How to Replace the Engine Air Filter on a 2018-2026 Honda Odyssey (Engine: V6 3.5L)
Step-by-step DIY instructions with required parts, tools, safety tips, and cost savings for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
How to Replace the Engine Air Filter on a 2018-2026 Honda Odyssey (Engine: V6 3.5L)
Step-by-step DIY instructions with required parts, tools, safety tips, and cost savings for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
🔧 Odyssey - Engine Air Filter Replacement
Changing the engine air filter on your Odyssey is a quick beginner-friendly job. The engine air filter keeps dust and debris out of the engine, and a clogged filter can reduce power and fuel economy.
Difficulty Level: Beginner | Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes
⚠️ Safety & Precautions
- ⚠️ Let the engine cool before working near the air intake box.
- ⚠️ Keep fingers, tools, and loose clothing away from belts and moving engine parts.
- ⚠️ Do not start the engine while the air filter housing is open.
- ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this repair.
🔧 Required Tools
You'll need the following tools for this repair:
- Safety glasses
- Nitrile gloves
- Clean shop towel
- Flashlight
🔩 Required Parts
HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:
- Engine air filter - Qty: 1
📋 Before You Begin
- Park your Odyssey on level ground.
- Shift to Park and apply the parking brake.
- Turn the ignition fully off and remove the key/fob from the driver area.
- Open the hood and support it securely with the hood prop rod.
- The engine air filter housing is the black plastic box near the front-left area of the engine bay, connected to a large intake tube.
🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps in order:
Step 1: Locate the Air Filter Housing
- Use a flashlight to look at the black plastic air filter box near the front-left side of the engine bay.
- The housing lid is held by metal spring clips. A spring clip is a small metal latch that snaps over the lid to hold it closed.
- Take a quick photo first.
Step 2: Release the Housing Clips
- Put on nitrile gloves and safety glasses.
- Use your fingers to pull the metal spring clips away from the air filter housing lid.
- No socket or screwdriver is normally needed for the factory housing clips on your Odyssey.
- Do not force the plastic lid. If it does not lift, check that every clip is released.
Step 3: Lift the Air Filter Housing Lid
- Use both hands to gently lift the housing lid upward just enough to access the filter.
- Do not yank on the intake tube attached to the lid.
- If dirt is sitting around the housing opening, use a clean shop towel to wipe it away before removing the old filter.
Step 4: Remove the Old Engine Air Filter
- Use your hands to lift the old engine air filter straight out of the lower air box.
- Pay attention to how the filter sits in the housing. The rubber sealing edge must sit flat when installed.
- Use a clean shop towel to wipe loose dust from inside the lower air box.
- Do not let dirt fall into the intake tube opening.
Step 5: Install the New Engine Air Filter
- Use your hands to place the new engine air filter into the lower air box.
- Make sure the filter sits fully flat in the housing groove.
- The soft rubber edge is the seal. It must not be folded, pinched, or sitting crooked.
- Flat seal equals clean air.
Step 6: Reinstall the Housing Lid
- Use both hands to lower the air filter housing lid back into place.
- Check that the lid sits evenly all the way around.
- Use your fingers to snap the metal spring clips back over the lid.
- No torque spec applies because the factory air filter housing uses clips instead of bolts.
Step 7: Final Visual Check
- Use a flashlight to inspect the air filter housing seam.
- Make sure no part of the filter seal is sticking out.
- Make sure every clip is fully latched.
- Remove all tools and towels from the engine bay before closing the hood.
✅ After Repair
- Start your Odyssey and let it idle for about 30 seconds.
- Listen for unusual hissing or whistling from the air filter box area.
- If you hear a loud air leak, turn the engine off and recheck that the lid and filter seal are seated correctly.
- No scan tool reset or infotainment reset is required after replacing the engine air filter.
- Check the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles, or sooner in dusty driving conditions.
💰 DIY vs Shop Cost
Shop Cost: $65-$120 (parts + labor)
DIY Cost: $20-$45 (parts only)
You Save: $45-$75 by doing it yourself!
Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 0.2-0.4 hours.
🎯 Ready to get started?
HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.










