Ford Flex
Cabin Air Filter Replacement Guide
How to clean or change the A/C cabin air
filter element in a 1st generation 2009 to 2019 Ford Flex SUV.
 2019 Flex Glove Box |
 Open Glove Box - Empty |
 Push In Side Walls |
| This automotive
maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the
first generation (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019) Ford
Flex crossover SUV in cleaning or changing the A/C system's cabin air filter
element located in the HVAC blower motor housing. Owners of other Ford or Lincoln vehicle such as the Explorer, Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max, Mustang, Taurus, EcoSport, Escape, Edge, Expedition, Transit Connect, F-150, Ranger, MKZ, MKC, Navigator, MKX and Continental may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful. A few compatible replacement cabin air filters with their part numbers are as follows: Fram CF11176, PotAuto MAP 1025C, K&N VF1011, Motorcraft FP-68, EcoGard XC26155, TYC 800151P and Wix 24068. No tools are required to access and replace the filter. You might need a flathead screwdriver or a plastic pry bar tool to release the filter cover retaining clips or slide out the old filter from its slot. |
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 Pull Out Side Stops |
 Left Side Damper Arm |
 Black Plastic Button Mount |
| The first two steps
are to open the glove box and them empty out the contents. Firmly push in the two side walls of the glove box until the side stoppers can be released from behind the dashboard. Move to the left outer side of the glove box and locate the damper arm. The damper arm is mounted to the side of the glove box with a small round black plastic "button" at the end of the arm. |
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 Pull Arm Up & Back |
 Pull Button From Large Hole |
 Lower Glove Box |
| Pull the end of the
damper arm up and back towards yourself to move the "button" from the small
hole to the larger hole. Then pull the button out of the larger hole in the side of the glove box. Gently lower the glove box down towards the floor mat. |
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 HVAC Blower Motor |
 Right Side Retaining Clip |
 Left Side Retaining Clip |
| Once the glove box
is out of the way, you'll be able to see the HVAC blower motor housing and
the rectangular shaped filter access cover. There are two retaining clips on the bottom edge of the filter access cover. |
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 Pull Down With Screwdriver |
 Release 2nd Clip |
 Pull Off Filter Cover |
| Gently pull the
tabs on the two retaining clips down and back towards yourself to release
them. If they are very stiff and difficult to move, carefully use a flathead screwdriver to pry them down. Pull off the filter cover and set it aside in a safe place. |
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 Old Filter Exposed |
 Pry Out With Screwdriver |
 Slide Filter Out of Slot |
| You'll see the edge
of the old filter which has an "Air Flow" arrow pointing up towards the
windshield. Slide the old filter straight out of the slot in the HVAC blower motor housing. If you have trouble getting a grip on the old filter, use the screwdriver to pry it out of the slot. |
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 Old Filter Removed |
 Inspect Both Sides |
 Clean With Vacuum |
| Inspect both sides
of the old filter. If the old filter is dark grey or black and clogged with dirt, dust, sand, soot, pollen, leaves, insects, hair, twigs and other debris, it should be replaced with a new element. I recommend buying the Fram CF11176 "Fresh Breeze" air filter since it has excellent reviews on Amazon. If the old filter is relatively clean, just tap out the large debris and remove any fine dust with a vacuum cleaner. |
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 Empty Filter Slot |
 Orientate "Air Flow" Arrow |
 Slide In New Filter |
| If your vacuum
cleaner has a crevice attachment, clean out any debris that you see in the
filter slot. Orientate the new filter with the air flow arrow pointing in the correct direction. Slide the new filter straight into the slot. |
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 Line Up Filter Cover |
 Re-Attach Filter Cover |
 Push To Secure Two Clips |
| Line up the filter
cover with the opening in the blower motor housing. The two retaining clips should be at the bottom of the cover. Push on both sides of the cover to secure the retaining clips. You should hear or feel the clips "click" securely into place. |
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 Filter Cover Secured |
 Glove Box Damper Arm |
 Pop Button Into Small Hole |
| Move the glove box
damper arm towards the two holes on the left side wall. Insert the "button" mounting point into the larger hole. Firmly push the button forward and down into the smaller hole to secure the damper arm in place. |
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 Push In Side Walls |
 Re-Insert Side Stoppers |
 Close Glove Box |
| Push in the two
side walls until the stops can be re-inserted behind the dashboard. Replace the contents of the glove box and close it to complete the job. Enjoy the fresh clean air from your A/C system! Be sure to record the filter change in your vehicle's service records. The service interval specification for the cabin air filter is every 20,000 miles according to the owner's manual. Please
check out all of my
Ford Flex DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides. |
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