Cabin air filter change DIY…WTH!

[Vin0770]

2023 Nautilus Reserve in for its 20,000 oil change, tire rotation, etc. and they asked if I wanted the air cabin filter changed its due at 20k. I said pass I’ll do it myself. How hard can this be I’ve done ALL my other vehicles in the past.

Bought a filter nice reviews for $25 and start reading the instructions. WTH! Then go look at it for the first time when I realize the engineer that thought this one up must have been on “shrooms!” Take off the two two trim pieces one is easy, ok I do that. So you can get at the two bolts on the top somewhere…never found them…and then the two bottom bolts so you can take off the entire glove box…holy hell. Then somehow take the glide track on the right side connected to the box off, no chance to figure that out.

Then the rest is easy but are you kidding me that someone actually signed off on this great design?

So I’ll let the mechanic figure this out and replace it next time in so my $25 filter becomes $85….great

 

[ColonelColt]

Sounds like the designers started with the cabin filter and built a car around it.

 

[04 LTC]

I did mine on 2021. Was not difficult. Is yours different than in this video?

 

[Vin0770]

I did mine on 2021. Was not difficult. Is yours different than in this video?

Yah it’s different. I found this video too on YouTube university and there aren’t any clips of mine. One says it’s a 2023 Nautilus but it’s not. Maybe it’s a non-US Nautilus but it’s not close to what my glove box looks like.

Thanks man for the try

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[Vin0770]

Sounds like the designers started with the cabin filter and built a car around it.

Truth…

 

[RetiredGuyinFL]

I had this done once on a prior MKX. The service tech recommended it and I agreed. Only after I got the bill did I realize that it was well over $100.00 for the filter and labor.

 

[C Krohn]

The cabin air filter on my MKX is easy; drop the glove box door past the stops and release the tabs on the filter cover. My Corsair, on the other hand, is like the Nautilus; remove the entire glove box. Ford/Lincoln engineers must be high fiving.
That being said, I replaced the engine and cabin air filters on the Corsair in less than 30 minutes. I bought both filters (Motorcraft) on line for less than $41, including tax and shipping.

 

[Vin0770]

2023 Nautilus Reserve in for its 20,000 oil change, tire rotation, etc. and they asked if I wanted the air cabin filter changed its due at 20k. I said pass I’ll do it myself. How hard can this be I’ve done ALL my other vehicles in the past.

Bought a filter nice reviews for $25 and start reading the instructions. WTH! Then go look at it for the first time when I realize the engineer that thought this one up must have been on “shrooms!” Take off the two two trim pieces one is easy, ok I do that. So you can get at the two bolts on the top somewhere…never found them…and then the two bottom bolts so you can take off the entire glove box…holy hell. Then somehow take the glide track on the right side connected to the box off, no chance to figure that out.

Then the rest is easy but are you kidding me that someone actually signed off on this great design?

So I’ll let the mechanic figure this out and replace it next time in so my $25 filter becomes $85….great

Ya so it would be nice to have an owners manual with the vehicle. So for $hits and giggles watching the Southern 500 I found a site and downloaded a manual. Page 162 of 606 how to change your cabin air filter in two paragraphs and one picture.

Went out in the garage and tried the directions…change the filter in 3 minutes flat.

Two tabs to feel around for per the diagram, push them in and glove box door opens a bit more, and a little more pressure and it flops wide open. Filter box is right there with tons of room to work.

I mean really LINCOLN you cheap bastards, how about an owners manual in the glove box like ever car I’ve owned has! And while your at it…HOW ABOUT INCLUDING MY ENGINE COVER

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[Steve_C]

.........Went out in the garage and tried the directions…change the filter in 3 minutes flat.

Two tabs to feel around for per the diagram, push them in and glove box door opens a bit more, and a little more pressure and it flops wide open. Filter box is right there with tons of room to work......

Did you take any pics so we can see what's going on regarding this procedure?

 

[angore]

I wonder if the 24 filter is easy to replace.

 

[Vin0770]

Did you take any pics so we can see what's going on regarding this procedure?

I’ll see what I can do later today.

 

[Vin0770]

I’ll see what I can do later today.

Here you go Steve. 9 pictures so I converted them all to small jpegs so I hope I can put them all on one posting.

First the Lincoln instructions on page 162 are incomplete/incorrect ( ya I know shocking) for my glovebox. The diagram does NOT show the glide attachment on the side. So I figured it out amazingly without snapping the plastic glide and wrecking it

The glide fits into the hole on the side and once you depress the dog ears to let the door open, the glide is holding it from flopping in your lap.

Get your fingers behind the circular portion and push it up and it will move to the bigger opening and you just pop the glide out.

The last thing you’ll do putting it back together is reconnect the glide. It will be more obvious how the big hole and small hole connected work when you’ve had it apart to look at.

Magnetic phillips head screw driver is a must when putting the two screw back.

