Can anyone tell me where the location of the cabin air filter is on a 2001 F-150? Would just like to know before I have to start tearing into a bunch of different areas. Thanks, Chris.

 

If it has one, Which I doubt, it is accessed thru the passenger side kick panel.

 

I can actually answer this one for you. I run a Texaco Xpress Lube and for YEARS, yes YEARS, looked and looked and looked for an F-150/Expediton etc with a factory installed cabin air filter and NEVER found one. Ive owned several 97-03 F-150s and have always wanted a cabin filter in my truck and about two months ago I finally got one.

I actually stock the filter - GKI number CF1007 available from Oreillys. Ford supposively sells a kit for like $80 with the filter and instructions - well all you need is a filter and you can install a cabin air filter in any 97+ F-150 in about ten minutes.

Under the passenger side dash about where your feet would be, you will see a "door like" cutout in the bottom of the heater box. It is about a foot long and about an inch and a half wide with a little "runner" around the sides. Turns out, that plastic is really thin and can be cut right through. All you need to do is take either a razor knife or a pocket screw driver (BE CAREFUL - I got cut) and run it around the edge of that "door" that is attached to the heater box. When you run it around there, it will cut out and remove the "door" from the heater box. Take the cabin filter with the tab down and stuff it in the hole and whala - you now have a cabin air filter. The filter with the pull tab serves as the door - no additional parts needed. A cabin filter, this knowledge, and about 10 minutes.

Good luck! BTW, if you buy the cabin filter, it has a picture of the bottom of the dash showing you the "door" but they actually say it is a pop out real easy to do sort of thing. This was something that took some figuring out.

 

Thanks for the info! I was at the parts store getting stuff for an oil change and the clerk asked me if I wanted a cabin air filter. I bought it and couldn't figure out where the damn thing went. You learn somthing new everyday. Thanks again, Chris.

 

What does the air filter do? Besides for filtering air? Is there any perks to installing one?

 

That's interesting CCORAM! I also wanted a cabin air filter for my 2001 F150, and finally found the Ford kit as surplus stock on eBay. Besides an aluminum cut-out guide, it also has a rather convoluted metal frame, which the filter sets up into, and that door which is held onto the frame with 6 little screws (PIA!). But, yeah, the filter is fairly tight and might seal by itself. Does yours seal at the bottom? Maybe one could just cut the opening in the plastic a little smaller, or maybe put some rope caulk around the bottom. Sounds like I could have saved the time and money.

For those who asked; the cabin air filter is a kinda' high end item now supplied in many cars (my Buick Park Ave has one), which, like your furnace filter, attempts to remove dirt, dust, and pollen from the interior air. I don't know how successful it could be given how often the doors and windows are open, but I do know that mine accumulates a lot of dirt after six months. Hopefully, that helps an allergy at least somewhat.

 

Yeah the filter seals perfect at the bottom. No air getting out at all = plus with the pull tab on the bottom of the filter it comes right out for the next replacement. I just cut the hole the size of the indention around the door and it worked perfect.