2017–2020 Hyundai Elantra

2017-2020 Hyundai Elantra — Engine Air Filter Replacement

By Ray Delgado ✓ Certified Mechanic · Published Sep 21, 2026 · Updated Oct 22, 2026

🔧 Easy 10–15 minutes $35 DIY

Save $75 by doing it yourself! Shop cost: $110

Quick answer: Engine Air Filter Replacement on a 2017–2020 Hyundai Elantra is rated Easy and takes about 10–15 minutes. No tools are required for this job, and parts cost about $35. This guide walks you through the full job step by step, including the mistakes to avoid.

Quick Video Tutorial

Parts You Need

Total Cost

$35.00

Part Name	Part Number	Price	Buy
Engine air filter for 2017-2020 Hyundai Elantra; verify engine, housing shape, and VIN fitment	—	$35.00	Amazon

About prices: shown prices are typical retail averages and change frequently; cheaper alternatives may be available. Confirm the current price before buying.

💡 Pro tip: Order all parts at once to save on shipping

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps carefully

Pop the hood

Park level, shut the engine off, and let it cool. Set the new filter on a clean surface. No tools needed here: the lid is held by hand-operated latches.

Unhook the two latches on the right side

Flip both right-side latches up off their hooks — fingers only. Lift the right side; the two left tabs slide out of their slots as the lid hinges up. Don't pry from the left or you'll bend the tabs.

🔧 Mechanic's note — Tom Becker

The hinge-side tabs are the fragile part of this whole job. I lift the lid by the latch side and let the tabs walk out of their slots — prying from the hinge side bends them, and a bent tab never seals right again.

Lift out the old filter

Lift the old filter straight out of the lower box. Notice the orientation first: pleats face down into the box, the flat rubber gasket faces up. Hyundai calls for a new one every 22,500 miles or 36 months.

🔧 Mechanic's note — Ray Delgado

The light test is my quick read on any filter — hold it up to the sun and if no light comes through the pleats, it's done. On a dusty-climate Elantra I rarely see one make the full 22,500 miles.

Wipe out the lower box

The bottom half collects sand, leaves, and bugs the filter stopped. Wipe it with a damp microfiber cloth or a shop vacuum with a crevice tool.

Set in the new filter, pleats down

Lower the new filter in with the pleats facing down and the gasket facing up, exactly like the old one. Check the gasket isn't folded or pinched anywhere around the edge — a pinched gasket lets dirty air bypass the filter entirely.

Hook the tabs and snap the latches

Lower the lid so its two left-side tabs slide back into their slots, then swing the right side down. Flip both metal latches up over the lid and snap them home.

Start it and verify the seal

Start the engine and idle. Idle should be steady and the dash warning-light free. Close the hood and jot the date and mileage — your next filter is due in 22,500 miles or 3 years.

All Done!

Test your repair before closing everything up. If something doesn't work right, double-check your steps.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Trying to pry the lid open from the left side, where two fixed tabs are hooked into slots — the lid opens from the right-side latches first.
• Installing the filter upside down — the pleats face down into the lower box and the rubber gasket faces up toward you.
• Snapping the right-side latches shut without sliding the lid's left-side tabs back into their slots first.

Tools You'll Need

No tools required — hand-operated latches Shop vacuum or damp microfiber cloth

Related Trouble Codes

P0171 System Too Lean (Bank 1) P0101 Mass Airflow Sensor Range/Performance P0174 System Too Lean (Bank 2)

⚠️ Safety First!

• Work on a cool engine and keep the hood prop secure while your hands are in the bay.
• Never run the engine with the airbox open or the filter out — grit goes straight into the cylinders.