Nissan Pulsar common problems by mileage
What UK MOT testers flag on the Nissan Pulsar at each age and mileage, compared with all cars.
In 21,411 UK MOT tests of the Nissan Pulsar in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is ball joint (ball joint excessively worn): recorded on 8.6% of tests of 2015–2017 cars at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km), 8.6× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: rigid brake pipes (corroded, covered in grease or other material) (7.6×); track rod end (ball joint has excessive play) (6.4×); ball joint (ball joint has slight play) (6.8×). The most common reasons a Nissan Pulsar fails its MOT are ball joint (ball joint excessively worn); coil spring (fractured or broken); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick).
Last updated: · Source: DVSA anonymised MOT data 2023
What stands out on the Nissan Pulsar
Parts that MOT testers flag clearly more often on the Nissan Pulsar than on all cars of the same age at the same mileage (at least 1.5× the rate and 3% of tests).
| Issue | Type | First used | Mileage | Share of tests | All cars this age | Ratio | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn | MOT fail | 2015–2017 | 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 8.6% | 1% | 8.6× | 3,663 |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material | Advisory | 2017–2019 | 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 3.8% | 0.5% | 7.6× | 558 |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | MOT fail | 2015–2017 | 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) | 5.1% | 0.8% | 6.4× | 1,406 |
| Ball joint: ball joint has slight play | Advisory | 2015–2017 | 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) | 8.8% | 1.3% | 6.8× | 513 |
| Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Advisory | 2017–2019 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 3% | 1% | 3× | 2,758 |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | MOT fail | 2015–2017 | 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 5.9% | 2.1% | 2.8× | 3,663 |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | MOT fail | 2014–2016 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 3.7% | 1.9% | 1.9× | 5,105 |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Advisory | 2013–2015 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 16% | 8% | 2× | 2,900 |
Nissan Pulsar by mileage (2015–2017 cars)
The most-tested first-use years. For each mileage band: how many MOT tests, the most common item, and the item that stands out most against other cars.
| Mileage | Tests | Most common | Stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 997 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (7.8%) | Brake pads: wearing thin (3.3%, 1.7×) |
| 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 5,103 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (14%) | Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (4.3%, 2×) |
| 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 6,046 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (18%) | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn (4.1%, 5.9×) |
| 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 3,663 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (20%) | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn (8.6%, 8.6×) |
| 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) | 1,406 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (23%) | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn (11%, 8.8×) |
| 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) | 513 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (21%) | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn (11%, 8.7×) |
Nissan Pulsar by first-use year
| First used | Tests | Biggest stand-out issue |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,335 | Ball joint: ball joint has slight play at 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) (6.6×) |
| 2015 | 7,599 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) (7.5×) |
| 2016 | 6,226 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (8.8×) |
| 2017 | 4,151 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (8.7×) |
| 2018 | 2,023 | Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) (7.6×) |
How these numbers are made
From the DVSA anonymised MOT data for 2023: every normal MOT test of a car in Great Britain, with its mileage and every advisory and failure item. For each first-use year (pooled with the years either side) and 20,000-mile band we count the share of tests where a part was recorded, and compare it with the same share for every car of that age at that mileage. A cell is shown only with 300 or more tests. Advisories are tester notes, not failures. Figures describe UK-market cars; engines and equipment can differ in other countries.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA anonymised MOT data, 2023).
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the Nissan Pulsar?
In 21,411 UK MOT tests of the Nissan Pulsar in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is ball joint (ball joint excessively worn): recorded on 8.6% of tests of 2015–2017 cars at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km), 8.6× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: rigid brake pipes (corroded, covered in grease or other material) (7.6×); track rod end (ball joint has excessive play) (6.4×); ball joint (ball joint has slight play) (6.8×). The most common reasons a Nissan Pulsar fails its MOT are ball joint (ball joint excessively worn); coil spring (fractured or broken); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick).
Why do Nissan Pulsars fail the MOT?
Across 21,411 MOT tests in 2023, the most common failure items on the Nissan Pulsar were ball joint (ball joint excessively worn) (7.4% of tests); coil spring (fractured or broken) (5.5% of tests); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) (3.1% of tests).
At what mileage do Nissan Pulsar problems start?
The clearest Nissan Pulsar-specific issue, ball joint (ball joint excessively worn), peaks against other cars at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) on 2015–2017 cars (8.6% of tests vs 1% for all cars that age).
Where does this Nissan Pulsar data come from?
From the UK government's anonymised MOT test data (DVSA, 2023, Open Government Licence v3.0): 21,411 tests of the Nissan Pulsar. VinSnap shows the same numbers for your own car's age and mileage in the app.