The Nissan Altima tail light utilizes unique bulb sizes 7443, 12961, 2458, 3157, and 1157 depending on the specific version of the vehicle. Data for the various components covers a range from 1993 through 2024.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The 7443 is the most frequently specified bulb across the Nissan Altima tail light data. It is an ANSI-standard dual-filament wedge bulb in the T20 form factor, rated at 12V with a 21W high filament and a 5W low filament, making it suitable for combined stop and tail light functions within a single housing.
The 3157 is an ANSI-standard dual-filament wedge bulb in the T25 form factor, rated at 12V with a 27W high filament and a 7W low filament. Its higher wattage output distinguishes it from the 7443, and the two bulbs are not interchangeable despite both serving dual-filament roles.
The 1157 uses a BAY15d bayonet base rather than a wedge-style base, which sets it apart physically from all other bulb types listed in these specifications. It is rated at 12V, 21W/5W. The bayonet mount requires a socket designed specifically for that base type.
The 168 and 12961 are both T10 miniature wedge bulbs rated at 12V and approximately 5W, intended for low-intensity applications such as the inner tail light position. Although they share the same physical form factor and similar wattage, the 168 is an ANSI-standard designation while the 12961 is a Philips part number referencing a bulb with a W2.1x9.5d base.
For the Nissan Altima outer tail light, the 7443 is specified for the 2014-2020, 2023, and 2024 model years. The 2022 outer tail light uses the 12961 instead, which is a single-filament T10 bulb and not a drop-in substitute for the dual-filament 7443.
The 2019 Altima outer tail light carries a production date qualifier, with the 7443 applying to vehicles produced from September 2018 onward. This indicates a mid-cycle specification change within that model year.
The Altima inner tail light uses different bulb types across the 2019 and 2020 model years. The 2019 inner tail light takes the 12961, while the 2020 inner tail light takes the 168. Both are T10 wedge bulbs with nearly identical wattage, but they carry different designation systems and should be treated as position-specific fitments.
The outer tail light specifications for the Nissan Altima from 1993-1996 call for the 1157, which uses a bayonet base. From 1998-2009, the outer tail light transitions to the 3157, a wedge-base bulb. These two bulb types are mechanically incompatible due to their differing base designs.
No outer tail light specification is listed for the 2010-2013 model years or for 2007-2008 and 2010-2013 within the broader outer tail light data. The 2021 outer tail light also has no entry in these specifications.
The dual-filament design of the 7443, 3157, and 1157 allows a single bulb to serve both the brake light and the running light functions simultaneously, with each filament operating independently at its respective wattage.