Bacteria, mold, whatever... can be introduced in the car not only through the vents but just by opening the door or having your window(s) down. On my old filter, I found a bee, leaves, shaggy dust particles, twigs and raw dirt.

Many seem to be concerned about bacteria and stuff but unless it's really nasty looking and moist, I don't think there's going to be more than what you already have on your body. Street cleaners, cars with black soot shooting out their exhaust, construction sites kicking up dirt and dust... these are the stuff I don't want entering my car as I'm driving past or forced to park near these areas.

Sharper Image has that Ionizer stuff, but I wonder how effective it is in a car. I have 2 in my home and it works incredibly well.

 

The other possibility with "fog" from the vents is that you have a leak in your heater core. If the air from the vents smells vaguely of anti-freeze, or if you get a filmy layer on the inside of your windshield and windows that you constantly have to wipe off, then you should worry about a leaky heater core.

It's probably not that though...

I had a leak develop in the heater core of my first car as a teen - a 1978 Honda Civic CVCC. What a PITA that was to replace!

Matt

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hyper-X
Bacteria, mold, whatever... can be introduced in the car not only through the vents but just by opening the door or having your window(s) down.

 

I just called my local honda to ask what they recommend for this service, and they said "you don't have an a/c filter!" Wow, guess that just ended all the service that they get from me....

 

 

Hahaha, reminds me of when I asked what labor would run on installing the rear spoiler to the S. The Service Manager stated at least 2 hours of labor. I was shocked and asked why so much time. He replied that they had to run the wires and connect the stop lamp on the spoiler.

I simply nodded and smirked, saying I'd be back.

 

^^^hehehe

 

You have to remember the Service writer that you talked to doesn't actually work on anything, It's not like they would have remembered replacing one. The S does put the filter in a different location from all other Hondas, It's the only one under the cowl. Accords, Civics, Odysseys, all place the filters behind the glove box between the blower motor housing and the EVAP core. The Service Writer's correct answer should have been, "I have no clue, Let me check the Service Schedule in the Service manual."

 

 

You are of course assuming they are competent at thier job. Which is not always the case. Dealers are seperate entities from AHM, And don't always follow what AHM wants them to do. Yes the training is there, If the dealer choses to send their employess to the traing centers, and if the enforce in dealer training standards. Writers and Mechanics do have different training material and standards. In a perfect world AHM would enforce the standards the set, and Dealers would want to meet them.