If you have noticed the air is getting stale in your Ford Edge it may be time to change your cabin filter.
The filter itself is easy to find, both the part at the dealership or at the auto parts store, and in your vehicle. To reach the housing, you’ll need to remove the glove box door. With the passenger front door open, kneel on the ground and lean in to look up under the dashboard/glove box door. On either side along this hinge you’ll see two white plastic pins (left and right) that pull out towards the center, and release the hinge. Open the glovebox, and on the left side, you’ll see the dampener cable which keeps the door from flopping all the way open; pull this free, then grasp both sides of the glove box itself, up near where the stops are, and squeeze it until the stops are clear, and the door will come completely free; set it aside.
Looking at the area behind the glove box, there is a wide rectangular door, approximately 1 ½ inches high and 10 inches long with two plastic bars upright along it’s length; there is a latch on the left side of this with a small plastic catch that you press sideways to the right – (it may take a bit of force!) then pull out on the left side, and slide the door to the left to remove it. Set it aside.
Behind the door, you will see the filter itself – looking at it from the edge, it is white, with a sawtooth edge along the upper surface, smooth on the bottom, about ½ an inch thick and as wide as the housing; grasp the edge and pull it towards you to remove. If it has been a while since this has been changed, there may be an accumulation of dust and debris on the sawtooth ridges, so pull it out flat and put it in a trash bag promptly. If there is a lot of debris, you may want to use a vacuum with a crevice tool to clear the area where the filter was before replacing with the new filter. Slide the new filter in the same way the old one came out, and reverse the processes to replace the door to the filter housing and the glove box door – you’re done!
Depending on the amount of dirt on your filter, you’ll know when you next need to change it – the manufacturer has guidelines, of course, but your particular driving habits may change your needs. Enjoy your clean air!
