3.5l Nissan Altima Se: How To Replace The Alternator 

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Literally sent all evening trying to do this, got everything except for that pulley and belt tensioner. This car is a pain in the ass to work on

Thank you so much man your video was spot-on not only was it easy to follow I was able to get the exact tools that I needed before the job so no sudden trips to AutoZone. I just wanted to point out two things that I think could help everybody that's about to do this job: 1) after you reinstall the radiator recheck your main alternator electrical connector that's in the front. Even though I triple checked that I snapped it in when I installed the alternator it came undone when trying to jiggle the radiator back into the front of the car. The big hose really bangs around all the electrical connections when you're reinstalling the radiator. So my alternator was only running about 50% and since I was sure that I clipped it in earlier I thought for sure there was something wrong with my alternator. As soon as I clicked it back in all the way alternator worked awesome perfectly at 14.2-4 volts while running . 2) after you reinstall everything and turn on the car when you turn your thermostat to hot and turn on the heater if the fan is only blowing medium but you cool air you need to rev your engine several times. I had to do this in order for the fluids 2 get up to the heater core and start blowing out hot air. I could literally hear the fluids swishing around right behind my radio where the heater core is and that took care of everything . they must have gotten trapped for When I close the hoses at the start of the repair but just revving a few times cleared it in the heater was awesome. especially since I live in the Northeast and it's 15 degrees right now.

Just did this, your vid was a HUGE help. Thank you. For all that wonder why you left the bottom hose on rad, it serves 2 purposes, 1. keeps the remaining coolant from leaking everywhere and 2. give room to handle the end of the alternator when starting bolts. DON'T ASK ME HOW I KNOW. Wish I had at least pulled it off the car for the clearance. OOPS, told on myself.

Thank you for this very detailed and informative video. I had to change out the alternator and the belt tensioner on my 2005 Nissan Altima SE 3.5L, and no doubt about it, I could not have done it without your video. I cannot express how much I appreciate your help and thorough instructions. You saved me a lot of money. Thanks again.

I started a Jeep repair channel and I wish I could streamline it like your channel. All steps and issues covered in detail. Perfect content! Great job!

That is exactly the easiest best way to swap out the alternator. Do much harder pulling A/C compressor & fighting it from side & bottom. Smart!

Excellent excellent video. I work on vehicles a lot and you give great tips tricks and explanations of this entire procedure without extra rambling. It's nice to know what I'm getting into before I start a project and this video is top-notch. Great lighting and video angles. Thank you

This guy has all the right tools, well done sir

@howtoautomotive I just wanted to thank you for making this I had no trouble replacing my alternator!! My emergency brake light and battery light were on and now I have no lights on not even check engine(which had been on forever) thank you and your crew so so so much

you are great at explaining and showing everything exactly as it needs to be done. great video.

This video shows the whole process. That is much appreciate. It really helps to get ready for the process and lets me know what I'm in for. Thanks.

nice job with editing to keep it flowing. Easy to watch and learn. I'm helping my sister doing this job.

Amazing work! I Def need to change mine! 06 Altima 3.5 squealing when I turn it on. Sputters, also the radio on a low volume setting just buzzes. High signals for a new alternator

If you have access to an a/c machine, it's faster and cleaner to take the compresser out and r&r the alternator through the wheel well.

Great video. Thanks for the detail. Nissan engineers have never had to change an alternator. Ridiculously complicated. I can change the alternator on my camry in 15 minutes.

You just saved me so much money, I’m almost done !!!!!

I found it was easier to remove the lower radiator hose when I was under the car. I replaced my radiator and fan assembly about a month ago.

This, by far, is the best video I’ve seen regarding this complicated fix. Thank you, and keep up the good work!

I work for Nissan, and I just remove the ac compressor out of the way with the ac lines still attached to the compressor,lower the front of the sub frame a bit and remove the alternator

That 14mm bolt that is under the alternator was rusted in my case and did not want to come off. We are stuck with that bolt not wanting to turn after it did just a lite bit.

Is it easier to replace the alternator from the bottom rather then the top of the car ?

Excellent how to video. I got mine swapped today. Took me a while but I got it done and saved a stash if cash. Thanks!!!

NIcely done video :) Had trouble getting the lower alternator bolt inserted so what I did was remove the upper bolt (which was loosely tightened) and temporarily replaced it with a thinner bolt and nut also loosely tightened. Then was able to wiggle the alternator around a little more enough to get the lower bolt to slide in. Then put the correct upper bolt in being VERY careful not to cross thread it.

I'm saying a lot of "not so nice words" for the Nissan engineers that designed this setup. But thanks for the nice video.

Yea this is way better than moving the ac compressor out the way thanks

I think u don’t have to take out the radiator just take out the fan but I understand just more room

Great video. Very quick and concise. This is my second time doing this work after my two years and your video really helped refresh my memory.

Best video there is concerning this plain and simple

oh for the days of my Chevy V8. The alternator right on top, three bolts, one belt, one electrical connector. I can turn a wrench, but this one is out of my league.

Yo bud could you do a video for AC compressor replacement from start to finish the same car Nissan Altima 2002-2006 3.5 V6. 95% of the videos out there are for the 2.5 4cyl this video was such a huge help. There are still a ton of the third gen's out there.

