Lifetime or sealed automobile elements don’t at all times find yourself working as supposed. Whereas automakers promote consumers on the flexibility 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 vendor techs couldn’t deal with. What occurs when what would in any other case be a easy engine half turns into an enormous problem? Simply ask any proprietor of the first-gen Ford Focus or Fusion.
In most automobiles, the air filters are one among, if not the best, element of the engine to interchange. You normally have to interchange 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 costlier to interchange for no purpose in any respect.
Ford obtained the brilliant 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. Nicely, it appears Ford underneath 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 Vehicles & Automotive Historical past particulars how eradicating the filter and its housing required eradicating the motive force’s aspect entrance wheel and internal 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, confer 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 drag 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: How one 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 can make this job a lot tougher. Pull it – it’s easy: 2010- 2012 Ford Fusion How one can take away entrance bumper – YouTube
5. Take away the battery: Ford Fusion Hybrid Engine Bay Battery Alternative – 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 tough to get it again within the air meeting. You would possibly 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. Because the automobile was taken off the 12 V battery, you have to 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 could have missed a step or two nevertheless it’s fairly simple to determine. Pleased to report that after doing this it looks as if the automobile has a bit of bit extra energy and begins up a bit smoother.
Hooked up are photos of a service process from the vendor, 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 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 Vehicles identified on YouTube. An organization by the title of Dorman Engineering makes a substitute filter field that permits for substitute of the air filter itself, making it identical to practically each different automobile on the street. It’s not low cost although and seems to value wherever from $250 to nicely 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 usually good examples of simply how brief sighted engineering could be.
