Well ain't this another FFFU. (laurel & stanley)
For months I've been posting in different forums regarding less airflow in any position other than MAX selection. To the point that there is insufficient airflow for proper defogging and defrosting.
No one has had an answer other than some posted back claiming that was normal, maybe by comparing to theirs. BS. Some questioned a blocked CAF which this vehicle does not have that added option.
But Frod in its infinite stupidity added a filter that nothing is mentioned of. I'll call it a filter since I don't have a technically correct name. The material looks a lot like the padding you used to see under vehicle carpet when they used high quality dense carpeting. Looks like it might be made from chopped up rags because of its multiple colors of threads, maybe inch long threads, then matted together. At least that is all I can tell at this point because of its rather hidden location and it appears you might have to remove the dash and fan case to get at the fasteners, and break the weatherseal between it and part of the cowl.
Yep, that is where it is at. Looks like the job would be similar to a dash screw I ran across on another vehicle which was obviously installed before the windshield went in.
After removing the plastic covers in front of windshield, shine a light throught the small access holes toward the area you suspect as the inlet. You will see something that looks like black plastic, somewhat dome shaped and the top area has that matting in it. Next to impossible to get at and I'd bet that matting has either deteriorated or become covered with dirt and road film. I had much the same symptoms with a mid-90's Sable and it had a CAF tucked into similar location. It was totally matted over with debris when I bought the car around 2000. Obviously I would not be the only one with such problem, yet Frod in its wisdom chose to change from a replaceable filter to what appears to be permanent or very labor intensive to change.

If anyone has any knowledge about this device and problem please reply?

Otherwise I will stick with my original opinion and update as more info becomes available. Right now, another FFFU (another Fine Ford puck UP)

 

If it's fibrous it is likely dash insulation that has been sucked into the air box inlet

Or an outside influence like a rodent making a nest



Cabin air filters are a very rare optional dealer accessory and actually had more than just the filter in the kit. Cabin air filters are typically thin acordian paper style

 

Because so many have replied that it is normal by their verification for there to be less air in any position but MAX, this is either fubar on Ford or nearly everyone I've talked to with similar years has a rat in there truck. Yes it looks like possibly dash padding. And it sounds like you are familiar with the problem.

Knowing what the CAF is supposed to be is while the title says fake.
I nearly disjointed my arm and wrist but got a finger on the material. This stuff has been there since the truck was built!

 

You've had a mouse make a nest in your air inlet. Nobody else has this "fake CAF" you have found. It's unique to your truck. Not really Ford's fault.

 

You don't know what you are talking about. My wife's nephew has same problem and he don't live near me. My grandson had 05 and had same problem. Suggestion was dash padding. I'd bet the hole was not punched through the material, if it was supposed to be and they just assembled the parts without tagging the vehicle for fix when it got to end of line or they decided it was to difficult and just ripped the tags for fix off as it rolled off assembly line.
I tried taking pictures but too tight for my camera. I will try to capture this since the only rodent that did this works for Ford. And I've heard that rodent excuse before, once from my Dad who lived 1200 miles away. Ford dealer told him that was what caused it and probably charged him big time dollars.

 

Your truck is 13 years old. If it hasn't been doing this since new, something changed to cause this. Logic.

 

Sure, only 54000 miles now. And it was my Dad's truck new and I remember him complaining before he passed away. And it was his previous truck, 98 maybe, where they handed him that rodent BS story which was relatively low miles as well. I think it was previous where they claimed it was one of those lower door motors causing his poor defogging/defrosting. Not fixed, for sure, that one or this one.
I heard about issue and got truck anyway. Afterall, how difficult could the problem be?
This is obviously a design issue where that fake filter will become clogged from bugs, road film, dust, debris, or just matted from exposure to moisture, pollen, fungus, etc.
I've read all the TSB pertaining to this vehicle, I could find, and none mention this condition. Part was obviously never meant to be serviced and simply removing is not answer because you'd have the flying insects, etc. inside with the driver.
An answer to this problem is needed. Removing material then allows road film and bugs in causing another safety issue. Anyone know a solution from Frod?

 

I was back checking to see if anyone had heard of a fix for the plugged sound deadening material in intake when it occured to me another potential problem because of this Frod Fubar. This will make your HVAC motor work much harder and prematurely wear out.
How many have replaced HVAC fan motor?
How many think it was premature? In my many years of experience I have only had to replace 2 and both were around 150K miles. One of the two was diesel which has more vibration than a gas model. And living in south we use AC year around, so fan is running almost all the time.

 

I've gotten a small amount of debris from that cowl inlet to AC. Pictures did not turn out well because of close quarters and lighting. I will attempt more with different camera device. The debris is composed of what appears to be jute fibers about 1/2" long, some colored fibers, and bird down like from a sparrow. All would easily make it through that small holes in plastic covering the intake.

But how do you get it cleaned out. I retrieved the material using one of those flex cables, about 2' long that has fingers operated by button on opposite end. (I don't know its technical name) I could barely get the end through the mesh screen just to get a sample.

Ford definitely needed access hole to remove this road debris.
How did those who actually had mouse clear this area?

 

My apologies. It does appear to have been a mouse!
I have gotten a big handful of material after cutting part of the top but there is lots more I can not reach.

Very sad that a little mouse can disable these trucks and unsafe to drive for fogging or defrosting.
How did you guys with mouse fix the problem?

 

I celebrate! I got it!
After removing as much as possible through the cowling I was ready to give up. After some rest and reorganizing my thoughts I decided to do the cutout for the CAF and found some mouse debris had made it all the way to Evaporator. Cleaned and then pulled fan motor. I found that the mesh that is at the Recirulate/Outside air door is much bigger than the ~1/4" that is at cowling. It might be 1 1/2 x 1" and was able to get the rest of it from inside which was about 50% more.
If anyone else has mouse nest issue, no outside air, I'd suggest pulling blower first. It might be all that is needed.
That little bitch of a mouse had a queen's bed and free transportation.No MORE.