I took a part my used Maxima to find no air filter clip (the tiny metal thing that all the how to are saying should be there)...

Is it safe to not use it?

 

Of course it's safe, it's a luxury. Buy a new holder.

 

If it stays put I don't care ><

The filter was gross (I found 4 dead bugs and so much other crap)

 

Yeah, I neglected to change mine for sometime, so I guess it be a little grody in the cab if you removed it. Looking on Courtesy, it's hard to find the actual part on the exploded diagram though. I may have found it, but not sure since it's actually cheaper than the filer itself (38.xx, vs 44.xx)

 

Okay I am putting car back together without the metal clip...

 

Some brands of filters come with a new clip. As long as you have a way to hold it in, it is not a big deal.

 

STP filters from Autozone come with the clip.

 

no clip and I think so far so good