Mutterings for the Minority An insight into the world of DDWT

Replacing a Vauxhall Meriva Pollen Filter

Ok before I start describing how I went about changing the pollen filter on my 04 plate Vauxhall Meriva, I just want to make it clear that I'm a web developer by trade - not a car mechanic!

So if my descriptions are somewhat non-car-mechanic speak I apologise, but at least the pictures should help everyone.

Firstly the reason for changing the filter was simple - the misting in the Meriva had become almost unbearable and having tried all of the other suggestions muted on the Vauxhall Owners Network forum, I was left with only one choice.

Spurned on by the purchase of the replacement pollen filter for just £7.20 (including delivery) from VauxWorld on eBay and the thought of saving myself some 'labour' fees at the local garage I started my task.

Replacing the pollen filter should take no more than 20 to 25 minutes at most - this included the time for me to fumble around to find where everything was and to take these pictures!

The first step is to locate the pollen filter - so open the bonnet and take a look at the passenger side of the Meriva just behind the battery and on a ledge below the windscreen wipers. Here you'll see a plastic flap which lifts up.

When you lift the flap up, you'll notice an oblong shaped box which I think houses the electrics for the windscreen wipers.

You'll need to unclip the box by simply lifting it up towards you. When you have done this, try and position it as far over to the right hand side as possible.

Now if you look to the left of where the box was, you'll see the outside cover of the pollen filter compartment.

[UPDATE] The other thing you'll need to do to get full access to the pollen filter is bend back the perforated piece of scuttle panel next the to access flap (as shown in picture 2). The plastic is quite flexible and bends back easily.

You now need to remove the cover by slowly lifting it up so that it unclips from its seating and then you can pull it away to reveal the pollen filter. The above can be tricky if like me you've got big hands!

As you can see from the picture this filter was well past its best! The darker the filter in colour the less efficient it will be.

Pull the filter away from the casing and pull it out through the gap - leaving an empty casing behind.

OK now it's time to put your brand new pollen filter in - remembering to fit the pollen filter with the grooves in a vertical position.

When you had put the filter back into the casing, the tricky bit is actually putting the pollen filter cover back on. This is done by slowly sliding the cover down over the casing until you feel it clip back into position.

Don't be put off by the fact that the pollen filter peeps over the top of this outer casing - that's the way it's meant to be apparently.

Anyway, I hope that those of you who have a need to replace a Meriva pollen filter find this post useful. For the experts out there who spot any glaring mistakes, please let me know and I'll update the post accordingly.

Thanks for reading!

Painting at last

Having laboured away on our wallpaper removal project at home for quite a few weeks, it was with great pleasure (relief?) that I finally put brush to paint today and did the very first coat of magnolia on our hallway walls.

It took me far longer than I'd hoped/envisaged, but at least with the weather being pants outside it meant that I didn't feel aggrieved to be indoors. Besides, at least being indoors meant I could listen to the Swans commentary on Swansea Sound.

So it's been a good day all round, I painted, the Swans won 3-1 at Hartlepool and now I'm seriously considering going to Carlisle a week Tuesday!

Only one downside really, the house now stinks of paint. Now where did I put those onions...