Not wishing to pay $70 for cabin filter replacement by the dealer, I took some advice I saw on this forum and bought replacement filters from Amazon. Although I specified CX-5, when I went to replace it, the Amazon filter was an inch or so longer than the OED that I pulled out. It went in all right but when I selected windshield defog and heard loud fan noise I wondered if the extra length was literally hitting the fan. Is this possible?

 

It should not stick out.

Remove it compare it your original or return it as wrong part and reorder.

 

Ditto. It should be a direct replacement for the cabin air filters on all 2017-2025 CX-5s. The engine air filters are different sizes in the turbo models compared to the non-turbo however.

 

I wonder if he tried to install the engine air intake filter instead of a cabin filter like his first post said he was changing.

 

Also, I avoid anything that adds extra filtration; carbon activated, HEPA, etc. I tried a carbon activated filter in my CX-5 and noticed a significant reduction in airflow. The last thing I want on a hot summer day.
This cheapo paper filter from Amazon is what I use now.

The way I look at it the primary purpose of the cabin air filter is to keep pine needles, bugs and other debris out of the HVAC plenum moreso than to clean up polluted air.
Of course, if you have allegies/respiratory issues you may think otherwise.

 

It wont harm the blower and your reduction is minimal. What you are likely experience is the sound reduction more then anything else.
They do more than that!!!

I recommend if anyone is planning to keep the vehcle more than 3 +years to invest in a K&N Filter. This way you do get improved filtration and it 100% washable. Takes about 5 minutes to clean..
Do the math if you change the cabin filter minimum 2 times a year in three years you still have the K&N filter and it just paid for all those cheap cabin filters. LOL

But if you are smarter than the average owner you would be changing the cabin filter at least 2 times in the summer and at least every other month for the life that you own the vehicle.

 

Every other month? That is more frequent than a furnace filter. Why would the average person need to change filters that frequently (unless you drive on dirt roads daily)? Do you change the engine air filter that often as well?

 

Your furnace does not drive down different roads and changing weather.
You can do what you want it your vehicle and its my experience based on observance changing hundreds of cabin filters every year in the shop for customers that don't seem to want to do easy maintenance on their vehicles.
This is about the same thing as checking your tire pressure once a week or changing the wipers every 4 months lazy owners don't read and take common sense advise.
I live in Northern Ca at the bottom of the Sierra mountains. The air quality in this area is generally very good throughout the year. Yet on my own thread in this forum there are several thread responses and pictures showing how dirty a cabin filter can get anytime of the year in just 4-6 weeks. And there is the also that you are an owner not a service tech and don't see what I do on a weekly basis in a very busy service shop. LOL

As for the engine air filter it gets serviced by cleaning every oil band filter change so for me that about 3 k miles or 2 months or sooner if i see debris starting to collect in the pleats. But we are not talking about the engine air cleaner in this thread now are we and there is more to that information on servicing as well. So find a different example. The Houses HVAC system.... better look what the actual minimum times to change them is. The key wording for servicing is your air quality in your area or environmental event.
Dude it's the air you are breathing when all your windows are closed so think about that the next time you fart or have been using MAX AC for a long while . As for your house humans for the most part can't smell their own stink... think about that when you go so long in-between your homes HVAC filter service.
The last response IMHO is ridicules and a total loss of common sense having to do with an easy to service item on most vehicles by the owner.??

Below are a few responses (not all of them) on my cabin filter cleaning showing miles pictures and, in some pictures, what was visually seen in the cabin filter
Mazda3 Things I like to do - Page 46 - Mazda Forum - Mazda Enthusiast Forums

Post #
458
410
380
322
21

Using the search feature of this forum there are 20 pages and several hundred responses having to do with the cabin filter.

 

Found the problem. Mice! A mechanic showed me a phone shot of a nest lying on top of the fan. Must have been on top of the filter and when I removed it the nest dropped onto the fan. (How you can take a picture of the fan but can’t lift it out the mouse nest I do not know.)
I’m told the housing will have to be removed. I’m also told that some slide a thin sheet under the filter before removing it. (Then maybe use a vacuum.)

 

As you said, everyone will do what they want but all you are doing IMHO is enriching filter makers. Of course, your recommendation of a K&N filter makes a lot more sense if one wants to go to the extremes you do. Does K&N even recommend this short of an interval for cleaning? I guess if you buy their oil to do it, they would love it.