I have owned my 2014 Prius 3 for about a yr and a half and have about 50,000 miles on it. A couple of weeks ago I noticed a button on the AC controls that looked like it indicated a filter. A quick internet search conformed it was for cabin air filtration. That would explain why the filter I changed did not look dirty. ( The service writer during one of my "free" service visits said the tech said the filter was dirty and needed replacement at 50.00 labor plus parts.) At the time I was questioning if they took the filter out to look at it during the free service, why would there be labor? I passed on the offer and bought several filters from Rock Auto. So last week on vacation I decided to use the newly discovered filter button. It would only stay in that function a few minutes then revert to the previous setting. Is that the way it is supposed to operate? I thought the cabin air was continually filtered.
Yup, far as I know, that's how it's supposed to work. We've got that button too, I rank it up there with the OEM foglights, nice but meh. Hardly ever use it, uses some sorta electrostatic filtering? I don't think there's a separate filter for this, maybe they're referring to the regular cabin filter? To get at it you remove the glove box. There's no way I'd pay someone to do this, and I'd really want to see it myself before opting to change it. I'd be more inclined to just blow the dust out of it and re-install.
It is an electrostatic ion charged filter, non replaceable media. It works in conjunction with the air media paper filter.
Unlike recirculate air which also allows a certain amount of outside air in so no one suffocates that button is total recirculation so is allowed for only 3 minutes,I think. It is great when you see you are going through a dusty or smelly area and you hit it and for traveling behind a smelly diesel. Yes I use it fairly often.
The cabin air filter media should be activated charcoal infused. If you do change the filter yourself, either use a factory OEM filter or a aftermarket filter that complies. The charcoal is there to absorb odor.
OK, so this button activates a separate filter type, and all cabin air does pass thru the paper filter behind the glove box? I did Use the button and noticed it did quickly get rid of odors while on a road trip last week. I will count this as a bonus find then. Thanks all!
No, there is no separate filter. I too have heard that it goes to 100% recirculated air (normal "recirculated" is only about 80%, with 20% fresh air mixed in), although I can't find documentation to back that up at the moment. The "ion charged filter" mrbigh refers to is the Plasmacluster, present on the IV and V trims in 2010 and 2011. It was discontinued in the 2012 model. It runs any time the fan is running (i.e. pressing the button neither turns it on nor off), and is located in the driver's side vent. It works by ionizing the air, which (in theory) is supposed to cause charged dust particles to stick to surfaces in the car (so that you're not breathing them). In reality, a good filter should be better than an ionizer, so it's probably mostly just there for marketing.
the filter button works great if you're stuck behind a stinky diesel, if you think quickly enough to push it before the fumes enter the cabin.
These days when I drive behind a VW GTI I actually have been looking down to make sure I'm in (regular) recirculated mode.
