Nissan Altima Engine Air Filter Replacement (2013-2018) Step by Step
About this video
The dealer wants to charge you for an engine air filter? This is one of the easiest jobs on the car, it takes about five minutes, and it needs almost no tools. An ASE certified mechanic shows where the air box is, how to open it without breaking the clips, and how to tell whether your filter actually needs replacing.
SAFETY FIRST
Work on a cool engine with the key out. Keep hands clear of the cooling fan, which can cycle on its own. Make sure nothing falls into the open intake while the filter is out, and confirm every clip and the intake boot are fully latched before you start the engine. An unsealed air box lets unfiltered air and dirt straight into the engine and can also set a lean code.
WHAT WE COVER
Locating the air box under the hood
Opening the housing clips or screws without cracking the plastic
Lifting the old filter out and checking which way it was installed
How to actually judge a dirty filter instead of guessing, and the light test that settles it
Wiping out the leaves, dirt, and debris that collect in the bottom of the housing
Checking for rodent nesting material, which is common on cars that sit
Installing the new filter in the correct orientation with the seal seated all the way around
Closing the housing so every clip latches and the lid does not warp
Why a cabin air filter is a different filter in a different place, and why people confuse the two
Realistic replacement intervals and why dusty or dirt road driving cuts them in half
Whether a dirty air filter really hurts fuel economy on a modern engine
SYMPTOMS YOU MAY NOTICE
Reduced power or sluggish acceleration
Whistling, sucking, or louder than normal intake noise
Rough idle or hesitation if the filter is severely clogged
Visible dirt, leaves, insects, or nesting material in the housing
Black soot on the filter or a filter that no longer lets light through
Check engine light with a lean or mass air flow code after a filter was installed wrong or the lid was left loose
A filter that has never been changed on a car with high mileage
RELATED FAULT CODES
An air filter itself sets no codes, but an unseated filter or a loose air box lid lets unmetered air past the mass air flow sensor and can set P0171 and P0174 system lean, P0101 mass air flow range and performance, and P0507 idle speed higher than expected. Debris that reaches the MAF sensor can also cause the same codes, which is why the housing gets cleaned out in this video.
DOES THIS APPLY TO MY CAR
Recorded on a 2018 Nissan Altima, fifth generation L33, sold 2013-2018 in the US with the facelift covering 2016-2018. It applies to 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Altima models with the 2.5L QR25DE four cylinder and the 3.5L VQ35DE V6. The QR25DE is also found in the Nissan Rogue, Sentra, X-Trail, and Frontier, and the VQ35DE is found in the Nissan Maxima, Murano, Pathfinder, Quest, 350Z, and Infiniti G35, M35, and FX35, so the air box layout will look familiar on those vehicles. The Altima is sold as the Nissan Teana in many markets. Every car uses the same basic air box design, so this also applies to Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevy, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Mazda, Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
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DISCLAIMER: This video and description are provided for educational purposes only. Vehicle repair carries risk of injury and property damage. You are responsible for your own safety and for any work performed on your vehicle.
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