Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabin Air Filter: Intervals, Fitment & Warning Signs

A genuinely honest account: a car with the cabin filter changed less than 4,000 miles prior, confirmed clean, still had a persistent musty smell — pointing strongly to the evaporator or a blocked drain tube rather than the filter itself.

Illustration for editorial purposes

Find Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabin Air Filter Here!

Opens live listings in a new tab.

OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — cabin air filter (aftermarket) Mann CU25002 / Bosch 1987435058

Accuracy note: Covers the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W213 2016-) 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)	Mann CU25002, Bosch 1987435058, Febi 38781, Valeo 715751
Activated-carbon version (aftermarket)	Bosch 0 986 628 596
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 E-Class Cabin Air Filter: Easy to Forget, Easy to Fix

Unlike most parts covered on this Mercedes-Benz E-Class guide, this one has no bearing on how the car drives or performs — its only job is air quality inside the cabin, which makes it very easy to forget about entirely until something forces the issue.

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 E-Class Cabin Air Filter: What It Does

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class's cabin air filter cleans incoming air before it reaches the ventilation system, trapping dust, pollen and, on activated-carbon versions, some airborne odours and pollutants. It has no connection to the engine air filter, which is a completely separate part serving the combustion process rather than the cabin.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabin Air Filter: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: Mercedes Benz E Class w213 Cabin Air Filter

Watch on YouTube ↗

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabin Air Filter reference plate

Find Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabin Air Filter Here!

Opens live listings in a new tab.

A Genuinely Honest, Real Account Worth Knowing — Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabin Air Filter

If a persistent musty smell hasn't improved despite fitting a genuinely fresh cabin filter, this is genuinely worth knowing: one documented case saw a car with the cabin filter changed less than 4,000 miles prior, confirmed clean and not discoloured, still suffering from an extremely persistent, unpleasant musty smell. If a smell is noticeable even without the blower running, simply on opening the car door, this points strongly toward the evaporator or a blocked condensate drain tube as the actual cause, rather than the filter itself — worth having these specifically inspected rather than replacing the filter again if it's already genuinely fresh.

A genuinely useful diagnostic pattern worth knowing: 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, rather than simply a dirty filter needing replacement.

It's also genuinely worth knowing that this filter's exact location can vary depending on the specific model year, worth confirming which location applies to your particular car before assuming it isn't fitted.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class 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.