I just got a cabin air filter for our 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid today. Finally! Here is my long story...

As has been discussed here previously, the Ford parts database is wrong. It lists the FP-49 filter for the 2007, but we 2007 owners know that the opening changed with the 2007 model. When I discussed this with our dealer last year, they showed me the database screen.

Trying another route, I used the Ford website earlier this year, explained the situation, and asked for the correct part number. The "Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center" emailed me back, said they didn't know anything about parts, and told me to ask my dealership. So much for customer service.

I'm not really that fond of the dealership where we bought our Hybrid, but it is a large dealership and their customer service is above average for a dealer. So I recently tried again by writing the parts department a letter, including occ's picture of the opening and my own measurements of the opening. (They have an email address, but I've emailed them in the past about something else and never got a reply.) To my surprise, the parts manager called me three business days later saying they had tracked down a cabin air filter, ordered and received it, and it matched the dimensions I had given them.

The parts manager also said he had gotten no help from Ford. When he called, Ford's attitude was that they didn't care because it's not a part that ships with the vehicle from the factory. He also said the 2008 part number 8L8Z-19N619-B (which I had given him, which I got from Mark E Smith's post) wasn't available from Ford, but he used the Motorcraft part number FP-66, checked with his other suppliers, and got one.

FordParts.com lists an FP-66 for $20.42 + $9.95 shipping = $30.37 total. Our dealer wanted $55.56, but they offered a discounted price of $37.04 when I mentioned the price at FordParts.com. I bought it from them because they had been nice enough to hunt it down and because I could try it there and return it if it didn't fit. I installed it in the parking lot using stevewa's directions and confirmed it was the right filter. The filter is a very snug fit. It actually distorts slightly when you push it in all the way.

I didn't notice any difference in airflow on the way home. I disassembled it again at home because there was some dust in the duct that I wanted to vacuum out of there.

Has anyone else successfully obtained a cabin air filter for their 2007 or 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid?

By the way, thanks to other forum members. As you can see from above, I used info posted here by other people.

One more thing that I forgot...

The Ford/Motorcraft pollen filter box also included two 2.75" x 1.5" stickers, one white and one clear. Does anyone have any idea what these are for?

I've seen CAF stickers applied to the door sill to indicate when the filter was changed. My Subaru had that. Is it that kind of sticker?

I'm not sure. The oil change stickers they sometimes put on your window are usually preprinted with something like next oil change at blank date and/or blank mileage. These stickers are completely empty.