side, then on the other--and there is no "V" guide to get the second filter started. So it does not create as good of an air seal between the two filters, and it is not as easy to get the second filter slid into the groove. On the plus side, there was an instruction page (with barely-visible photocopied photos) that was very specific to my model year, and it seemed accurate, although it was not necessary to disconnect any electrical hookups as they suggested. But you will get more information just by searching YouTube to see generally how Mazda cabin air filters are situated. Because of the lower quality plastic parts on this filter, I naturally doubt whether the carbon infused in it the same, also. The carbon in the factory filter was much finer grained, nearly a powder; in this filter you can see tiny polka dots of black. I'm thinking that most of the air molecules get into your cabin without ever touching any activated carbon. But any clean filter is better than the old dirty one, and the old filter was blamed by my spouse for musty smells that probably are coming from kids spills in the back seat. So I am giving this three stars anyway. I was tempted to give it two.

I got it for the GF's 2007 Mazda 3. On this model, you must remove the fuse box/body computer and bracket, below the glove box to replace the cabin filter. The activated carbon means that nasty smell outside, that you are driving past, doesn't come in the car.

I have tried several different brands cabin filters for my Mazda 5, and this is by far the worst. The plastic frame is not as rigid as other brands, so it warps easily while manipulating it. With other brands, I can put in the top filter, push it up, and it will stay there by itself while you slide in the bottom filter. Not with this one. It just falls right down. I eventually had to use duct tape to hold it up so I could get the bottom filter in. Worst of all is the "channel" in the top filter that you slide the bottom filter into. On every other brand, the channel is created by two solid pieces of plastic the entire length of the filter. On this one, they use alternating pieces of plastic to create the "channel", which leaves gaps. It's way too easy for the bottom filter to slide out of one of the gaps and not stay in the "channel". I definitely won't be buying this again.

What a difference this made

As advertised

As others have said, this is nowhere near OEM quality, and is by far the poorest cabin filter I have ever purchased. It's less than OEM thickness made it difficult to install. With all the other filters I have bought for my Mazda 5, the top filter would slip in & up, and stay up in place so you could easily slide the lower filter in beneath it. This top filter did not have any foam edge, and was not the correct thickness, so it wouldn't stay up, and made inserting the lower filter a pain, considering the awkward location Mazda put these things under the dash. I will be using this filter set only until a better replacement filter set arrives.

This filter looks and feels cheap in a sense. It only had 25 pleats compared to the original Mazda 3 filter I pulled out which had 38 pleats. It doesn't have the foam on the top filter edge but instead a thin flat piece of plastic. After a week of use, I can smell a strong scent of fried food when parked beside a restaurant so I don't think the so called odor filtering is working. Its a pain to install a cabin filter in a Mazda 3 so this will stay here and not bother with removing.

The filter is fine, you won't like the install, which requires removing the fuse panel and crawling around in the passengers footwell.I've had Mazda cars for 45 years and this was the craziest part replacement I've ever been through. Watch a video first and decide if you really want to tackle this. This is when a young contortionist comes in handy.

Product was perfect!Very experience with car repair but the car it was installed was a nightmare who would design such a stupid location only to make money for dealer principle quoted 1.5 hour to installed.please review u tube before any attempt a this service

Fits perfectly on my 2007 Mazda 3. The install in this car is a pain so it’s nice to get a decent filter like this to last longer.

The price is right for the two filters for the 2007 ma,da 3 , but a bit difficult to install, not the filters fault but Mazdas design flaw!

item as described, I've searched Youtube video about hot to install the filter and it was not too bad.

OK product. It doesn't have the foam cushion and hard to assemble two pieces together in the small air filter cabinet. Buy the Mazda original one. It has much better design.

work well and cheaper than stock

Excellent deal!

Bonne qualité prix

Bonne qualité prix

Very efficient

Good product

Super

Item as described.