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.

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OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — cabin air filter (aftermarket) Corteco 80004408 / Hella 8ZC366120-981

Accuracy note: Covers the Mercedes-Benz CLA (C117 2013-2019) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. A cabin filter is a cheap part, but it is bought by number, and the number depends on whether your car was built with a standard particulate filter or an activated-carbon one, as well as on trim and build date. The references below are aftermarket catalogue listings for this generation, grouped by brand; the carmaker's own number is not quoted in those listings, so check the genuine filter against your VIN if you want a guaranteed match. Carbon versions carry their own numbers and are listed separately.

Cabin filter, standard (aftermarket)	Corteco 80004408, Hella 8ZC366120-981
Activated-carbon version (aftermarket)	Hella CF013C, Mahle LAK879, Febi 40422
Genuine (OE) number	Not quoted in the catalogue listings — the fitted filter varies by trim and build date, so order the genuine one against your VIN
Fitment notes	Standard and carbon filters have different numbers, and the right size depends on trim and build date. Check which type your car was built with before ordering.

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.

Before you buy: filter size and whether your car uses a standard or activated-carbon filter varies by trim. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

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.

Mercedes-Benz CLA Cabin Air Filter: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: Mercedes CLA C117 how to change cabin air filter

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Mercedes-Benz CLA Cabin Air Filter reference plate

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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.

A genuinely honest account worth knowing if a smell persists after replacing this filter: a documented case saw a car with the cabin filter changed less than 4,000 miles prior, confirmed clean, still suffering from a persistent musty smell — pointing strongly toward the evaporator or a blocked drain tube as the actual cause.

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.