Nissan Pulsar
From 32,017 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Pulsars fare better: 2018 models pass at 86.5% vs 72.2% for 2014.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play and a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 1,712 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 1,712 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 830 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 811 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 776 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 711 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 468 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 323 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 314 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 312 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 267 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 16.5% of Pulsar failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 66.8% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £155.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 81.1% while Diesel versions pass at 72.6%, a 9 percentage point gap.
Nissan Pulsar on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 235 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 3 newly registered, a net loss of 232. At this rate, roughly 87.4 years until none remain.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 19,953 | 334 | +0 | -45 | -45 |
| 2025 Q2 | 20,017 | 315 | +0 | -89 | -89 |
| 2025 Q1 | 20,103 | 318 | +0 | -56 | -56 |
| 2024 Q4 | 20,182 | 295 | +3 | -45 | -42 |
| 2024 Q3 | 20,265 | 254 | +1 | -44 | -43 |
| 2024 Q2 | 20,318 | 244 | +0 | -73 | -73 |
| 2024 Q1 | 20,417 | 218 | +1 | -64 | -63 |
| 2023 Q4 | 20,499 | 199 | +3 | -16 | -13 |
15 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulsar N-Connecta Dig-T | Petrol | 3,244 | 16% |
| Pulsar Tekna Dig-T | Petrol | 2,463 | 12% |
| Pulsar N-Tec Dig-T | Petrol | 2,207 | 11% |
| Pulsar Tekna Dci | Diesel | 1,874 | 9% |
| Pulsar N-Tec Dci | Diesel | 1,816 | 9% |
| Pulsar Acenta Dig-T | Petrol | 1,622 | 8% |
| Pulsar Tekna Dig-T Cvt | Petrol | 1,339 | 7% |
| Pulsar N-Connecta Dci | Diesel | 1,032 | 5% |
| Pulsar Acenta Dci | Diesel | 985 | 5% |
| Pulsar N-Tec Dig-T Cvt | Petrol | 943 | 5% |
| Pulsar N-Connecta Dig-T Cvt | Petrol | 734 | 4% |
| Pulsar Visia Dig-T | Petrol | 562 | 3% |
| Pulsar Acenta Dig-T Cvt | Petrol | 458 | 2% |
| Pulsar Visia Dci | Diesel | 368 | 2% |
| Pulsar N-Connecta Style Dig-T | Petrol | 259 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 86.5% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2017 | 82.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 79.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2015 | 75.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
1 earlier years
| 2014 | 72.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
Typical mileage
Half of all Pulsars tested had between 35,767 and 58,519 miles on the clock.
At 45,733 median miles, the Pulsar has 0.047 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Nissan models
| Nissan Qashqai | 76.1% |
| Nissan Juke | 75.3% |
| Nissan Micra | 71.2% |
| Nissan Note | 70.9% |
| Nissan Navara | 77% |
Common questions
What is the Nissan Pulsar MOT pass rate?
The Nissan Pulsar has a 78.6% MOT pass rate based on 32,017 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Nissan Pulsar?
The most common MOT failure on the Nissan Pulsar is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 1,712 failures. Other common issues include a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play.
How many Nissan Pulsars are on UK roads?
There are 19,953 Nissan Pulsars currently licensed on UK roads, with 334 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Nissan Pulsar at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Nissan Pulsar is 45,733 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 35,767 and 58,519 miles.
Buying a used Pulsar?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 78.6% pass rate and an average repair bill of £155 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.