New Toyota pollen filters

November 11, 2022

Hi everyone.

I recently noticed that the plastic retaining clip holding the cabin / pollen filter in place had fallen into the passenger footwell on my IQ.

The GENUINE TOYOTA filter had been fitted at my local dealer during a service / mot about 3 months ago. I thought perhaps something had broken and allowed the bracket to fall off onto the floor. But no, the bracket was intact.

For anyone that has changed the pollen filter, you will know the job can be a bit fiddly because of the filter's location in the passenger's footwell. and getting your head level to observe the exact location of the slot which locates the filter behind the centre panel.

Although admittedly, access is still better than most other cars, where removing than glove box is quite typical at the minimum.

Anyway, looking in at the entry hole in order to refit the filter retaining clip, I noticed that the actual pollen filter which was obviously still in position looked a bit "scrunched up" if that makes sense!

I took the filter out to check it. It was quite clean - being still reasonably new - but the pleats on the filter were "deformed" at the nearest end. Basically, it looked as though the "fitter" had made a bit of a "pigs-ear" fitting the filter.

It was apparent that the latest GENUINE TOYOTA filter has changed. Whereas the old filter was rigid-(ish)- which allows easy renewal - the new TOYOTA filter was very flimsy. I tried to re-shape the pleats on the filter and re-insert it. It soon became apparent how the fitter had trouble fitting it in the hole. It is just so flimsy with no rigidity to it.

I don't know if Toyota are trying to save some pennies by going thinner/flimsier, or perhaps being "greener" by cutting down on cardboard. But the newer ones are more of a pain to fit.