Lifetime or sealed automobile components don’t at all times find yourself working as supposed. Whereas automakers promote patrons on the power to by no means have to vary this fluid or swap out that filter, you normally 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 problem after all however nothing the seller techs couldn’t deal with. What occurs when what would in any other case be a easy engine half turns into a large problem? Simply ask any proprietor of the first-gen Ford Focus or Fusion.
In most automobiles, the air filters are one in every of, if not the simplest, part of the engine to switch. You normally have to switch them each few thousand miles they usually’re actually low-cost. Ford, in its infinite knowledge, took this low-cost piece of automotive tech and made it infinitely tougher and dearer to switch for no cause in any respect.
Ford received the intense thought 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 of us do want to switch the filters, and it’s a complete ache within the ass.
A video posted to YouTube by Uncommon Basic Vehicles & Automotive Historical past particulars how eradicating the filter and its housing required eradicating the motive force’s facet entrance wheel and inside 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 switch the lifetime air filter on a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid (YouTube movies linked):
1. Jack up the automobile on entrance driver’s facet pinch weld. In the event you have no idea how to do that, discuss with the proprietor’s handbook.
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 tug it out. Use warning to not break them. They promote the clips at Ford Dealerships for tremendous low-cost in the event you do. Video to take off fender liner: Easy methods to 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 switch the filter. That can make this job a lot tougher. Pull it – it’s easy: 2010- 2012 Ford Fusion Easy methods to 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 wish to seize and further set of palms to use downward strain.
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. For the reason that automobile was taken off the 12 V battery, you’ll need to re-trim the idle. Consult with the part on web page 292 of the proprietor’s handbook 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 however it’s fairly simple to determine. Joyful to report that after doing this it looks like the automobile has a little bit bit extra energy and begins up a bit smoother.
Hooked up are footage of a service process from the seller, the automobile 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 lower 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 Vehicles identified on YouTube. An organization by the title of Dorman Engineering makes a substitute filter field that enables for substitute of the air filter itself, making it identical to almost each different automobile on the highway. It’s not low-cost although and seems to price anyplace from $250 to properly over $300. Pricy, however perhaps the brand new one will final the remainder of the lifetime of the automobile.
Automobile components like this are unusual to see. They’re usually excellent examples of simply how brief sighted engineering will be.
