Lifetime or sealed car elements don’t at all times find yourself working as supposed. Whereas automakers promote patrons on the flexibility to by no means have to alter 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 problem in fact however nothing the supplier 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 all, if not the simplest, part of the engine to exchange. You often have to exchange 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 exchange for no purpose in any respect.
Ford obtained 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. Effectively, it appears Ford below estimated the little Focuses and Fusions of the early ’00s as loads of of us do want to exchange 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 driving force’s aspect 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 exchange the lifetime air filter on a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid (YouTube movies linked):
1. Jack up the car on entrance driver’s aspect pinch weld. In the event you have no idea how to do that, discuss 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 if you happen to 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 exchange 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 straightforward to seek 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. For the reason that automobile 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 straightforward job. I hope this helps. I could have missed a step or two but it surely’s fairly straightforward to determine. Completely satisfied to report that after doing this it looks like the automobile has a little bit bit extra energy and begins up a bit smoother.
Connected are footage of a service process from the supplier, the automobile jacked up, and the previous air filter we opened up with a noticed.
Hope this helps.
As soon as the filter is ultimately eliminated and the housing lower opened, you may see that the filter inside is certainly distinctive, with 5 layers and nearly a honeycomb look to it.
There’s a resolution as Uncommon Basic Vehicles 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 similar to practically each different automobile on the street. It’s not low cost although and seems to value anyplace from $250 to nicely over $300. Pricy, however possibly the brand new one will final the remainder of the lifetime of the car.
Automobile elements like this are unusual to see. They’re typically good examples of simply how quick sighted engineering may be.
