Changed the air filter on the wife's RX350 and noticed that there was a another mesh like filter thing after the air filter that looked like it had a lot of lint on it. Anyone clean theirs out or does it even need to be cleaned?

 

I noticed that on my '04 Highlander too. I'm looking forward to the answer because the mesh is markedly more open than the paper filter, but it's downwind from it.
Ray A.

 

I have the same mesh after my filter.

I guess it is there to protect the MAF sensor from large debris that get pass the air filter.

I would just use a vacuum cleaner and suck up the lint/debris from the mesh.

 

Maybe it's just there to protect against anything that might have fallen in while changing the air filter?

Don't remember what the inner filter looks like but I'd expect the air filter to block larger items before reaching the other one further in.

 

True.

I have read that some automakers use mesh in the air intake tract to reduce turbulent air flow to the MAF sensor, so maybe it just provide that function.

The mesh supposedly smooths the air flow.

Here is a Mazda forum topic on the mesh inside of the RX8 stock air intake and its function.

http://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trou...creens-237596/

 

Carguy:
I'm going to agree with you. I love the term "air straightener." The only other thing I can think of that it might be for is to protect things internally if the paper filter were to disintegrate. How? I can't imagine.
Ray A.