Do it yourself, remove and change the air cabin, pollen filter, for your Saab 9-3. The steps we show you below are similar if you wish to replace this filter on Saab 9-3 models, produced between the years 2003 and 2007. The replacement process is quite simple for this car. You will need a flat blade screwdriver, a new cabin air filter and probably less than 10 minutes.
The pollen filter on this particular car is located on the passenger’s side of the engine compartment, just below the windshield, as can be seen in the image below.
So, if you plan to service this filter by yourself, open and secure the hood of your car and go to the passenger’s side of your vehicle, near the front shock absorber. There you will notice the plastic pin marked with the red arrow in the image below. Using a flat blade screwdriver, push the middle of this pin and then pry out its edged until it comes out. After you do it, pull up the weather strip marked with the blue arrow and lift up the plastic grille beneath the windshield.
You should lift that grille just enough to make room for your hand to reach the pollen filter. The filter is secured by two metal clips, shown in the next picture. Pull the clips up and release the cabin air filter. Replacing it is an easy task. You just have to insert the new filter in its place (the air flow arrow on it should point towards the car interior, towards the passenger) and secure it with the metal clips. You will also have to install back the plastic grille above, the weather strip and the locking pin, in order to finish the repair.
Why to replace the cabin air filter on your car? Because this filter stops the dust, the pollen, the air impurities that otherwise would enter the car. Replace this filter regularly if you want to keep the air clean in the cockpit, because that could be a serious issue if you have respiratory problems, for example. This filter also stops bad smells, making the ride with your car a pleasant experience.