Cabin air filter replacment

[dogo88]

This topic has been discussed before but for those that are easily intimidated, opening up the glove compartment and trying to figure out how to install the filter, can lead you to use the dealer.

 

It's not a big deal (now that I did mine). The instruction PDF states something like bend rubber stops on compartment door to drop it down. open up filter cover and replace.

 

That is what you do but here is more detail:

 

1. Open up the glove box. Carefully bend in the rubber stops.

2. The return cord attaches to the right side and can be removed from the plastic clip. Caution is needed so you don't break the clip. Slowly release the cord and it will retract back.

3. The door to the filter is labeled. Use a medium size blade screwdriver to insert in to each side and carefully bend inward. The door comes off pretty easily.

4. Sliding out the filter is made difficult by the glove compartment retainer and requires you to bend down the right side a bit to remove.

5. Inserting the new filter required me to fold down the rightmost side filter support so it would clear the retainer. Once cleared and installed it's easy enough to push it back up.

6. install filter cover.

7. rebend back the compartment rubber stops and hook back up the retainer cord.

 

I use RockAuto to get the filter. They have the Ford part FP-67 and other oem filters. I use Ford, because sometimes oem is close but no cigar. So I just felt it would be safer to use the recommended item.

 

So basically I paid $20 for the filter (shipping included) and about 10 minutes of work. My FFH has 16,5000 miles and I will say that the filter was pretty dirty that a compressor couldn't clean out.

 

Dan

Edited November 15, 2010 by dogo88

[lolder]

Nice post!

You can remove the return cord plastic clip from the side of the compartment by pulling out on the little tab on the outside of the clip and sliding the clip to the larger opening in the side and removing it. You need to remove the cord so you can drop the door lower so you can get your hand under the right side of the new filter to push it up and compress the bent edge to insert the new filter. Keep the return cord clip clear of the right side when you push it in, mine interfered at first. It takes a half hour the first time. The next time it will take 5 minutes. I vacuumed the filter and reinserted it at 19,000 miles.

Edited November 15, 2010 by lolder

[Bob B.]

This topic has been discussed before but for those that are easily intimidated, opening up the glove compartment and trying to figure out how to install the filter, can lead you to use the dealer.

 

It's not a big deal (now that I did mine). The instruction PDF states something like bend rubber stops on compartment door to drop it down. open up filter cover and replace.

 

That is what you do but here is more detail:

 

1. Open up the glove box. Carefully bend in the rubber stops.

2. The return cord attaches to the right side and can be removed from the plastic clip. Caution is needed so you don't break the clip. Slowly release the cord and it will retract back.

3. The door to the filter is labeled. Use a medium size blade screwdriver to insert in to each side and carefully bend inward. The door comes off pretty easily.

4. Sliding out the filter is made difficult by the glove compartment retainer and requires you to bend down the right side a bit to remove.

5. Inserting the new filter required me to fold down the rightmost side filter support so it would clear the retainer. Once cleared and installed it's easy enough to push it back up.

6. install filter cover.

7. rebend back the compartment rubber stops and hook back up the retainer cord.

 

I use RockAuto to get the filter. They have the Ford part FP-67 and other oem filters. I use Ford, because sometimes oem is close but no cigar. So I just felt it would be safer to use the recommended item.

 

So basically I paid $20 for the filter (shipping included) and about 10 minutes of work. My FFH has 16,5000 miles and I will say that the filter was pretty dirty that a compressor couldn't clean out.

 

Dan

 

Thanks for your post. On my non-hybrid 2010 Fusion I4 SEL, I did not have to disconnect the return cord in order to remove the cabin filter. The filter will just clear the cord. My filter was clean, like new except for a couple of mosquitoes.

Regards,

Bob B.

[dogo88]

Nice post!

You can remove the return cord plastic clip from the side of the compartment by pulling out on the little tab on the outside of the clip and sliding the clip to the larger opening in the side and removing it. You need to remove the cord so you can drop the door lower so you can get your hand under the right side of the new filter to push it up and compress the bent edge to insert the new filter. Keep the return cord clip clear of the right side when you push it in, mine interfered at first. It takes a half hour the first time. The next time it will take 5 minutes. I vacuumed the filter and reinserted it at 19,000 miles.

 

Thanks.

 

I'll look to try removing the clip next time. I'll check mine more frequently now that I have a better idea on what to do. I wish I could have just blown mine out but it was black with crud. I guess i ran through some dirty areas. Still all in all, $20 every year or so is a far cry from the, I guess, $60-80 dealer part and installation cost.

 

Dan

[Milan_OH]

Nice post!

 

 

Yes, good info thanks. I've been thinking I've either have a skunky wet cabin filter or otherwise clogged condensation drain somewhere. After the normal summer usage my AC was idle for a number of weeks. First time I used it again, I noticed a musty smell.....wonder if the filter needs changed. Anyone else experience this?

 

Thanks,

Jack in Ohio

[lolder]

Yes, good info thanks. I've been thinking I've either have a skunky wet cabin filter or otherwise clogged condensation drain somewhere. After the normal summer usage my AC was idle for a number of weeks. First time I used it again, I noticed a musty smell.....wonder if the filter needs changed. Anyone else experience this?

 

Thanks,

Jack in Ohio

The filter is before any AC and shouldn't get wet or musty. I recently had a slight musty smell after the summer peak that has dissipated. The air intake is in front of the windshield and the filter after that. I haven't investigated the condensate drain or actually seen any drip either. They can get clogged and cause problems but usually not in new cars. The filter appears to have a variegated light gray color that looks like dirt but it's on both sides of the filter paper so it's not dirt. My filter had some very minimal visible dirt which was removed by a vacuum. I live in a very low air pollution area is S.W. FL.

Edited November 15, 2010 by lolder

[dogo88]

The filter is before any AC and shouldn't get wet or musty. I recently had a slight musty smell after the summer peak that has dissipated. The air intake is in front of the windshield and the filter after that. I haven't investigated the condensate drain or actually seen any drip either. They can get clogged and cause problems but usually not in new cars. The filter appears to have a variegated light gray color that looks like dirt but it's on both sides of the filter paper so it's not dirt. My filter had some very minimal visible dirt which was removed by a vacuum. I live in a very low air pollution area is S.W. FL.

 

Interesting. My filter was black from dirt. The replacement, and the original (around the edges) is white.

 

Dan

[Greg White]

Interesting. My filter was black from dirt. The replacement, and the original (around the edges) is white.

 

After 14K miles, so was mine.

 

Thanks for posting this how to! Very simple and quick to do.