Took the glovebox out today to work on something else I'm doing and, while looking for a way from the cabin into the engine bay (which I think I found) I spotted this...

Thought initially that the pollen filter was just missing as I wouldn't have expected a rotating part to be uncovered.

A little further reading on this forum seems to suggest that there is also a 'sliding' cover missing as well!

Can anyone enlighten me on this missing piece of plastic? - I'll get a pollen filter on order (or go back to Skoda dealer to complain) to get that sorted.

It does indeed look like you have the cover and filter missing

Thank you abarth_1200.

That's exactly how I found it today. Have contacted the dealer who did the last service to see what they have to say about it (but will probably get the usual "It's not part of the service schedule" line).

Will have to wait and see.

Checked my last service receipt and 'Pollen Filter £12.35' was listed on the receipt so I spoke to dealer this morning and they have agreed to take a look 'if I am passing'!

Will try to make a special journey to see them Saturday morning if I can and see what they say.

Considering that it has been missing since June last year, is there likely to be any damage caused to the HVAC system as a result of there being 'unfiltered' air coming into the AC system?

I had noticed that the car mists up more than when I first had it, but not really any other side effects that I know of. Should I push the dealer to clean any parts of the HVAC system out as well as replace filter and housing?

Any help please?

Is the fact that this car has been running for the last 12 months without a pollen filter likely to have damaged any other part of the HVAC system?

It's off to Skoda dealer on Saturday morning (they have ordered a new filter and the housing) and I'd like to ensure that they inspect & clean anything that may have been damaged as a result.

Thanks.

It's not going to have damaged anything, as it filters the air post motor.

Worst case is that a few sensors might have got a bit dirty, but then this can happen with anything.

Thank you for putting my mind at ease.

One less thing to worry about on Saturday.

I'm just quite surprised you've not had old twigs and leaves falling down through the hole!

Have you noticed the passenger footwell getting unusually dirty?

Just get them to replace the filter and housing cover whilst you wait.

Did have quite a few birch tree seeds on the foam trim under the glovebox. But that is not unusal to find them in my car as it is freqeuntly parked under / near a birch tree. No leaves though!

Footwell not been getting dirtier than usual (but then the filter has been missing for a year now!) I hav enoticed the front windscreen getting dirtier easier this year. And I've had quite a few headaches while driving the car (something that I never used to get - but could be due to an operation I had - in my stomach...)

Just get them to replace the filter and housing cover whilst you wait.

Have got it booked in on Saturday morning and spoke to the dealer agin today to ensure they will have the parts in (Didn't fancy another trip back next week) which they have.

SO all should be nice and quick on Saturday.

Ask them to put the active charcoal odour/pollen filter in rather than just the pollen one. It doesn't cost much more than the pollen only, but might well help a little if you think you're getting headaches from fumes etc.

Had thought about that to the point where I was looking at them on the 'net.

Considering I saw Hengst active carbon ones for less than £8 and Skoda want £12.35 + VAT, I'd hope that theirs is a super dooper turbo charged charcoal one.

Will see what Skoda do on Saturday and go from there.

Had thought about that to the point where I was looking at them on the 'net.

Considering I saw Hengst active carbon ones for less than £8 and Skoda want £12.35 + VAT, I'd hope that theirs is a super dooper turbo charged charcoal one.

Will see what Skoda do on Saturday and go from there.

I have just bought a Hengst active carbon one from eurocarparts using the forum discount, not replaced it yet, but before buying checked the existing one, it looks dirty and fair amount of small leaves stuck in the filter and housing... makes me think if it was done on the last service, when it suppose to have been done?

Hengst active carbon one from eurocarparts using the forum discount

That's the one I was looking at...

They get pretty grubby in 2 years/18.5k miles, so I'd say it might well have been.

I recently changed mine that had been in the car for a year and it was filthy and full of tree bits.

I think they are something that should be changed annually.

FWIW I'm currently using a mix of purflux and mann filter from GSF.

Edited 15 May, 201214 yr by cheezemonkhai

I change mine every year,they are still black, leaves, wasps , twigs in there

OK, I have just changed mine now, and see it has the date of 270111 on the filter so it cant be the original and must have been fitted last July on my 2 year service. I wont of known if I was charged for it as it was a free service and didn't get a receipt.

When I had my 3 free services to mine from new I asked for (and got ) a copy of the invoice sent to Skoda so I knew exactly what had been changed

It's not going to have damaged anything, as it filters the air post motor.

Worst case is that a few sensors might have got a bit dirty, but then this can happen with anything.

Thats not entirely correct unfortunately. Part of the job of the pollen filter is to keep dust and fluff away from the aircon evaporator. The evaporator tends to get moist from condensation when running. If its routinely run with the filter missing then all the dust, twigs, dead flies etc instead of being trapped by the filter end up stuck to the moist surface of the evaporator and can block the aircon system solid after a while.

Thats not entirely correct unfortunately. Part of the job of the pollen filter is to keep dust and fluff away from the aircon evaporator. The evaporator tends to get moist from condensation when running. If its routinely run with the filter missing then all the dust, twigs, dead flies etc instead of being trapped by the filter end up stuck to the moist surface of the evaporator and can block the aircon system solid after a while.

It's not damaged though, and will just need the objects removing from the pipework.

I'd suggest that the bigger debris is likely to have fallen out onto the floor rather than hit the evaporator as the pressure in the filter housing, without a door will be sufficiently lower that it's likely to drop.

If you want you could certainly ask the dealer to clean out the pipe/evap unit while you're in the area.

Hopefully it isn't damaged, I just mention the posibility that damage can result from using them with the filter removed in case anyone else was considering doing it to save the cost of regular filter replacement etc. Although the evaporator itself may not be damaged, once it and the ductwork get full of that level of dirt it can be a big interior dismantling job to remove it all. Really fine dust can be just as much a problem as larger debris as it sticks to the condensation and reduces the efficiency of the system. This sort of problem didn't happen with traditional non-aircon heaters (no source of condensation) so people aren't always aware of it.

As you say, the fact that the cover was also missing should have helped to reduce the airflow through the system and prevent too much dust going through.

Thanks guys - Much appreciated.

I'll have a word with Skoda on Saturday about cleaning it out, but there really has been very little in the way of leaves, debris, etc. in the passenger footwell. When I took the glovebox off there were a few Birch tree seeds, but that was all.

It was dusty under there, but was about all. The rotating 'fan' mostly. Where does the air actually go?

Past the fan, then the filter and then...

At the moment it appears to blow up the base and sides of where the filter should be. Does the missing housing direct the air to the air con evaporator?

It gets forced through the filter and on the other side is ducting that will direct the air through the a/c, to the flap motors and out through the appropriate vents.

Obviously when the box is sealed there is pressure there, but when it's empty I doubt much force is pushing air through. You should be able to confirm this by setting it to econ and turning the fan to max. point it at the vents and see how much air movement you feel.

sorry but thats just the blower, the pollen filter fits under the air box ,this site shows a mk5 golf and the skoda is the same.

it looks like its on recirculation mode, in fresh air mode the bit with white around it move's forwards and covers the motor/blower

http://www.golfmkv.c...ad.php?t=136104

Edited 16 May, 201214 yr by petetdi