The following is a pictorial guide to changing the cabin filter in a 2016 Ford Police Interceptor Utility, aka Explorer. From what I have seen, this procedure SHOULD be the same for police and civilian models up to the 2019 model year.
(NOTE: things didn't go quite as planned, so I don't have as many photos to share as I should)
This is the filter I picked up at the dealer, Motorcraft FP-68. It wasn't cheap... Not sure why it cost more this time than the one I installed into the Sedan!
You will need to semi-remove the glove box door for easier access to the old filter. Remove everything from the glove box FIRST! That's right, all the sugar packets and napkins from Dunkin Donuts, etc.
There is an ELASTIC TETHER that slides into a hole on the right side of the glove box door. It helps the door from opening too far. Slide that off.
At the top of the glove box opening, there are TWO PLASTIC TABS THAT POINT DOWNWARD. They also help to retain the door when it is open. I pushed them backward instead of forward so as not to break them off, but basically you need to get them out of the way of the glove box door so it will open all the way.
Now, I did NOT take the glove box door off to install the filter. You MIGHT want to, though, as just as I thought I was done and happy, the door somehow got bumped and part of the hinge popped off. I'll get into that debacle later...
This is what you see when you look into the glove box opening. It is just like in the Taurus. Basically there is a little cover, or "trap door", if you will, that has two latches and two tabs. Undo the latches, and slide the cover down.
This is what the cover looks like (front & back), with the tabs and latches where you can see them.
Here's the old filter still in place. You may need a small screwdriver to help nudge it out a bit so you can get a better grip, then just slide it out.
We don't know if the filter had ever been changed, but it sure needed to be!
The new filter in place. I added the date and mileage for future reference.
All you need to do now is reinstall the little filter cover, reattach the elastic tether to the side of the glove box door, and close it.
NOW, if you find yourself needing to remove OR reinstall the door, you need to know that there are two white plastic pins which actually come out. We didn't know that, so when one side of the door popped off the pin, we didn't know how to reattach it. A peek at the 'net resulted in the realization that one of the two plastic pins was not installed properly. It was basically jammed into the wrong position.
After much car-repair-Yoga, temper flaring and use of large tools, I got both pins out. We then put the cover in place, latched it, and slid the pins into place the way they are supposed to be installed... minus the fact we still need to lock them in. In the photo below, you can see one and how it is slightly off-kilter. But you get the idea.
This is a shot of an Explorer in a junk yard. Someone had broken off the glove box door. You can see the two white plastic pins which act as pivots. The door is NOT SUPPOSED TO PRESS ONTO THOSE PINS! Remember that if you find your door has popped off BUT the corresponding attachment hasn't broken off and flown off into oblivion...
And there you have it... your Interceptor will now smell like a daisy!!
(... well... a little better than before, anyhow...)
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