Odour/Pollen filter

Thanks silvertesse. I've now had a go, it's a pig of a job ! The plastic trim on the passenger side of the centre console is held in place by a pop-out plastic screw, remove this and then slide the panel forward and pull away, there are 5 plastic locating lugs behind the panel. You then need to remove the sound deadening felt beneath glovebox, 2 pull off plastic lugs and also a pop-out screw on the far left that is also difficult to get at. There is then a small metal screw (7mm head) that secures the filter cover. You also have to drop a fuse box/control unit that is secured beneath the glovebox by 1 plastic securing lug (turn to release) it then drops on a hinge, but I could not remove completely. This is as far as I got, as I still could not get full access to the filter cover. Hope that if anyone else is having a go, they get further than I did. I can see that dealers will avoid changing these filters, as it is time consuming & difficult, although the filters will eventually clog-up. Anyone else got more ideas, as most MK4 owners will find this useful.

falconmicky said:

Thanks for the link Mondeo-hopeful, I've had a look, but was hoping for a bit more detail & photos. Have also tried Youtube without success. has anyone else got other suggestions please?

Click to expand...

Please see pics below on filter replacement
Fuse box dropped and lifted off hinges at back
Two of the three silver screws to be removed showing,(top one more difficult to access):-


New filter pushed nearly in:-


Filter after 37000 miles compared to new one:-


Hope these images help members as it is a swine of a job for a service item!

Yes. Are there any pics or instructions please on how to change a LHD Mondeo's air con filter? I thought on LHD models, it is the clutch pedal that has to be disconnected?

Just to add, I have recently bought a ten year old Citroen Xantia HDi as a run around. One owner from new and full service history with a Citroen main dealer in the Brighton area. I have all of the invoices for all of the servicing and repairs. At least three bills show the air con filter being changed. The previous owner was charged for the job three times anyway. Not being very trustful of garages and with a bad smell coming from the heater, I thought I would investigate.

The air con filter is not a difficult job on the Xantia to change. When I started the job which requires the carpet under the dash on the passenger side to be released and pushed away to expose the plastic slide opening for the filter, it was obvious the carpet had never been removed from its original position from when the car was new. When I found the access to the filter and opened it, a whole load of muck and debris, leaves, hairs, etc, fell out and the filter was in an unbelievable state. Absolutely disgusting. Totally blocked up and black. For years the previous owner has been sitting there with the air blowing over his face, after it had passed through this filter. I wonder how many diseases a blocked filter can cause?

It took me an hour to clear it out with anti-bacterial cleaner and in went the new filter easy peasy. The diference in air flow was considerable as you would expect.

By making the air con filter on the Mondeo so hard to access, Ford have ensured that lazy mechanics will not bother to change this part. It is definitely a health risk if the filter is not changed and anyone sufffering from allergies or are sensitive to air quality, should ensure that when the garage says they have changed the air con filter, you make sure you see the old one. Alternatively, do the job yourself then you know it is done properly, and clean the vents with an anti-bacterial spray..

I would recommend the air con filter is changed every year regardless. Leaving it until the third service or third year is ridiculous.