Snap design on the left side of cover is depressed inward to release and that will make sense looking at the picture.

1 glovebox

2 these dog ears are on both sides and must be pushed in at the same time. The door will drop a little more.

3 is the glide arm that can come all they way out if you don’t disconnect it from the side when you’re a goober figuring it out the first time

4 is the big hole/small hole the glide snaps into.

5 is the door lying in your lap and the massive space to work in You can see the air box cover.

6 is the cover off and the clip for the left side.

7 are the screw hole on the right

8 is the glide are where it stays when your not a goober and pop it off the big hole/small hole properly.

9 is the dirty OEM filter at 20k and much thicker that the aftermarket I bought. Definitely like the OEM better and recommend it over that Microgard I bought.

Very doable…have at it.

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[Steve_C]

Fantastic DIY Vin!
One question which might be obvious when I see it, but I will ask since you've been there:
Regarding the door cover, pics 6&7.
I read the text, but just want to confirm...did you unscrew the 2 phillips first on the door, then release the clip? Thinking about it, I am sure you did.

Thanks for detailing the proper way to remove the glide! That helps a lot!
A 5 Star write up!

A note about your filter observation, pic #9
Interesting that you point out the filter thickness between the aftermarket & OEM.
I do a bit of HVAC work and see more than a few video's and write ups on home & commercial units that warn against using return air filters that are too thick, (as in high HEPA rated filters). The logic is that they create excessive drag on the fan due do more restriction (thickness), which in turn causes it to work harder, drawing more amps and creating more heat.
If left unchecked (not replacing a dirty filter causing even more restriction) it could shorten the life of the fan motor.

Now, I am not saying that this same theory applies to automotive HVAC cabin filters, but now that you made the observation about thickness, I am going to sidestep an OEM filter and am ordering a MicroGard as you did so I can see if it appears to have less restriction than the OEM.
I am sure FoMoCo designed the OEM filter allowing for acceptable restriction flow across the fan motor, but as the filter gets dirty, restriction increases. I am going to go for less restriction from the get go, if that what the MicroGard might offer!

 

[Vin0770]

Fantastic DIY Vin!
One question which might be obvious when I see it, but I will ask since you've been there:
Regarding the door cover, pics 6&7.
I read the text, but just want to confirm...did you unscrew the 2 phillips first on the door, then release the clip? Thinking about it, I am sure you did.

Thanks for detailing the proper way to remove the glide! That helps a lot!
A 5 Star write up!

Steve you are correct about the screws first.

I like your thoughts on the aftermarket filter. It was $25 and I shopped by best reviews 4.5 stars. So it fits width wise perfectly and has the air flow arrow on it so you know which way, but I’d say it is about half the thickness of the OEM so the air should fly through it.

It’s cheap enough to try something else if I don’t like the performance.

 

[angore]

Has anyone checked the 2024 cabin filter?

 

[Rgv Rage]

Has anyone checked the 2024 cabin filter?

Checked it a few days ago after seeing this thread.

Not hard, just be careful when opening glove box. Manual said nothing about slider. Almost broke it. No screws to deal with just a couple tabs to press. Didn't pull filter out and searching number on sticker and QR code came up empty.

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[swindler]

Didn't pull filter out and searching number on sticker and QR code came up empty.

Should be Motorcraft FP-103 or equivalent. Seems to run $45-50 for OEM and significantly cheaper via third party.

 

[angore]

I have had the glove box open and it pivoted down a bit but then I was on a wild goose chase looking for the fuse box.

 

[Elie]

How about 2024 nautilus

Checked it a few days ago after seeing this thread.

Not hard, just be careful when opening glove box. Manual said nothing about slider. Almost broke it. No screws to deal with just a couple tabs to press. Didn't pull filter out and searching number on sticker and QR code came up empty.

how did you open the glovebox, the slider is hidden at the left side

 

[nixdude]

2023 Nautilus Reserve in for its 20,000 oil change, tire rotation, etc. and they asked if I wanted the air cabin filter changed its due at 20k. I said pass I’ll do it myself. How hard can this be I’ve done ALL my other vehicles in the past.

Bought a filter nice reviews for $25 and start reading the instructions. WTH! Then go look at it for the first time when I realize the engineer that thought this one up must have been on “shrooms!” Take off the two two trim pieces one is easy, ok I do that. So you can get at the two bolts on the top somewhere…never found them…and then the two bottom bolts so you can take off the entire glove box…holy hell. Then somehow take the glide track on the right side connected to the box off, no chance to figure that out.

Then the rest is easy but are you kidding me that someone actually signed off on this great design?

So I’ll let the mechanic figure this out and replace it next time in so my $25 filter becomes $85….great

You sir, need to watch this video, you can drop down the door just like 99% of the other Fords and lincolns, your drop tabs are just hidden. I found a video for you to show the tab location. You do have to remove screws on the cover of the filter. Don't take your car apart next time.