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Lift the Altima using a jack until it is high enough to fit a set of jack stands under. Rest the car on the jack stands.

Locate the downstream oxygen sensor threaded into the exhaust pipe, approximately halfway down the car, below the center console area. Press the tab on the electrical connection while you pull the connectors apart to disconnect it.

Remove the sensor with a wrench or ratchet fitted with an oxygen sensor socket. Coat the new sensors threads with anti-seize compound, then hand-thread the sensor into the pipe.

Push the electrical connection together until it clicks. Remove the jack stands by lifting the car slightly with the jack. Lower the Altima to the ground.

Turn the key in the Altimas ignition to see if the instrument panel will turn on. If the instrument panel does turn on, check over the fuel level in the gas tank. If you dont have enough fuel to start the Altima fill it up. If the instrument panel does not come on, you have a problem with your battery.

Open the hood from the hood latch on the grill. Open the hood and then locate the battery next to the engine block. Check over the connections from the battery cables to the battery terminals on the battery. Make sure that the connections are tight so the electricity can flow to the car. Use channel locks to tighten the connections.

Test the battery if the car will not restart after the connections have been tightened. Use a voltmeter to test the 12-volt battery. If you are getting a reading below 11 volts, use a battery charger to charge the battery.

Connect the positive and negative leads from the battery charger to the battery. Plug the battery charger into an electrical outlet and allow the charger to charge your battery overnight. Try to start the car the next morning. If the car wont start, have the battery replaced.

Look over the cooling system if your Altima is overheating. The cooling system is on the left side of the engine block. A small tank holds the coolant. Check the coolant tank to make sure there is enough coolant in the system. Pour 50/50 coolant into the tank until it has reached the fill line to eliminate overheating.

Raise the front of your Maxima with a jack and a set of jack stands under the front suspension. Lower the jack, allowing the car to rest on the stands, and then remove the jack.

Crawl under the car. Locate the catalytic converter underneath the center of the car. Four bolts attach the heat shield to the bottom of the catalytic converter case. Remove the bolts with a socket and ratchet then removed the heat shield from the converter body.

Locate the flanges at each end of the catalytic converter and remove the bolts on both ends with a wrench. Pull the converter out from between the two exhaust pipe sections and discard it.

Lift a new converter into place and insert a new gasket between the exhaust flange and the converter flange on both ends. Install two mounting bolts on each end then tighten them with a socket and ratchet.

Install the heat shield using four mounting bolts and tighten them with a socket and ratchet. Raise the car off of the jack stands with your jack, and then remove the stands from under the car.

Lower the car to the ground and remove the jack from under the front on the car.

Climb into the back seat of your Altima and locate the third brake light housing on the rear package deck. Grasp the edges of the third brake light assembly and push it toward the rear of the car using light, even pressure. Do not push so hard that you break the glass.

Lift up on the housing, removing it from the rear deck. There are wires under the housing so do not pull it to far out or you will damage the wiring.

Turn the housing so you can access the bulbs and pull them straight out of the sockets. Install new 21 bulbs.

Position the light housing, pushing it slightly forward and down and slide it back. The housing will lock in place.

Turn off the Altimas engine and allow the exhaust to cool for one to two hours; working on the exhaust too soon could cause serious burns.

Raise the rear of the vehicle with a jack and lower it down onto jack stands. Check to make sure that the car is stable before moving on to the next step.

Slide underneath the rear of the car on a mechanics creeper with a slip-joint pliers and a hammer. Grip the exhaust tip with a large, slip-joint pliers on the bare, uncoated portion of the tip just in front of the muffler. Wiggle the tip back and forth while pulling it away from the muffler until its free. If the tip is extra stubborn, tap it with a hammer while wiggling it with the pliers; the shock from the hammer blow will often dislodge it from its initial position and break some of the corrosion so you can remove it easier. Remove the second exhaust tip off of the muffler in the same manner.

Position the new exhaust tip on the muffler. For factory-style exhaust tips, drive the tip into position with the same block of wood and hammer until its fully-seated, then reinstall the second exhaust tip using the same technique. For aftermarket exhaust tips, set them into position and then gently drive the tips into place with the block of wood and hammer. Tighten the set screws or exhaust clamps with a ratchet and metric socket.

Check the tips to make sure that they are securely fastened to the muffler. Stand back from the vehicle to make sure that the exhaust tips are even. If the tips are slightly uneven or crooked, make small adjustments by tapping them with the block of wood and hammer, and then re-checking the exhaust clamps or set screws for tightness, if equipped.