I wonder how long this has been missing?

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JohnUSA

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I was going to do some basic maintenance on my newish to me 2009, by changing the cabin air filter. I looked it up on YouTube, and saw that there seemed to be a little access door to unsnap. As I learned, mine didn't have the little door...so I set about doing the hack.

It involves cutting out the panel so you have easy access to the filter
Cabin Filter 1, cutting it out.jpg
Removing the little panel:
Cabin Filter 2, removing the cut piece.jpg
And, voilá...nice open space for a filter element. How long has that been empty?:D
Cabin Filter 3, Look ma, no filter!.jpg
 

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  • Cabin Filter 3, Look ma, no filter!.jpg
    Cabin Filter 3, Look ma, no filter!.jpg
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jawzs2

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Been empty since day one, they didn't start putting the filters in from the factory until several years later, I'm thinking '15 - '17 or somewhere around there, plenty of threads on it here, search around, I know it's here somewhere.
 

GTyankee

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Ram did not start putting the panel door in Ram until January 2016
I ordered my Ram in October of 2015, it shipped out of Michigan in Mid December
It did not have the cut out door installed
To this day, they still don't install the filter itself

.....................................................................
I believe that you may have cut a bit too much plastic to install the door.
I think the lower cut line is suppose to be straight across, but i don't know if that really matters & no one will ever see it

How-to-change-Dodge-RAM-cabin-filter.jpg
 

gofishn

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Ram did not start putting the panel door in Ram until January 2016
I ordered my Ram in October of 2015, it shipped out of Michigan in Mid December
It did not have the cut out door installed
To this day, they still don't install the filter itself

.....................................................................
I believe that you may have cut a bit too much plastic to install the door.
I think the lower cut line is suppose to be straight across, but i don't know if that really matters & no one will ever see it

View attachment 511700
Pretty sure that lower center portion needed to be cut out for fitler to go in and out , easier and for cover ot fit, properly.

hard to remember, oen of the first things i did on my 2014.
 
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JohnUSA

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I thought there was no filter because prior owner was a) too lazy to put one in, OR, b) didn't want to pay the highway robbery price to install a cabin filter.

And, it's mind boggling that in 2009 they molded in the shape and access door retention lugs that they would use seven years later. Still processing that...
 

Zoe Saldana

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I was going to do some basic maintenance on my newish to me 2009, by changing the cabin air filter. I looked it up on YouTube, and saw that there seemed to be a little access door to unsnap. As I learned, mine didn't have the little door...so I set about doing the hack.

It involves cutting out the panel so you have easy access to the filter
View attachment 511694
Removing the little panel:
View attachment 511695
And, voilá...nice open space for a filter element. How long has that been empty?:D
View attachment 511697

There is an area you should clean out but, I don't what or how.
 

GTyankee

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I seem to recall that i read that the whole HVAC Unit in the Ram, was also used in other Chrysler vehicles & those vehicles came with CAF modification from the factory
 

GTyankee

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You can drop the Fan, all the debris will be in the fan cage

I see in the images in the first post, image 3, i see the top of the fan cage

a video that i watched, they were removing the fan for replacement

 
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Daniel Ortiz

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My 2017 Express came with one (I'm assuming the prior owner didn't stick one in before I bought it at 17k miles).

And, it's mind boggling that in 2009 they molded in the shape and access door retention lugs that they would use seven years later. Still processing that...

@JohnUSA , mind boggling indeed.
 
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JohnUSA

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GTyankee

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From what i have read on here, all the CAF doors are in place..
But Ram is not inserting the filter

Has that changed ??
 

blackbetty14

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I've owned my 2018 off the showroom floor. I just replaced the stock filter after 48k miles and it wasn't that dirty. I opted for the FRAM with carbon.

So the answer was at least in 2018 they put the filters in from the factory.
 
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JohnUSA

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Separate, but related...What causes the door above the filter to be either open or closed?
 

GRKN

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Separate, but related...What causes the door above the filter to be either open or closed?
That’s your recirculation door. Draws air from either the cabin or outside depending on your settings.
 
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JohnUSA

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I pushed the left recirc button, and it didn't move. I'll double check it.
 

Marshall

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I thought there was no filter because prior owner was a) too lazy to put one in, OR, b) didn't want to pay the highway robbery price to install a cabin filter.

And, it's mind boggling that in 2009 they molded in the shape and access door retention lugs that they would use seven years later. Still processing that...
Well my a 2014 has no filter in it either, I don't miss it, maybe if I lived with a lot of dirt , sand blowing around.
 
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