ran into this issue. i bought a 2000 wagon last week and trying to do the right thing and change every filter i could get my hands on. i pulled the cowl to replace the cabin filter and noticed there wasn't any there. there was a small plastic egg crate like cover but for some reason i didn't pay attention to how it was installed-my bad. i put the new filter in which fit but the plastic piece doesn't sit right above the filter. does it go below? i can't find a pic of how it looks with it IN! but one of the retaining (small, plastic that the metal fingers slide into on the underneath of the cowl) clips attached to the metal cracked so i can't get a tight seal. can i pop those retainers out to order & replace and where does the egg crate go in relation to the filer. thanks in advance
So, you've nearly tackled the Cabin Air Filter install.
Well, the plastic insert (egg crate thing) stays out after you've put the filter in. I've never understood that extra piece and why they even bother with it.
Any clips you break, I suggest going to a salvage/junk yard. Check out some of the foci there. Ford charges too much IMHO for those parts and they may require you to purchase the whole cowl vs. just the clips. They are easily broken and there are many of them throughout the car to hold plastic pieces together.
Best of luck to you!
____________________ Get in, Sit down, Shut up and HANG ON!
I have an 03 ZTW. From factory, had no cabin filter. After a complaint of smell (from alternator), Ford installed a charcoal cabin filter and handed me the "egg crate". They told me you use one or the other. I suppose the egg crate keeps leaves etc. form entering the fresh air intake. I hope this helped.
