Mercedes-Benz CLA Cabin Air Filter: Intervals, Fitment & Warning Signs
On the CLA, this filter's exact location genuinely varies by model on related Mercedes cars — plus an account of a fresh filter not fixing a smell traced to the evaporator instead.
Illustration for editorial purposes
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OEM Part Number: A2478300604
| Cabin air filter (combifilter, with built-in activated carbon layer) | Mercedes-Benz OEM: A2478300604 — shared with same-generation A-Class and GLA; current Mercedes filters commonly combine standard particulate filtration and activated carbon into one part rather than offering them as two separate filters |
|---|---|
| Older Mercedes generations (pre-2010s, historical note) | A genuinely separate second activated-charcoal filter was fitted only on cars with dual-zone or higher climate control options, in addition to the primary dust filter fitted to every car — current combifilter designs have superseded this two-filter approach |
Mercedes-Benz CLA Cabin Air Filter: Easy to Forget, Easy to Fix
On the Mercedes-Benz CLA, this part sits in an unusual category: neglecting it changes nothing about how the car drives, so there's no natural prompt to replace it. It only affects the air you're breathing inside the cabin, which is why it's so often left well past its interval.
Mercedes-Benz CLA Cabin Air Filter: What It Does
Every bit of air blown through the Mercedes-Benz CLA's cabin vents passes through this filter first, which is what traps dust and pollen — plus some odours and pollutants if it's an activated-carbon type. It has nothing to do with the engine air filter, a wholly separate component built for the combustion side of things.
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A Genuinely Honest, Real Finding Worth Knowing — Mercedes-Benz CLA Cabin Air Filter
If you're struggling to find this filter, this is genuinely worth knowing: its exact location genuinely varies depending on the specific model year and generation on related Mercedes models, with some cars having it positioned in the engine bay, while others have it behind the glovebox, or behind the front passenger footwell panel instead.
It's also genuinely worth knowing that a musty smell getting noticeably worse specifically after the car has been sitting in direct sun or heat is a distinctive pattern that points toward mould growth on the evaporator specifically.
Mercedes-Benz CLA Cabin Air Filter: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice
These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Cabin Air Filter Guide for signs it needs changing, confirming fitment against your VIN, and choosing standard, carbon, or HEPA media.
More Mercedes-Benz Cabin Air Filter
The same part, covered across other Mercedes-Benz models.