How to Replace the Cabin Air Filter

[inspecto]

Yeah, I think he has the air flow arrow pointed in the wrong way. Otherwise, a good video. My car is 2 years old now, but only has just over 11,000 miles. I'm going to replace the cabin air filter in the next few days.

Yes I thought he put it in wrong as well . will blow up his engine no doubt

Sponsored

 

[inspecto]

I took my car into the dealer to have my oil changed, tires rotated, etc and I asked them to put a new cabin air filter in. The technician came back and told me that the lid was missing. He claimed that he checked two other vehicles in the lot and they were missing the lid too. Ford doesn't sell the lid by itself and that they can only get the entire kit. Does anybody have any suggestions? Can't I just replace the filter and tape it in place?

Silver backed duct tape is your answer

 

[cocopanda]

Does anyone know where I can find a replacement screw for this item? I have had the worst luck this weekend. SMH. HOW DO I LOSE A SCREW IN THE CABIN?

 

[compprep]

3-1/2 yrs old, 14K miles. I doubt I'll ever PERSONALLY

to this again.

 

[ScottsGT]

OMG! Perfect timing for this thread to pop up in my email. I was noticing my car was smelling a bit “funky” last week after sitting for a while. Retired now and the Mustang sits more that it’s driven. Yesterday I ordered a charcoal activated filter off Amazon. Today I discovered the last time I changed the filter was when I made the post in this thread in the fall of 2016. Yea, 6 years ago.
I guess I need to swap the one under the hood too! Yea, the engine filter.

 

[Vlad Soare]

I replaced my filter a few years ago and don't recall why, but I installed it with the air direction arrow pointing down. When I just removed it, there was a leaf on the top (side away from the arrow) which would seem to confirm the air was flowing the way the arrow points.

That video shows the arrow pointing the opposite way (up) and specifically cautions to make sure the new one is installed that way (arrow up).

Since I cannot imagine any scenario where there would be leaves on the output side of the filter and none on the input side, I am suspicious that the video has it backwards. How can I confirm which direction the air flows?

And the post(s) below appear to show dirt on the top (bowed out after use) side like mine did. Again, seemingly the air flowing down rather than up thru the installed filter.

The air flows downwards. The arrow should definitely point down. Yours was installed correctly. I haven't watched the video, but if it says the arrow should point up, then it's wrong.

 

[RagmopInKona]

Most of my vehicles are of the age before these , things, only the 2019 ranger and 20 mustang have them. Other than being a money generator, service item.
What is the reason they stated adding these to vehicle?
I could see if it filters the air before the air gets to the heater core, A/c evap. to keep from them getting blocked up.
But.
I pulled my wife's truck filter and it just smelled like a hundred cigarettes. Yes she smokes, I don't and the heater always stinks of smoke. After changing it, it was 1000x better. but got me thinking.

 

[ice445]

Most of my vehicles are of the age before these , things, only the 2019 ranger and 20 mustang have them. Other than being a money generator, service item.
What is the reason they stated adding these to vehicle?
I could see if it filters the air before the air gets to the heater core, A/c evap. to keep from them getting blocked up.
But.
I pulled my wife's truck filter and it just smelled like a hundred cigarettes. Yes she smokes, I don't and the heater always stinks of smoke. After changing it, it was 1000x better. but got me thinking.

Ford's been doing it for a long time. Since about 2000 on some models, like the Taurus. It just helps with keeping bad smells as well as junk and dust out of the hvac box.

 

[Vlad Soare]

They go even further back than 2000, though only in high-end models. My 1995 Scorpio had one.
They do an awesome job not just with bad smells, but most importantly with dust. The difference is really huge. I was used to dusting the interior of my car at least once a week, until I had my first one with a filter (the Scorpio, that is) and was stunned to see how it stayed dust-free for up to two months or so. Really great invention; I would never again drive without one.
Also, while I'm not allergic to pollen, many people are. A cabin air filter will help immensely with that.
Now, if you use to drive with your windows open, or with the top down if it's a convertible, then of course you may not benefit too much from having a filter in place.

 

[smoke_wagon_6g]

Seems there's a bit of arrow confusion. Don't just repeat the direction on the old filter for guidance because you can't tell if it was installed correctly the last time, and it fits perfectly both ways.

Unlike YouTube videos and helpful instructionals any filter you remove in the real world will have junk on it. Therefore I suggest you consider the dirty side of the old filter as the inlet. It's going to have feathers and pine needles and powdery dirt.

I also think the end flaps (at least on the Ford FP78) keeps leaves from sneaking around the short edges, so it makes sense that they ended up pointing upwards.

My door had a T20 but it hardly matters it's plastic use what you have handy if you lose it or even replace it wih a phillips.

Yes the door flap could be a lot better designed, plenty of cars have simple doors and clips not screws.

Then again unlike my other cars never had a tech waving my dirty cabin filter under my nose trying to upsell the oil change since it is hidden away.

This one was pointed correcty:

 

[MrMike]

I did this a few weeks ago. It was a huge pain in the ass. My old one was quite gross and I do not regret my suffering though.

 

[Postal Bob]

Just replaced mine today. It was easy, and only took 5-10 minutes. No need to crawl under the dash. Once I lowered the glove box past the stops, I accessed it past the dust covering by pullng it down a bit. And then I just reached up from the bottom of the dash with a torque driver to undo the screw, Pulled the old filter out through bottom. Pushed new one in through bottom. And then reinstalled the filter cover and screw. The only tricky part ws realigning the cover tabs in their proper slots.

Sponsored