all info is in your owners manual (its that blue covered thing in your glove box)
as I am not sure where you are located, this is from the US 2014 Rio owners manual:
Page 4/95 describes it (its behind the glove box)
page 7/10 tells you when to replace it (but will vary depending on your local climate conditions)
Page 7/34 shows you how to do it
I asked the tech about those when we recently had ours in for the 5K service and he said the first recommended change of the 'climate control air filter' is at 15K which is also what the manual says. I've looked at it and it appears to be quite simple to change.
Easy to do. But I wouldn't get a Kia replacement cabin filter....id buy a white pleated furnace air filter and cut it to size then slide it in. That will save you at least $20 each time.
You could make several cabin filters from one furnace filter. My only concern there is that furnace filters generally have a three month replacement interval (as furnace filters). I wonder how long they'd be good as automotive cabin filters.
Is 20 bucks really too much to spend once a year (or maybe twice) to ensure you have the correct filter for the air you breathe inside your car? :|
I'm all for saving money and trying to "beat the system" through creative and original ways but c'mon, for the price of a pizza, I'd rather know the air I breathe is being filtered properly, and I don't have to spend an hour cutting up a furnace filter (which btw, may or may not have the same filtering or air flow specs as the KIA filter) and hoping it fits or works.
That $20 could take you and your spouse out to a decent dinner while making it a date night. Why waste your money by giving it to Kia for an air filter that probably costs them $4-5 ? You will breathe the same amount of air regardless of using a pleated white furnace filter, it will (if anything) offer less resistance to airflow than the factory one, it will trap dirt well, and ive been using them in 3 cars I own for the last 12 years without any problem at all . Lastly, if it takes you one hour to cut a furnace filter into an approx. 10"x6" size .... then Id schedule a doctors appointment instead .:laugh:
You can get Ultra 8's version in Napa's Altrom line for under $20, just $14 + tax here. I still get a discount from working at the local Napa and since I'm fan of Wix filters, I just bought a Wix.
I would stick to the Factory unit while car is under warranty .If you ever have a Blower Motor issue & ther is an aftermarket or furnace filter installed you might have a problem.
As a side note to Canadians the OEM cabin filter is $40 in Canada & $20 @ a U.S Kia Dealer.If you travel to the U.S stock up on these,oil filters $8 vs $12 & paint sticks $ 8 vs $17 (MADE in Canada).
that's odd the OEM cabin filter for my Soul from my dealer is under $23 (not sure on a Rio but I can't imagine it would be that much different), paint stick under $12, don't forget there is at least 10% premium to purchase US dollars.