Letters: Replacing Rogue cabin air filter could be tough

• Reprints

Updated: October 25, 2011 9:23AM

Q: Having two newer cars in our family, I have noticed when taking the cars to be serviced at the dealer that they seem to be pushing to replace cabin air filters. My wife has a 2008 Nissan Rogue with only 15,000 miles. The dealer wanted to replace the filter. I’m a little handy and was wondering if this is something I can do myself. Do you know where it’s located in the Rogue? – Paul J., Westmont

A: Many newer vehicles do have a cabin air filter. These filters should be inspected and/or replaced around 15,000 miles, especially if you use the air conditioner a lot. For some vehicles, the cabin air filter is easy to inspect and/or replace. However, the service information for your wife’s 2008 Nissan Rogue calls for the removal of driver’s side lower instrument cover, the accelerator pedal assembly and then the filter cover assembly prior to having access to the filter. The labor time for a technician to perform this task on the 2008 Nissan Rogue is nine-tenths of an hour, or 54 minutes.

If you still feel like attempting it yourself, obtain a copy of the repair information from your local auto parts store. I’d also suggest snapping some photos along the way for reference during reassembly.

Q: I currently own a 2006 Porsche Cayenne Twin Turbo. I purchased it about a year ago and the vehicle has 35,000 miles. I am concerned about an issue I’ve read about on Internet forums about the coolant pipes splitting. The forums are full of people who say this is inevitable and the pipes should be changed as soon as possible. The original coolant pipes are plastic while the replacement ones are aluminum.

I have spoken with a few independent shops and a Porsche dealership and have been told it isn’t much of an issue. I don’t know who to believe. Also, the price to replace them is all over place. I’ve been told anywhere from $1,400 to $3,000. I’m hoping you might have some insight for me. Should I spend the money now or wait and see if they fail? I really love the vehicle but would also like your opinion about it.

Are there any other maintenance issues or is it a quality vehicle I should keep? I know maintenance won’t be cheap – it’s a Porsche – but I also don’t want it to be a constant drain on my finances.

One more question, since I have the turbo, do the plastic tees also need to be replaced when changing the pipes? – Dan V., e-mail

A: Porsche did issue a service bulletin to address your concern. The bulletin is for 2003-2006 Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo, and Cayenne Turbo S models. The service bulletin says that there is a chance that the coolant pipes made from plastic may start to leak. The bulletin says to replace the lower and heater pipes with the new, split aluminum pipes.

Like you, I don’t know if I’d want to wait until they start leaking. And I’m not sure if there are any other issues to worry about. But, if you really like the car and can afford its maintenance and operating costs, keep it. If you do plan on keeping it and want peace of mind, get the pipes replaced. You don’t want to be stranded or be traveling through a small town where nobody is capable of fixing your car.

Questions for Ira Siegel? Call the Auto Advisor Hotline at (708) 633-6839 or e-mail autoadvisor.irasiegel@gmail.com. Siegel is an automotive instructor and an automotive service excellence-certified master auto technician.