Cabin Air Filter Replacement

[ThorChristian]

I don't remember just how tight mine were but a screwdriver blade prying a little did the trick to get that tab to rotate down.

Your next trick will be to get the filter door off without breaking the tabs that hold it on. I managed to break both tabs on mine so right now it is held on with duct tape. The new filter box lid is in the glove box waiting for the next go around.

I am starting to wonder if the dealership replaced the cabin air filter when I had the co2 leak in the cabin. Maybe they hosed it when they put it back together. I have to pull out my invoice. That pin is wedged in there, and the more I look at it, the more I think something else is going on. No way this is normal.

Things are going to get ugly if I break those filter door tabs. No doubt something will happen, though. Ford seems determined to keep me from getting to this filter. The owners manual doesn’t even tell you how to get to it. Just mentions the car has one and it should be replaced. Thanks, Ford.

Oh, and I guarantee you, if I was a Ford Mechanic, I would either lie and tell folks I replaced this (good luck checking my work!) or I’d email every ford mechanic in the country, organize a mass protest and break every glove box until Ford fixed the design.

I’ve changed brakes and rotors faster than this. I STILL haven’t even seen the damn filter! HAHA

 

[RhinoQuartz]

I am starting to wonder if the dealership replaced the cabin air filter when I had the co2 leak in the cabin. Maybe they hosed it when they put it back together. I have to pull out my invoice. That pin is wedged in there, and the more I look at it, the more I think something else is going on. No way this is normal.

Things are going to get ugly if I break those filter door tabs. No doubt something will happen, though. Ford seems determined to keep me from getting to this filter. The owners manual doesn’t even tell you how to get to it. Just mentions the car has one and it should be replaced. Thanks, Ford.

Oh, and I guarantee you, if I was a Ford Mechanic, I would either lie and tell folks I replaced this (good luck checking my work!) or I’d email every ford mechanic in the country, organize a mass protest and break every glove box until Ford fixed the design.

I’ve changed brakes and rotors faster than this. I STILL haven’t even seen the damn filter! HAHA

Took me about 5 separate tries to get it open. To get access to the filter, the long plastic cover has 2 tabs on the bottom and 2 slots it fits into on the top. Pull the tabs and only the tabs from the bottom of them.

 

[Flying68]

I am starting to wonder if the dealership replaced the cabin air filter when I had the co2 leak in the cabin. Maybe they hosed it when they put it back together. I have to pull out my invoice. That pin is wedged in there, and the more I look at it, the more I think something else is going on. No way this is normal.

Things are going to get ugly if I break those filter door tabs. No doubt something will happen, though. Ford seems determined to keep me from getting to this filter. The owners manual doesn’t even tell you how to get to it. Just mentions the car has one and it should be replaced. Thanks, Ford.

Oh, and I guarantee you, if I was a Ford Mechanic, I would either lie and tell folks I replaced this (good luck checking my work!) or I’d email every ford mechanic in the country, organize a mass protest and break every glove box until Ford fixed the design.

I’ve changed brakes and rotors faster than this. I STILL haven’t even seen the damn filter! HAHA

Just empty the glove box, push up slightly on the two tabs at the top and disconnect the tension cable on the side. The box will just hang on the hinge. It takes me all of 10 minutes to change the cabin filter. Just like this video shows.

 

[JAPeterson]

Just empty the glove box, push up slightly on the two tabs at the top and disconnect the tension cable on the side. The box will just hang on the hinge. It takes me all of 10 minutes to change the cabin filter. Just like this video shows.

This is dependent on your hands and wrist being small enough to get into the restricted area to do the work.

Mine are not so I have to pull the glove box off.

 

[Stephen Cannon]

I will put in a +2 on the K&N removable/washable. Especially knowing that they are washable I would plan on inspection every 10K miles but possibly 5K if you live in a frequently dusty or high pollen area. I do have a OEM filter as a standby because the K&N needs to air dry after I would expect a couple of hours in the sun. If you need to use the vehicle you can use the OEM as a temporary basis.

 

[Flying68]

This is dependent on your hands and wrist being small enough to get into the restricted area to do the work.

Mine are not so I have to pull the glove box off.

The glove box pivots all the way down doing it this way. If the don't fit this way, they won't fit by taking it off.

 

[JAPeterson]

Perhaps on your 2011 but not on my 2016

 

[RhinoQuartz]

Perhaps on your 2011 but not on my 2016

My 17s glovebox drops nearly to the floor to take the CAF out.

 

[15Limited]

My 17s glovebox drops nearly to the floor to take the CAF out.

Same on my 15 and 18...once you disconnect the cable on the right side of the door, the glovebox opens up almost to the floor.

 

[RhinoQuartz]

Same on my 15 and 18...once you disconnect the cable on the right side of the door, the glovebox opens up almost to the floor.

Gotta be careful not to break the tabs though, I already did that to mine.

