Changing cabin air filter on 2018 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk with 5.7L Hemi, and other official factory Service Manual USB questions.
I recently sprang $$$ for the official USB factory Service Manual. From navigating, reading and re-reading the USB I understand it to say that you should disconnect (and isolate) the vehicle battery negative cable before changing the cabin air filter (to avoid unwanted deployment of air bags). If you disconnect the battery per service manual instructions, to reach the battery you must first position the passenger seat to the farthest upward/forward positions; if you do that, the lower seat cushion will not then allow downward rotation of the glove box bin sufficient to release it from the dash. (You are directed to remove said bin, etc. before removing the old cabin air filter.) Of course, If the battery is disconnected, you cannot move the passenger seat down/back enough to lower and remove the glove box bin!
Also, the official Service Manual directs you to disconnect the IBS (Intelligent Battery Sensor) before disconnecting(?) the negative battery cable (presumably this instruction was written when the design included a somewhat rigid/fragile IBS connector vs. the current one using conventionally-flexible wires?). See the image I took of my battery included here below.
Further, the official Service Manual provides somewhat confusing/incomplete torque specs and tightening order for various battery electrical fasteners. [For one example, in the battery installation section of the Service Manual, clicking on the internal “link” labelled “Torque Specs” takes you to a non-relevant page. For another example, the Manual directs you to tighten one battery terminal connector at the negative terminal first, and on the same page below says that such tightening order should not be done because it can break the IBS?! For a third example, the torque spec page I found through separate navigation did not give the torque spec for the 10mm IBS nut (I assume it’s the same 53 inch-lbs. as that given for the 10mm hex nut for the battery terminal clamp pinch bolt.).]
And yes, there are other confusing directions I won’t go into at this point.
How are service technicians expected to follow such confusing directions and specs?
Do I really need to disconnect the vehicle battery in order to replace the cabin air filter? If I do not disconnect the battery, and I use various vacuum cleaner smaller attachments to clean inside the filter housing area, might that rubbing/brushing activity generate, e.g., static electricity sufficient to trigger the airbags? Any other tips?
MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE, TRUSTED ALLPAR-ERS!