Cabin air filter location or internal air intake for a/c location

[searcherrr]

Just got a 2002/2003 Windstar LX.

Has a lift gate in the back. Facing the front of the van from the rear... on the driver rear is a plastic vent and i hear a lot of air whooshing behind it, but I can clearly see all kinds of wiring behind it and nothing else but the side wall of the van. It would seem to me that something is missing there. Is this the location of the internal cabin air intake?? or what is that?

Not having seen the van before with how it would've been from the factory, it would seem that all that wiring behind the vent may be related to the function of the lift gate (for wheel chairs, or hover-rounds... scooters etc.. for elderly people).

I haven't had a chance to take all this apart and look, but if the installers took apart and gutted an air intake assembly there .. I'm wondering if they removed a filter that needs to be there.

Sorry I don't have more info. More later. Any help appreciated as always.

[12Ounce]

Could you have found the rear heater/ac unit in the rear? It does not induce fresh air, only stirs cabin air about. You can look underneath the wheel well to see if you have ac, or only coolant going to this area.

Check the rear axle for fractures, near the left end, while you are under there.

[searcherrr]

It seems the fresh air intake is still in the cowl in front of the windshield.

I was attempting to change the smell of the van to "better".. there was a light cigarette smell in there and I couldn't stand it.

I guess there is a cabin filter in the cowl somewhere or otherwise?

Sorry, I haven't had time to look this up yet. Very busy helping my family recover from Hurricane Isaac last August. Their house flooded and mom's handicapped and this new van with the scooter lift in it is part of recovery efforts to help them out.

[northern piper]

yep, cabin filter will help. It's located under the hood in the cowl, right (passenger) side. There should be a narrow black cover that just pops off.