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Nissan Maxima Engine Air Filter Replacement Guide
How to clean or change the VQ35DE 3.5L V6 engine's air filter element in a 2016, 2017 and 2018 Nissan Maxima.

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2016 Maxima Air Box
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Flip Up Metal Latch
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Release Second Fastener
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the eighth generation (2016, 2017, 2018 and probably also the 2019 and 2020 model years) Nissan Maxima sports sedan in checking, cleaning and changing the engine air filter element for the VQ35DE 3.5 liter V6 motor.

Owners of other Nissan or Infiniti vehicles such as the Versa, Altima, Juke, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Murano, Xterra, Pathfinder, Sentra, Cube, Armada, Leaf, Quest, Frontier, 370Z, GT-R, Titan, Kicks, NV, NV200, G25, G37, M35 and M37 may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

A few compatible replacement filters with their part numbers are as follows: Fram TGA4309, K&N 33-2031-2, ACDelco A975C, PotAuto MAP 6039, Spectre Performance HPR4309, Wix 46116, Nissan 16546-0Z000, Champion CAP4309, AEM 28-20031 and Purolator A24278.

No tools are needed to access and replace the engine air filter.



 
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Lift Off Air Box Cover
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Old Filter Exposed
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Pull Out Old Filter
The first two steps are to open the hood and then move to the right (driver) side of the engine bay.

The black plastic engine air filter housing is located just behind the 12V battery and to the left of the electrical fuse box.

Release the two black metal latches on the front edge of the housing by flipping them up and off the bottom half of the air box.

Lift the top half of the air box off the bottom half to expose the old air filter.

Pull the old filter straight out of the bottom half of the air box.

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Inspect Both Sides
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Clean With Vacuum
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Clean Bottom Air Box
Inspect both sides of the old air filter.

If the old filter is dark grey or black and clogged with dirt, dust, soot, pollen, sand, insects, leaves, twigs, hair and other debris, it should be replaced with a new element.

I recommend buying the Fram TGA4309 engine air filter since it has excellent reviews on Amazon.

If the old filter is relatively clean, just tap out the large debris and remove any fine dust or sand with a vacuum cleaner.

If your vacuum cleaner has a hose with a crevice attachment, clean out the bottom half of the air box.



 

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Install New Air Filter
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Two Slots - Rear Edge
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Lower Air Box Cover
Orientate the new air filter with the rubber gasket facing up towards you and the pleats facing down towards the bottom half of the air box.

Lower the new air filter into the bottom half of the air box.

There are two slots on the rear edge of the bottom half of the air box.

Slide the two tabs on the top half of the air box into their corresponding slots.

Lower the top half of the air box down into place over the new filter.

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Flip Down Metal Latch
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Snap Fasteners In Place
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Engine Filter Replaced
Flip down the two metal latches and snap them into place to secure the two halves of the air box together.

Double check that both halves of the air box are flush together with no gaps or parts of the new filter visible.

Be sure to record the filter change in your car's service records.

Please check out all of my 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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