Hi everyone. National Car Care month just passed, and the summer driving season is quickly approaching — two great reminders to do some standard checks on your Ford Bronco and address any maintenance concerns (especially those that may have developed driving on the snowy, salty roads in the ultra-cold winter months!). Spoke to fellow Bronco Nation member and Ford Senior Master Technician, Kyle Stone, about prepping your vehicle for summer adventures, and he recommended two easy and cost-effective DIY fixes to get started. Here are his thoughts for the Nation:
I love my Ford Bronco. And as a Master Certified Mechanic, I probably spend more time than the average person taking care of my 2022 Black Diamond 2-Door Bronco. And while most of us don’t need a dedicated month to remember to care for our Bronco, it’s a great reminder to do some consistent checks and address any maintenance concerns you may have.
Two of the first maintenance items that come to mind are changing the engine air filters and cabin air filters. As much I would gladly welcome any of you into our dealership for service, these are some DIY repairs that I am confident most Bronco owners are capable of making at home. Changing each of these filters is a quick, easy and cost-effective maintenance step you can complete yourself. This would save you time and labor costs from having this done at the dealership or a local auto shop.
The Before and After.
Clean and fresh to dirty and dusty. Bright white to smoky gray. Free of build-up to clogged with debris. I wanted to share these photos above to compare the difference between a used and new filter, and show that it does not take long for a filter to get dirty. These dirty filters above are from my Bronco. They only have 10,000 miles on them and, again, I mainly do regular road driving. So it’s a good idea to check them and replace them when they need it.
If there is buildup in the filter, you may be tempted to just shake, vacuum or blow the dust and debris out, rather than just change it. While that can help in a pinch if you're trying to resolve an issue and don't have a new filter on hand, it is definitely no substitute for a new and clean filter.
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The Ford Bronco maintenance schedule recommends this timeline for filter changes:
These are recommendations, but this will definitely vary depending on your Bronco, your driving location, off-roading frequency and more. If you’re a frequent off-roader or you live/work off a dirt road, those air filters and cabin air filters will get dirtier faster and will likely need to be replaced more often. I should actually check my filters at least every 5,000 miles. I mainly do regular road driving with a few off-road excursions a year, and the current cabin filter and engine air filter from my Bronco have about 10,000 miles on them and already need to be replaced. Just a heads up for all owners on how certain roads and driving conditions can affect the filter life.
FYI, for Bronco Sport Owners: The same rules apply to checking and changing the filters, with a few exceptions (including engine filter location). So If you have a Sport, check out this recent Bronco Nation article for specifics pertaining to the Sport.
Changing the Engine Air Filter
According to the Ford Bronco maintenance schedule, the engine air filter should be changed approximately every 30,000 miles or sooner. But again, this really depends on where, when, and how you drive your Bronco.
Start by locating the engine air filter. On the full-size Bronco (all engine sizes), the engine air filter is located under the hood, under a cover on the passenger side front of the engine bay.
This cover is held in place with four screws (the screws are 8mm hex/socket, but can also be removed with a torx bit). After the screws are loosened or removed, the cover can be lifted up and the filter can be taken out.
You can check to see if you need a new filter by holding the current one up to a bright light or the sun. If you can see light coming through the paper of the filter, you are good to continue using that one. If you cannot see the light, it's time to make a change.
When installing the filter, be sure to have the rubber part of the filter fully engaged to the plastic circle of the air cleaner box. Once the new filter is in position, return the cover and cover and tighten the four screws.
Changing the Cabin Air Filter
The cabin air filter is a somewhat overlooked part of vehicle maintenance at times. But it plays an important role in keeping your Bronco or Sport interior a clean and fresh environment. It helps keep dirt, pollen, and dust from getting inside the climate control system, which helps it work more efficiently (not to mention keeps some bad odors at bay!).
According to the Ford Bronco maintenance schedule, the cabin air filter should be changed approximately every 20,000 miles or sooner. If you notice reduced airflow, unpleasant odors, or excessive dust inside the cabin, it’s time to make a change. Or, if you live in an area with excessive pollen, this will shorten its life as well. While clean air is an essential concern, too much dirt/build-up in your cabin air filter could cause a clog that makes your A/C have to work harder, restrict air flow, or even cause your vehicle to overheat — so this filter is much more important than just the cleaner air experience.
The first step is opening the glove box and emptying all of the contents so they don't spill everywhere (that's my biggest hangup... I keep too much stuff in mine, HA!). Once the glove box is emptied, you'll find a small plastic arm on the right side of the glove box that either slides up and out from the box, or pops off directly.
Once the arm is free, there are two tabs on the side of the glove box that get pressed in, and then the glove box can be positioned down and out of the way.
Behind the glove box, there is a plastic plate with a pinch or pull tab, and occasionally a screw or two. Remove the screws and pull the tab, and the plate will come off and let you pull the cabin filter out.
If the filter looks gray or black, it's time to replace it. If it looks white and does not have excessive debris or buildup on it, it's OK to use it for a bit longer.
Obviously, the cabin filter and air filter are just two of many forms of maintenance that come with owning and driving a Ford Bronco. I thought those were two good ones to cover because they can be done easily (minimal tools!) and affordably right in your driveway or garage. How often we address certain maintenance concerns varies on so much — how many miles you drive, where you drive, what Bronco you have, the overall condition of your Bronco, etc. And whether you’re changing tires or flushing fluids — there are many ways take care of our Broncos all year long!
Do you work on your Bronco at home or prefer to take it to a dealer or local shop? Any DIY maintenance topics we can talk to Kyle about? Let us know below.
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