Ford’s ‘Lifetime’ Air Filters Would possibly Be The Worst Engineering Selection Ever

Lifetime or sealed automobile elements don’t at all times find yourself working as meant. Whereas automakers promote patrons on the flexibility to by no means have to vary this fluid or swap out that filter, you often have to finish up doing one or the opposite. I as soon as had a Chevy Sonic with a sealed transmission that began having, you guessed it, transmission issues. Servicing it was a trouble in fact however nothing the vendor techs couldn’t deal with. What occurs when what would in any other case be a easy engine half turns into a large trouble? Simply ask any proprietor of the first-gen Ford Focus or Fusion.

In most vehicles, the air filters are certainly one of, if not the best, part of the engine to interchange. You often have to interchange them each few thousand miles and so they’re actually low-cost. Ford, in its infinite knowledge, took this low-cost piece of automotive tech and made it infinitely tougher and costlier to interchange for no purpose in any respect. 

Ford bought the intense concept to put in lifetime air filters good for 150,000 miles within the 2003-2007 Focus and the 2010-2012 Ford Fusion/Hybrid. The filter was sealed inside its plastic housing and couldn’t get replaced or serviced by both the proprietor or Ford sellers. Properly, it appears Ford beneath estimated the little Focuses and Fusions of the early ’00s as loads of people do want to interchange the filters, and it’s a complete ache within the ass.

A video posted to YouTube by Uncommon Basic Automobiles & Automotive Historical past particulars how eradicating the filter and its housing required eradicating the driving force’s aspect entrance wheel and interior fender liner to get to the field. Doing this on the Fusion was even worse as one proprietor defined on the Fusion Hybrid house owners discussion board.

Right here my steps to interchange the lifetime air filter on a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid (YouTube movies linked):

1. Jack up the automobile on entrance driver’s aspect pinch weld. For those who have no idea how to do that, check with the proprietor’s guide.

2. Take away the entrance left wheel.

3. Take away the fender liner. The clips are 2 items. Loosen the pins with a flathead screwdriver and use lengthy needle noose plyers to drag it out. Use warning to not break them. They promote the clips at Ford Dealerships for tremendous low-cost in case you do. Video to take off fender liner: How you can change head lamps on 2012 Ford Fusion – YouTube

4. Take off the entrance bumper. Some else posted that they didn’t have to do that to interchange the filter. That may make this job a lot tougher. Pull it – it’s easy: 2010- 2012 Ford Fusion How you can take away entrance bumper – YouTube

5. Take away the battery: Ford Fusion Hybrid Engine Bay Battery Substitute – YouTube

5. Unscrew the clamps on the air consumption meeting. Additionally unscrew the clamps on the resonator (small oval factor on the air consumption meeting).

6. Unscrew the bolts on the lifetime air filter. They’re simple to search out. Unplug the MAF. Take away the filter.

7. Put the brand new filter in. It’s considerably troublesome to get it again within the air meeting. You may need to seize and additional set of palms to use downward stress.

8. Screw on the bolts for the lifetime air filter, plug within the MAF, and reattach the clamps on the meeting.

9. Reinstall the battery. Put the bumper again on. Put the fender again on. Put the wheel again on.

10. Because the automotive was taken off the 12 V battery, you will have to re-trim the idle. Discuss with the part on web page 292 of the proprietor’s guide to do that. As a result of the MAF sensor was changed, don’t skip this step.

It’s a reasonably simple job. I hope this helps. I’ll have missed a step or two but it surely’s fairly simple to determine. Completely satisfied to report that after doing this it looks as if the automotive has slightly bit extra energy and begins up a bit smoother.

Hooked up are photos of a service process from the vendor, the automotive jacked up, and the outdated air filter we opened up with a noticed.

Hope this helps.

As soon as the filter is finally eliminated and the housing minimize opened, you possibly can see that the filter inside is certainly distinctive, with 5 layers and virtually a honeycomb look to it.

There’s a resolution as Uncommon Basic Automobiles identified on YouTube. An organization by the identify of Dorman Engineering makes a substitute filter field that permits for substitute of the air filter itself, making it identical to almost each different automotive on the highway. It’s not low-cost although and seems to value anyplace from $250 to properly over $300. Pricy, however possibly the brand new one will final the remainder of the lifetime of the automobile.

Automotive elements like this are unusual to see. They’re typically good examples of simply how brief sighted engineering may be.