Owners of other Ford or Lincoln vehicles such as the Fiesta, B-Max, Escape, Edge, Bronco Sport, Explorer, Expedition, Transit, Focus, Mondeo, S-Max, Puma, Kuga, Endura, Everest, Ka, Figo, Endeavour, Aviator, Corsair, Nautilus and Navigator may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

A few compatible replacement cabin air filters with their part numbers include the following: EcoGard XC26175, TYC 800163P, Purolator C26175, Motorcraft FP-69, Bosch P3927WS and Potauto MAP 1042C.

Please verify the correct replacement part number for your vehicle before purchasing by using the Amazon Part Finder website.

The tools needed to access and replace the cabin air filter include a flat head screwdriver, a 10mm socket, a 1/4" drive ratchet and a Torx T20 star bit screwdriver or a T20 socket.

The HVAC blower motor housing and filter slot are located behind the kick panel attached to the center console in the passenger footwell and near the underside of the glove box.

Locate the small round plastic cover by the front bottom of the kick panel.

Use the flat head screwdriver to gently pry out the cover.

Remove the single black metal bolt located behind the cover by turning it in the counterclockwise direction with the 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet.

Set the bolt aside with the plastic cover.

Try to avoid bending the kick panel too much to prevent from damaging the plastic by creating a crease or cracking it.

If the outside temperature is very cold, consider moving the SUV into a heated garage or wait for a warmer day before performing this procedure.

I didn't attempt to fully remove the kick panel since it is not necessary to just replace the filter.

The cover is held in place by four Torx T-20 star bit screws.

Three of the screws are easy to access but the fourth screw at the top front corner is a bit harder to reach.

Loosen the screws by turning them in the counterclockwise direction with the Torx T-20 screwdriver or a T-20 socket with a 1/4" drive ratchet.

In order to gain easier access to the fourth T-20 screw at the top front (closer to the front of the SUV), I chose to remove the plastic panel located under the glove box.

Loosen the two bolts on the left side by turning them in the counterclockwise direction with a 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet.

Remove the third 10mm bolt, located on the right side of the glove box, by also turning it in the counterclockwise direction.

Gently pull the plastic trim panel off the underside of the dashboard below the glove box.

Disconnect the electrical connector for the footwell light by pushing in the release tab before sliding it straight out of its socket.

I also found that moving the footwell air vent away from the filter cover made it even easier to access the fourth screw.

Gently pull the black plastic air vent towards the right and away from the HVAC blower motor housing.

You might also be able to use a stubby Torx T20 screwdriver.

At this point, you should have removed 1 plastic bolt cover, the plastic panel under the glove box, 4 silver Torx screws and four black metal bolts.

Try to avoid dislodging the rubber gasket from the back side of the filter cover.

You may need to angle the old filter downwards to get it past the bottom of the glove box.

Check the filter slot for any large debris such as leaves, insects or twigs.

If you do see any debris, clean it out with the crevice attachment of your wet/dry shop vacuum.

Inspect both sides of the old air filter.

If the old filter is dark grey or black and clogged with dirt, dust, sand, pollen, soot, leaves, insects, hair and other debris, it should be replaced with a new element.

I recommend buying the TYC 800163P cabin air filter since it has excellent reviews on Amazon from other Ford owners.

If the old filter is relatively clean, just tap out the large debris and remove any fine dust with a wet/dry shop vacuum.

Check your new filter for an "Air Flow" arrow.

Orientate the new filter with the "air flow" arrow pointing towards the rear of the SUV.

Carefully slide the new filter into the slot until it is fully seated.

Push the filter cover back into place.

Push the plastic kick panel back into place.

Tighten the bolt in the clockwise direction with the 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet until it is snug.

Move the footwell air vent to the left and back into place.

Push the electrical connector for the footwell light back into its socket. You should feel or hear the power plug "click" securely into place.

Spin in the three bolts a few turns by hand in the clockwise direction.

Be sure to write down the filter change in your SUV's service records.

Enjoy the fresh clean air from your A/C system!

According to the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual, the cabin air filter should be replaced every 12,500 miles (or every 20,000 km).

For more, check out all of the 2013-2021 Ford EcoSport DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.