# Cabin Air Filter on 2006 Nissan Altima 3.5SL **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** nissan, altima\ **Created:** [May 6, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612 "2021-05-06T21:31:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PikonAko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@PikonAko](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PikonAko)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/1 "2021-05-06T21:31:58Z")
Hi Guys, On 2006 Nissan Altima 3.5SL should the ARROW on the Cabin Air Filter be POINTING UP or POINTING DOWN. I’m getting a lot of different opinions/answers. Thanks, PikonAko ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/2 "2021-05-06T21:38:02Z")
Down. That’s the direction of the air flow. Tester ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2021, 9:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/3 "2021-05-06T21:57:37Z")
Your owners manual says the filter has an ‘UP’ next to the arrow, so the arrow should point up. Is there an ‘UP’ on the filter? See pages 8-23 and 8-24. [2006 Altima Owner’s Manual (nissanusa.com)](https://www.nissanusa.com/pdf/techpubs/altima/2006/2006-Nissan-Altima.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2021, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/4 "2021-05-06T22:11:36Z")
Which side of the old filter was dirtier? ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/5 "2021-05-06T22:47:59Z")
> [@texases](#): > > Your owners manual says the filter has an ‘UP’ next to the arrow, Kinda confusing having an arrow and up on it. Normally the arrow on filters means the air flow-not this time though. Page 239, 8-23 for quick reference. One thing though, I always look at the way the old one is first and just copy. ---
**Author:** ![PikonAko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@PikonAko](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PikonAko)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/6 "2021-05-06T23:05:12Z")
Thank You texases, I need to download a copy of the 2006 Nissan Altima 3.5SL owner’s manual. 🙂 PikonAko ---
**Author:** ![PikonAko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@PikonAko](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PikonAko)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 12:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/7 "2021-05-07T00:25:40Z")
Texases, Thank You So Very Much. I finally have the right answer Thanks to you and thanks for the owner’s manual. /r, PikonAko 🙂 👍 ---
**Author:** ![PikonAko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@PikonAko](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PikonAko)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 12:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/8 "2021-05-07T00:37:13Z")
Thanks for the reply Tester. Special Thanks to Teaxases for sending me a copy of the owner’s manual and it did shows the arrow pointing up (Page 239, 8-23). Even the mechanics at nissan are saying arrow should be pointing down 😃 Appreciate all the replies folks 👍, PikonAko ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 12:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/9 "2021-05-07T00:57:32Z")
Nissan’s the odd-ball. I worked for a major filter manufacturer. And an air filter without an arrow meant it could be installed either way. An air filter with an arrow meant that the air filter had to be installed with the arrow pointing in the direction of air flow. So, if its not an OEM cabin filter, there may just be an arrow with no wording. Which makes it more confusing. Tester ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 1:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/10 "2021-05-07T01:57:58Z")
Yeah I just looked at my Acura cabin filter I have on the shelf waiting to put in and it just has the arrow along with “air flow”. So the arrow indicates direction of flow. Very confusing to have “up” and the arrow the opposite of flow. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 2:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/11 "2021-05-07T02:21:38Z")
Toyota cabin filters have an “UP” arrow, all of the aftermarket filters I see are marked with an arrow and “air flow”, those are always installed in the wrong direction. People understand “up” but not the direction of air flow. ---
**Author:** ![PikonAko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@PikonAko](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PikonAko)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 2:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/12 "2021-05-07T02:33:09Z")
It sure does - Thanks Tester /r, Pikonako ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 2:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/13 "2021-05-07T02:59:02Z")
All they need to do is mold an arrow on the cover, with a matching one on the filter, showing the direction of airflow. Too simple, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 3:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/14 "2021-05-07T03:05:43Z")
The Toyota cabin air filter covers are marked with an “up” arrow so it gets installed correctly. “Up” and “forward” arrows are the standard for many parts. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/15 "2021-05-07T03:11:47Z")
This is what a Nissan cabin air filter looks like, the arrow is next to the words “air flow”. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/5/053f63b61230ec7f53294f62221a8f231391c805.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/16 "2021-05-07T12:33:12Z")
Does it matter? On $3 filters. I know they collect dust. And acorns. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 6:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/17 "2021-05-07T18:36:24Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > Does it matter? On $3 filters. I know they collect dust. And acorns. My Acura cabin filter is north of $20. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cabin-air-filter-on-2006-nissan-altima-3-5sl/176612/18 "2021-05-07T18:48:53Z")
Yes my filter is $20 at store. Cheapest amazon is $14. Rock auto is $3 or $10 or $20. They have uncoated paper or carbon infused or hypoallergenic or hepa and so on.