Very informative in detail was very helpful I just had to do a job on the alternator and had to finish what 3 different people couldn’t do I get down there and I see that someone stripped the idler pulley so bad that i couldn’t take it off so after 3 people and many screw ups by them made my job even harder to do they wasn’t even able to take it off but the last person told the owner of the Altima that you didn’t have to take the pulley off and I told him that he shouldn’t be offering to work on someone’s car because they didn’t know what the heck they were doing to begin with because you do in-fact have to take it off because otherwise you can’t get the nut in there to other wise let alone a wrench so after them losing the alternator but they went to ace hardware and bought the wrong nut and went to put it on there and destroyed the threading a quarter in and now I have to go to the dealership and hope they have one bolt and nut because auto zone and advance auto doesn’t have it because it’s a specialty item so that I may need to get it straight from a dealership if I can’t find it at a junk yard I Told the owner that he should’ve came to me from the beginning and it would’ve been done in less than 45 and this has taken a week and half and 3 people and many f ups only for me to come and fix and correct what they effed up and made my jibe even harder and the only thing that needed to be done was replace the alternator which only takes literally an hour at the upmost I had to go buy a $30 extractor kit just to be able to get the pulley bolt off so I can put the alternator nut on as there is literally no room to do it otherwise Especially when you got big hands lol….. love the video great detail and was the only one that I could find to show the owner what was actually supposed to be done and done right he swore that I didn’t have to take the pulley off but I told him from the beginning that you have to but the other 3 stooges screwed him over so bad that it has cost him over 450 not including what I’m charging but I told him at least it’ll be done right by me the way it is supposed to be done oh and this is on a 2006 Nissan Altima sl 3.5

Very detailed explanation! I did this a while back on 05 Maxima. All day job be prepared for scrapes! Lol

For better ease of removing and installing the radiator remove both radiator hoses from the radiator. To save time leave the radiator in, and dislodge the ac compressor with the lines connected, then lower the front subframe and extract the alternator.

Man y'all remember the old days you just open the oprn and fix something without taking half the car apart? Course that was back when car companies knew not everybody can afford to take their car to a garage now they don't care

Appreciate it I got my car fixed thanks to you 😅

That's a pain in ass work man!! I love mechanic but I hate doing it!!

You are a fantastic teacher, thanks for all your videos.

Wow, lots of work to gain access on that one. It's a good thing they last 100,000 or more. If I had this car and needed to replace the alternator I would now be educated. :)

How long did the entire job take?

Best video I’ve watched on this job, you Sir are awesome.

I'm kinda curious and annoyed on what they think putting the alternator In a place that's is just so much work and so annoying is a place to get too.

What pliers you using ?

The part the job that set me back some time, was installing the new alternator back on the mount correctly.. a few trys to slide, than the most important part for me, was the top easy bolt, slide the small bolt through the top bracket 1st than into the alternator to lock it down... This step will save people some time if they were doing it backwards.... Than of course, the largest bolt to slide in after lining the alternator up with the holes... I save the time stamp at 11:30 to show the top mount for the top easy bolt so there was not a mix up....

Whoa this car is clean compared to my 05. I struggled to get every bolt and connector off

Well I guess this is my weekend project. Hopefully it'll take me less than five hours since I'm a slow worker but I get things done.

I’m doing this job tomorrow 😩 , do you need the ac Compressor to be connected? , that’s why I’m alternator went

This an amazing video!. I know . all the tricks to do the replacement tomorrow.

Is it the same for an 08 Altima 3.5?

Thank you for the video. What is the name of the tool you used to remove the radiator wire loom hold downs?

The aftee market must be a 14 for the top bolt that tightens away from the engine

How did u take out the serpentine belt u left that part out!

This also applies to Nissan quest

Will this be the same for a 2013 Altima 3.5 v6. ? Anyone thank you in advance

Can you tell me about a high pitched whine noise on that same engine please??

the car fan does not work, any ideas? thank you very much...

Mines don't have the bolt to loosen the tensioner on the top

New battery new alternator same kind of car and I’m getting a brake light and battery light and car did the same thing on me and died any clue what it could be? Fuse bad wiring?

Yeah this is looking like a job for the mechanic lol

Awesome video Brian! Thank you...

Useful videos in this channel. Subscribed! Thanks for taking time and making these videos!

Great video!!! Learned alot!! Thanks pal, you’re the best!!

I'm sure thus2 covers alot more than tge Altima models listed

Why does everyone leave out the part of taking off the lower nut?

2017 is way tighter and the tensioner covers the bolt and you have to discharge thw ac

will this work on a 2010 maxima?

Thanks , that was amazing . I wont be doing my own .

How much do you charge for this job, please let me know. Thanks

Great video, thanks!

Great video

Jesus what a pain in the ass... But if you like puzzles (and cars), it's a fun time! Also, most videos I saw just show the alternator part, not the WHOLE process, which was what I was looking for....thanks!

Do I have to remove the radiator? Or does that just make it easier?

Very Good Video Sir

Could Nissan have made this any more difficult?!?!?!? On the 2.5 it’s EASY!

Thank you so much man

Cant het the pulley off

How much did this job Brian?

Thank you so much!!

All this for a damn alternator wtf

ty good job

I had a 02 SE 5 speed loved that car

no need to remove the fan just unbolt 2 10 mm bolts holding the fans

Another well done job Brian

Chingon gracias

Thank you

I replaced my battery yesterday and today my brake and battery light came on. Everything on Google leads me to believe that it's my alternator. This will be my 2nd replacement in 2 years... that doesn't sound right. 2005 Nissan Altima se-r

Fml looks like I got my job cut out for me

Complex illustrations. Perhaps,you do not need to remove a radiator before you could replace an alternator.

The worse part is putting the long bolt back in...

I figure it was easier to own a Chevy or Cadillac I replaced my alternator in my escalade I am not a machanic and didn't have any of those tools and didn't have to do any of that shit a basic socket set neg off battery de compress a wheel with a socket take the belt off of the compression wheel take three bolt off the alternator plus a neg wire and a quick connect wire pull the alternator out go back the way you came close the hood crank her up done LMFAO

Good video. Not as easy as it looks. Quite frustrated tbh

Would this work on a 2007?

Fml looks like I got my job cut out for me