I did one on my Wife's 2011 Nissan Quest with the same engine as the Pathfinder.
Original one lasted around 130k miles, so can't really complain.
The one on the Quest wasn't great, but I think I got it done in about 4-5 hours.
Had to pull the lower bumper splash shield, and the passenger fender liner.
Then I unbolted the ac compressor and let it drop down (was able to leave all the refrigerant hoses connected so that was a plus).
The upper bolt was a pain to get to, probably the worst part of the job!
With it unbolted there was just barely room to get it out through the wheel well. If you had it positioned just right it would slip through the opening between the subframe and the frame rail.
Our 17 has 205,000km so far. Has been great. Have gone through 4 sets of rear brakes, maybe 2 front but it might only be one, had to recently replace the alternator.
Nissan use to be good
The alternator quit on my 2020 Nissan Sentra, and there were NO aftermarket options for it. The dealership wanted $900, JUST for the alternator, so I can actually believe their price.
The voltage regulator on the alternator is bad.
Mazda's DO NOT like aftermarket alternator. Most don't work out of the box. You need to get a genuine Mazda alternator.
And assuming that the alternator is the issue, hope you get an oem good part or a used one, on nissan altimas/maxima Remans are bad.
My 2017 Mazda 3 touring felt like it was cursed. I had the direct high pressure fuel pump injector go out like 1.5 years after purchase. About 2k for just that repair. Thought that was the end of it until the following year where there was a persistent evap problem that nobody could find, despite clearing the code it wouldn’t pass smog. One smoke test and several hundred dollars in appointments later they found the smallest leak from one of the hoses, replaced it and passed smog. Then the check engine light saga started, at first we thought it was the battery/alrernator until after replacing both it kept happening. Turns out that was the start of my catalytic going out(76k miles exactly). Idk if it’s Stockholm syndrome but i did trade it in for a new Mazda. Hoping the curse has been lifted.
I've gone through 3 Nissan Value Advantage Alternators (through the Infiniti dealership - warranty) for my Q. All Infiniti offers for my year (2015) are Remanufactured Alternators. I'm tired of Remans.
I bought a remanufactured alternator from Autozone and it did not work. I then bought an amazon alternator. It went out 2 weeks later. I then bought the OEM Nissan alternator. I've not had a problem since (6 months)
Write your review
Help others - share your experience with this part.
Voted AGAINST engine oil RAVENOL on the rating page
The brake pads OEM Alfa Romeo got the first review!
The brake caliper OEM BMW got the first review!
The brake pads OEM Infiniti got the first review!
For wiper blades PIAA already 100 reviews.
For battery Energizer already 25 reviews.
In the rating best water pump already 12 brands participate!
In the rating best timing belt already 13 brands participate!
In the rating best head gasket already 3 brands participate!
In the auto rating oil filter for Volkswagen Passat already 5 brands participate!
In the auto rating brake pads for Mazda 5 already 10 brands participate!
In the auto rating tires for Subaru Outback already 50 brands participate!
For cabin filter Fram already 25 reviews.
Voted AGAINST engine oil RED LINE on the rating page
Voted AGAINST engine oil PENNZOIL on the rating page
If choosing alternator across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare alternator across these categories:
In March 2026 on PartReview, alternator OEM Nissan were overall better than OEM Mazda.
In March 2026 on PartReview, alternator OEM Nissan were overall more popular than OEM Mazda.
By vote balance, alternator OEM Nissan surpassed OEM Mazda:
By number of reviews, alternator OEM Nissan surpassed OEM Mazda:
In March 2026, according to PartReview, alternator OEM Nissan led more car-specific ratings than OEM Mazda:
OEM Nissan are chosen by owners of cars such as: Nissan Maxima, and others.
Alternator OEM Mazda have not yet taken leading positions in car-specific ratings. You can help by adding a review and specifying your car.
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of alternator OEM Mazda with: Denso, Bosch, Duralast, OEM Toyota, VALEO, OEM Honda, OEM Volkswagen, AC DELCO, OEM FORD, OEM Audi.
Also available: comparisons of alternator OEM Nissan with: Denso, Bosch, Duralast, OEM Toyota, VALEO, OEM Honda, OEM Volkswagen, AC DELCO, OEM FORD, OEM Audi.
You can also see who is better among other alternator manufacturers: Bosch or Denso, Denso or Duralast, OEM Toyota or Denso, Bosch or Duralast, Denso or VALEO.