 

[Flying68]

Perhaps on your 2011 but not on my 2016

The video above was for a 2016. Don't know how much more room you need, but removing the glovebox won't create more space to get to the cabin filter. Like others have mentioned, make sure to disconnect the cable on the right side. I use needlenose pliers.

 

[JAPeterson]

Removing the box makes a lot more room.

I have no idea on mine as far as just releasing the cable and then popping the back of the box down to lower it a little bit more. But mine won't go any lower and a inch or so, just barely enough to get my hands into the area where the filter is located at. When I pulled the pins and removed the box I had all kinds of room to access the lid.

 

[peterk9]

I'd have the dealer do mine if it ever became necessary. It was never changed on my previous 2 vehicles and doubt the current one will either. After 32 months I just went over the 11,000 km (6835 mi.) mark the other day.

Peter

 

[RedXLTlove]

Removing the box makes a lot more room.

I have no idea on mine as far as just releasing the cable and then popping the back of the box down to lower it a little bit more. But mine won't go any lower and a inch or so, just barely enough to get my hands into the area where the filter is located at. When I pulled the pins and removed the box I had all kinds of room to access the lid.

I felt the same with mine, even with the dampener removed, still not enough room for me to work. So I just removed the box.

I did my best video my experience and I just laughed at myself!

 

[ThorChristian]

Victory is mine!

Used my Dremel to saw off the tip of the pin, and I was lucky enough not to break or damage the rest of the pin in any way. Finally was able to slide the pin out, take the glove box off, and change the filter.

The filter tabs were surprisingly easy to remove. They popped right off and went back on without breaking.

As for some of the suggestions here, especially the one that implies the filter can be changed without removing the glove box. Not in my 2016. I had to remove the glove box, even after taking the cord off the side.

This was an epic PITA. All in all, it took me over 3 hours. I don’t expect the next change will be too difficult, since I now can get those pins out and not break anything, but I spent entirely too much time trying to twist that pin. It was impossible, wedged in between the metal bar and the glove box. Once I sawed the pin, everything released. Must have just been bad luck when that pin was installed before.

Thanks all for the help and suggestions!

 

[Flying68]

Victory is mine!

Used my Dremel to saw off the tip of the pin, and I was lucky enough not to break or damage the rest of the pin in any way. Finally was able to slide the pin out, take the glove box off, and change the filter.

The filter tabs were surprisingly easy to remove. They popped right off and went back on without breaking.

As for some of the suggestions here, especially the one that implies the filter can be changed without removing the glove box. Not in my 2016. I had to remove the glove box, even after taking the cord off the side.

This was an epic PITA. All in all, it took me over 3 hours. I don’t expect the next change will be too difficult, since I now can get those pins out and not break anything, but I spent entirely too much time trying to twist that pin. It was impossible, wedged in between the metal bar and the glove box. Once I sawed the pin, everything released. Must have just been bad luck when that pin was installed before.

Thanks all for the help and suggestions!

Glad you got it done, but what is different about your 2016 from the 2016 in the video above that makes it so that you can't change it with the box in place? Is there an extra bar in there? Not trying to start an argument, just genuinely interested in the physical differences. Post pictures if you can.

 

[Steve18Sport]

I haven't seen much mention of how everyone has been working around the passenger knee airbag, as on my '18 Sport. The Service Manual states that the airbag needs to be removed before the glove compartment door can be removed, with all precautions to first disable the SRS system. Then there's a SRS reset procedure once the airbag is reconnected. Has anyone done the cabin air filter change with a knee airbag and what was your method? Crazy that replacing this simple air filter might involve multiple hours of work or a trip to the dealer.

 

[Flying68]

I haven't seen much mention of how everyone has been working around the passenger knee airbag, as on my '18 Sport. The Service Manual states that the airbag needs to be removed before the glove compartment door can be removed, with all precautions to first disable the SRS system. Then there's a SRS reset procedure once the airbag is reconnected. Has anyone done the cabin air filter change with a knee airbag and what was your method? Crazy that replacing this simple air filter might involve multiple hours of work or a trip to the dealer.

Not familiar with the 18. Is it different than earlier models? Watch the videos posted to see how to change it on a 16 (and older).

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum Steve.
The only other post that mentions "airbag" is post #80. It is in a question that was never answered. Have you seen that video in post #86? No mention of an airbag there either. That video makes changing the filter look very easy.

Peter

 

[KayGee]

I haven't seen much mention of how everyone has been working around the passenger knee airbag, as on my '18 Sport. The Service Manual states that the airbag needs to be removed before the glove compartment door can be removed, with all precautions to first disable the SRS system. Then there's a SRS reset procedure once the airbag is reconnected. Has anyone done the cabin air filter change with a knee airbag and what was your method? Crazy that replacing this simple air filter might involve multiple hours of work or a trip to the dealer.

I've done them several times by just removing the 4 bolts and dropping the knee airbag out of the way. This is a pretty simple 10 minute job.