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Did they change the air filter element materials?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Frederickdawg, Sep 18, 2020.

  1. Frederickdawg

    Frederickdawg Active Member

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    Just changed my wife’s air filter and the cotton or whatever they use on the current one is white . Both are genuine items.
     

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    #1 Frederickdawg, Sep 18, 2020
  2. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Probably different vendors. It looks like the white has been bleached and the brown is natural?
     
    #2 jerrymildred, Sep 18, 2020
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  3. AldoON

    AldoON Member

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    I just changed my filter last week and noticed the same thing... Curious why buy I doubt it matters at all.
     
    #3 AldoON, Sep 18, 2020
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  4. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

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    I don’t know the reason for the difference in appearance. Since the part number is the same, there should be full interchangeability between the old and new types.
    I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that this year’s events have caused changes to ripple throughout the market for filter media, to handle increases in demand from PPE manufacturing and for greater air filtration, and more frequent filter replacement, in public buildings, homes, and passenger vehicles of all kinds.
     
    #4 Elektroingenieur, Sep 20, 2020
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  5. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    Aren't they normally white when new and go brown with use ?
    I've never seen a brown new one.
     
    #5 kithmo, Sep 24, 2020
  6. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    All the new ones I've seen were white. But I haven't seen them all, LOL! It seems to me like they get more gray than brown with use, but that might depend on what's in the air.
     
    #6 jerrymildred, Sep 24, 2020
  7. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    I thought one is old and one is new too. Just a natural color change with aging?
     
    #7 Salamander_King, Sep 24, 2020
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