Cabin Air Filter the Easy Way

[bbwb]

Hi All:

I haven't posted much, just browsed over the years.
I went to replace the cabin air filter for the second time since owning my '17 XLT. I forgot how miserable of a job it was to get the stupid white pins back in after changing the filter.

So the first part of the proceedure to remove the box and change the filter was easy...reinstallation of the box (pins) was another story.

I goofed around trying to put the glove box back in for over an hour in 90 degree temps sweating all the time only to have the pin ends breaking the ears off of each end of the glove box. Not only could I not get a good view of what I was doing but I could not get a good enough grasp on the pins (even with locking pliers) to be able to slide them back into their home. Repeated attempts with the pins falling out and putting back with my finger tips were enough. In looking at the old box, the ends were too broken to melt back together so had to spend the $350 for a new box. Needless to say my vocabulary was over the top that day. Ford glove box engineers were not on my favorite list.

New box came in and this weekend I decided to try again. After another 45 minutes of the pins falling out and not being able to grasp them to lock into place. I decided their had to be another way to do this. I decided to remove the lower air bag to gain better access. 4 screws and two plastic retainers, I had it down. It took about minute to put the pins in. Could not believe it.
Reinstalled the air bag, and then swapped the lock assembly and I was done. Man, I wish I had done this the first time...so easy! Future filter changes will be done this way.

For those who want to change the lock cylinder, that too is easy once you know the trick. Lift up on the handle and look into the hand recess. You will see a small metal tab. Push back with a small screwdriver and with some wiggling and slight twisting it will come out (put the key in the lock will help too). Then move over to the new handle and push in until it locks into place.

For what it is worth, the dealership wants to charge $200 to install the glove box (my wife asked them to try and save me the trouble of doing it), but she was wise enough to not have them do it.

I don't know what the engineers were thinking when they put all of this together, but what a terrible design!

Robert

 

[Toddman41]

I agree, it's a nightmare trying to get those damn pins back in. It took me 45 minutes almost to do it, I thought I was going to break them.

On my chevy equinox it's the same except for the pins, you simply drop down the glovebox and it unsnaps from its bottom plastic channel mount. Then you have full access to the filter, then snap the bottom back in, and push in the top. Done...

So dump ford decided to use the lower 2 plastic pins to secure the glove box. Not looking forward to doing the cabin filter again. Total pita on the explorer.

 

[texsn95]

You don't need to remove the pins, although I did the first time and yes it was a pain. Unhook the side wire and lower the glove box past the 2 upper stops. Get something to keep the glovebox from rotating too far down and stressing the pin and holder interface. A box, bucket, stack of 2x4 scraps, whatever. Shim the height so you can reach your hand back above the glovebox and onto the airbox assembly. Wiggle that little filter retaining lid off with the 2 tabs and there ya go. Getting that wire back on is a pain in the ass too but just takes patience. Having a helper in the driver's seat to reach over and keep it steady helps.
But yes the pin retainers are woefully under-designed, they should be able to handle the full weight of the glovebox once it's rotated down.

 

[Toddman41]

You don't need to remove the pins, although I did the first time and yes it was a pain. Unhook the side wire and lower the glove box past the 2 upper stops. Get something to keep the glovebox from rotating too far down and stressing the pin and holder interface. A box, bucket, stack of 2x4 scraps, whatever. Shim the height so you can reach your hand back above the glovebox and onto the airbox assembly. Wiggle that little filter retaining lid off with the 2 tabs and there ya go. Getting that wire back on is a pain in the ass too but just takes patience. Having a helper in the driver's seat to reach over and keep it steady helps.
But yes the pin retainers are woefully under-designed, they should be able to handle the full weight of the glovebox once it's rotated down.

Yeah, I was thinking next cabin filter change I was gonna try doing it without taking those white plastic pins out.

 

[Digitalgp]

What an awful design. I changed my cabin filter for the first time in this back in March or April. The one pin went back in ok the other was giving me a hard time ended up cracking up one of the ears. Luckily with an extra pair of hands I was able to make the glovebox go back on and function correctly. I do fear the next time I have to replace the filter though

The only thing worse was the '00 Cadillac Seville my mom inherited where you have to disassemble half the underside of dash to get to the cabin filter

 

[peterk9]

I just let the dealer do it when the time comes. Due to my low mileage, I don't recall if I've ever had it changed before the lease is up.

Peter

 

[ExPlat]

I just let the dealer do it when the time comes.

I changed mine the first time, had a miserable time doing it. Next time I had the Dealer change the cabin filter, the Tech (?) broke the glove box so the Dealership bought me a new one and the Service Manager told me they fired the Tech (I wonder). I quit going to any Dealership for normal wear maintenance, now I take it to a competent local independent auto repair shop and they change it. The Indy shop is faster, cheaper, has highly trained employees and the owner is involved in making sure things are done correctly. I am lucky to have found them.

 

[JAPeterson]

Those who change the filter without removing the glove box must have hands the size of kids.

I just couldn't do it, plus I broke both of the tabs off of the lid before they would disconnect. I have a spare lid now waiting for the next time that I need to change it out.

 

[Davidm53]

Changed my filter out last summer.
Someone else changed it out before and broke the hinge
I placed it back and seated it back on the pins.
After it’s lines up, cannot notice any difference when the door is open.
Glove box door is hardly used anyway.