Replace air con micro/pollen filter on bmw f10 5 series

Replaced the air con pollen microfilter again @39500km.

Most guides online are for left-hand drive cars. This is for right hand drive cars, which is almost similar.

The air con filter is under the glove box. It can be accessed via the foot well area.



To access it, three screws must be first removed. Two under the glove box, one at the transmission tunnel of the foot well area. Some guides say 5 screws. I couldn't locate the other two...

After removing the 3 screws, then pull down on the outside edge of the panel.

This action releases the two metal clips which can be seen on the top right corner of the below photo. After which, pull out towards yourself to release the other two hooks on the inside. (Bottom left corner of below photo)



Then remove the white 12v connector socket and release the foot well light cable from the cable holder. In the photo, I had also removed the big black sponge for diverting air to the foot area.





The black cable has enough slack to not require removal. After removal of the cables, turn/rotate the panel to release the flap at the end of the panel which hooks to the transmission tunnel carpet.

If done right, you will have full access to the air-con filter box.



This box has 4 screws. Two are obvious, two not so obvious. Hint: One is hidden behind the white hose.



Remove the four screws and the filter box cover will be out.



Peep under and the filter can be seen.



Pull the two filters out and note the direction of air flow arrow.



Do note that a chunk of leaves and rotten what nots are going to fall on the carpet. Perhaps a simple sheet of plastic bag could have been placed below before pulling out the filter.



New air filter. I replaced with MANN CU2533- The plain non-activated carbon ones. The carbon ones were OOS.



Put the filter in...and follow the reverse order of how we took things apart...



Note the two wires and the black foam air diverter.



Slot back the panel...



If everything was done right, there should be no change in panel gaps and the glove box will open as per usual. Next step is to clean up.



Now go study the micro filter and be amazed at how dirty it is. The greyish colour is the colour of carbon filter.





And while clearing the glove box...I found old tickets to BMW World 2014...another year has gone by. What have you achieved this year?

Route 185 Gua Musang road trip: Johor to Kulua Terengganu (Day 1)

Day 1: Johor to Kuala Terengganu

As it was a little rush in the morning and I was totally drained after the march across the causeway, I only started taking photo after I had "recovered"....

We took the exact same route 3 road to KT as the previous trip.

And just like the previous trip, we stopped at Mersing for lunch at about 12pm.





Murtabak... also ordered prata.





Food was great and I was really hungry because we did not eat anything in Johor.

All prata (or roti canai) were prepared by this man:



By the time we reached Mersing, the fiesta had only half a tank of petrol left. So the next thing after lunch was to refuel the car and I was pleasantly surprised:



Half a tank was only 14L. Worrying at the same time wondering how many times will we need to refill to reach Terengganu. In contrast, half a tank on a camry is 30L...172.5km, 14L=12.3km/L, seemingly bad FC because the car wasn't full when we got it!

After yet another 100km or so, we reached Pekan. The first thing most people do when arriving at Pekan is to go to this PETRONAS for toilet, making for occasional long queues there. What most are not aware is that just 50m further down, there is a shell petrol station.



Across the road from the PETRONAS station is this big tree and some pasar malam stalls. We had durians under this big tree...



Another 50-80km later and we were at Cherating Beach:

 

Weather was great. And once again, because it is a rental car, we could just drive up to the beach without worrying about sand/stone chips...







Continuing on. Stopped at Kerteh for petrol. 254km. 17L. Impressive 14.9km/L...with 50/50 cruise at 80kmhr and 120km/hr. Also more than a handful of WOT red line overtaking.





Oil refinery stretch along the Paka stretch of route 3, which would have been epicly beautiful at night. Do note that no photography is allowed here.





Along the way....driving along...



And it started raining...



Clearing up...



Stopping at the beach outside Kuala Terengganu for a photo...





Sun setting as we rolled into Kuala Terengganu....



And after a good 500km...we reached the hotel for the night, KT Chinatown Lodge.



The rear of KT Lodge is a stretch of river side shops and Pasar Malam...had our dinner at "On the Way". Food was average at best. Cheap thought just 30 over ringgit.