2014 Ford Explorer Cabin Air Filter [93K Miles]

[CarbonSteel]

A year or so ago, we passed the Explorer down to our middle son (who had started driving at that point) and a few days ago he mentioned the cabin air smelled musty and the air flow was reduced. A quick check revealed it had a cabin air filter which had never been changed (many Fords do not have them and I never thought to check until now). It was somewhat of an ordeal to remove the glove box, but once it was out of the way, the filter housing was easily accessible. Needless to say, we definitely achieved full value out of it and then some. A new FRAM Fresh Breeze took its place.

A few photos:

 

[SatinSilver]

Do you remember if the arrow was pointing up or down when you removed the original one?

 

[GenesisGuy70]

The happiest element out of all of this is the blower motor.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted by SatinSilver
Do you remember if the arrow was pointing up or down when you removed the original one?
Down; air flow towards the floorboard.

 

[bdcardinal]

I kept lagging on changing the filter in my mom's 2014 Fusion because of what looked like a pain to change according to the shop manual. I finally did it a couple months ago and it was really easy. Similar idea to the Explorer, take off the side dash cover, then the fake brushed aluminum strip over the glove-box. Then a couple bolts to drop the glove-box and the filter was right there.

 

[JLTD]

Yikes that thing was toast!

Always wonder why they make access so difficult....on the T4R it's empty glove box, snap snap, new one in, snap snap and put stuff back in.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Good you changed it!

The one in my 14 Nissan Rogue Select was to the right of the gas pedal against the firewall.

These old bones don't take lightly to getting down there.

 

[92saturnsl2]

I usually buy my vehicles around 100k, and every one that I've ever purchased that's had a cabin air filter, has always had the original that's never been changed. They get pretty ugly. Nobody seems to ever change them, or maybe they think the mechanic is trying to upsell them something they don't need.

On my Odyssey, the instructions actually have you cut off a plastic brace that's in the way. It's a minor pain in the butt even without that brace there. On my Pacifica, it's readily accessible below the glove box without removing anything, less than 5 minute job.

 

[gregk24]

Glad you changed it, breathing that air in can't be great. Thankfully accessing the cabin air filter in my Accord couldn't be easier. I can swap the old one out with a new one in maybe 30 seconds or less.

 

[toneydoc]

Nasty is all I can say

 

[dave1251]

You got your value out of this filter.

 

[Kira]

Just got a 2005 Ford Ranger. It has no CAF.

A cabin air filter can be retrofit to my friend's '97 Ford F-150. You can easily see the cutouts etc.

I wonder if this Ranger has the same provision. Everything seems so small in the cabin