How to replace the air filter on a 2014 Hyundai Elantra

For a 2014 Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai recommends inspecting your air filter every 7,500 miles (under normal driving conditions) and replacing it every 30,000 miles.  It's very easy to access the air filter on the 2014 Elantra -- you don't even need any tools.

With the car off, pull the hood latch (located beneath the steering wheel, near where the driver's left leg would be) to release the hood.  Then, when you're standing in front of the car, raise the hood up slightly and feel underneath it near the center.  You'll feel a small lever; push it to the left and the hood latch will release completely, allowing you to raise the hood.

Prop the hood up using the metal bar laying along the engine compartment to your left.  With the hood propped up, you can see the engine and battery.  The air filter sits inside a plastic odd-shaped box, just in front of the battery.  You'll see a large hose coming out the left side of the box.

To remove the lid, release the two locking tabs on the right side of the box.  Pull them away from the box, and lift the lid up from that side.  It will pivot up toward the left.  You don't need to remove the large hose, because you can move the lid up and out of the way enough to get access to the air filter.

Remove the air filter by lifting it up out of the box.  If you see a lot of dirt or debris inside the box, under the air filter, remove it.  To install a new air filter, simply set it into the box in the same orientation as the old filter.  (It will only fit one way.)  If you are inspecting the old filter and not replacing it, check the underside of the filter for any dirt, bugs, or other debris that has gotten stuck.  The easiest way to clean the filter is to shake it (away from the engine compartment) and lightly tap the side of the filter against something hard, like a tree, to dislodge anything stuck in it.  Once all or most of the debris has been removed, place the filter back in the filter box.

Many people have said that when using non-OEM air filters, they have had trouble getting the box lid to close over the new filter.  If you experience this problem, try taking the rubber seal off the top of the old filter and attaching it to the new filter.

The filter box lid has two tabs on the left side.  Line these tabs up with the slots in the filter box, and once the left side of the lid is lined up, push the right side down and then snap the two locks into place.

Now all that's left to do is close the hood.  Hold the hood up with one hand and release the prop bar with the other hand, then lay it flat and pop it back into its holder.  Now you can close the hood, and you're done.

There are many different brands of air filters you can get for your car.  Fram makes one air filter (part #CA10889) that is usually reasonably priced.  Here is a brief price comparison for the Fram filter, just to give you an idea:

- RockAuto.com:  $13.60
- Walmart.com:  $15.58
- Amazon.com:  $16.42
- AutoZone.com:  $25.99