2018–2024 Jeep Wrangler

2018-2024 Jeep Wrangler — Engine Air Filter Replacement

By Ray Delgado ✓ Certified Mechanic · Published Sep 21, 2026 · Updated Oct 14, 2026

🔧 Easy 15–20 minutes $35 DIY

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

Quick answer: Engine Air Filter Replacement on a 2018–2024 Jeep Wrangler is rated Easy and takes about 15–20 minutes. You'll need 2 tools 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 2018-2024 Jeep Wrangler; 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 — the exhaust routing runs close to the intake side on the 3.6L. Set the new filter somewhere clean.

Unclip the lid and pull the two bolts

The lid is held by four metal spring clips around its edge — flip all four open with your fingers. Then, unlike most airboxes, this one also has two 10mm hex bolts holding the housing; back those out with a 10mm socket and ratchet and set them somewhere they cannot roll away. Do not skip the bolts — the lid will not come free with them in, and prying against them cracks the bolt bosses.

🔧 Mechanic's note — Tom Becker

Those two 10mm bolts are the Jeep's trap — every other airbox is clips-only, so people muscle the lid and crack the plastic bosses. I always flip the four clips first, then hunt the bolts before the lid moves at all.

Lift the lid and pull the old filter

Lift the lid straight up and off. Pull the old filter out — on a Wrangler that's seen dirt roads, the pleats pack with fine dust fast. You may need to pop the plastic engine cover off its grommets to get the lid fully clear.

Clean out the housing

Vacuum or wipe out the lower housing, especially the rim the filter seals against. Check the intake-tube opening for debris too, and make sure none of your removed hardware fell into the box before the new filter goes in.

Set the new filter in its one correct orientation

Press evenly and confirm no rocking and no seal folded under. If it doesn't sit flat, it's rotated wrong.

Bolt it down and re-clip all four clips

Set the lid back on squarely. Run the two 10mm bolts back in and snug them — firm, not gorilla-tight, since the bosses are plastic. If a clip is hard to close, the lid isn't seated right; don't force it, lift and reseat instead.

🔧 Mechanic's note — Ray Delgado

A clip that fights you is telling you the lid's crooked. I've watched people force a clip and split the lid's lip — lift the lid off, set it square, and the clips close with a fingertip.

Start it and listen for buzzing or whistling

Start the engine and idle. Listen for whistling or buzzing from the airbox — an open clip or loose bolt. Idle should be smooth and the dash warning-free. If a check-engine light pops up, recheck that nothing got left unplugged around the intake.

All Done!

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

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Forcing the lid without removing the two 10mm bolts first — the clips alone will not free it and prying cracks the plastic bolt bosses.
• Installing the filter rotated the wrong way; it only seals in one orientation, so match the old one exactly.
• Skipping the 10mm bolts on reassembly — the lid will buzz and let dust in around the seal.

Tools You'll Need

10mm socket Ratchet Shop vacuum or damp rag Gloves (optional)

Related Trouble Codes

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

⚠️ Safety First!

• Let the engine cool before reaching in — the exhaust routing runs close to the intake side on the 3.6L V6.
• Do not drop the 10mm bolts into the lower housing; fish them out before installing the filter if you do.