19,335 tests in 2025
Nissan Pulsar reliability and MOT pass rate
73.9% passed first time. The 26.1% fail rate is 3.5 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 9 years old with 61,133 miles.
Pass rate
73.9%
22.6% of all cars failed; 26.1% of these did.
Fixed on the day
3.5%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
61,133 mi
9 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 2 | — |
| 6-9 years | 11,222 | 22.8% |
| 10-13 years | 8,027 | 30.8% |
| 14+ years | 84 | — |
What the Pulsar fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension97 dangerous53.1%
- Brakes932 dangerous28.7%
- Tyres1,170 dangerous23.6%
- Steering56 dangerous16.5%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment3 dangerous14.9%
- Noise, emissions and leaks8.2%
- Visibility5.2%
- Body, chassis, structure18 dangerous4.1%
Is the Pulsar getting worse?
The fail rate rose 9.6 points to 26.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 7.5 points, so it is getting worse faster than age explains.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 21,496 | 6 | 16.5% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 21,418 | 7 | 20.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 18,042 | 8 | 23.9% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 19,333 | 9 | 26.1% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Pulsar at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Pulsar in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn1,255 tests
- 2Coil spring: fractured or broken1,099 tests
- 3Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play748 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick653 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm515 tests
- 6Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction286 tests
- 7Position lamp: not working268 tests
- 8Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn245 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Pulsar collects 2.41 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3,249 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2,706 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,726 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1,687 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure1,653 tests
- 6Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded984 tests
- 7Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn805 tests
- 8Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine750 tests
Questions
What is the Nissan Pulsar MOT pass rate?
73.9% of the 19,335 Nissan Pulsar first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 26.1% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 3.5% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Nissan Pulsar usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn", recorded on 1,255 failed tests, followed by "Coil spring: fractured or broken" and "Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play". By section, suspension appears in 53.1% of failures, brakes appears in 28.7% of failures, tyres appears in 23.6% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 10-13 years it was 30.8%. The median Nissan Pulsar tested in 2025 was 9 years old with 61,133 miles.
Is the Nissan Pulsar getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 9.6 points to 26.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 7.5 points, so it is getting worse faster than age explains.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Pulsar trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 3 safety recalls naming the Nissan Pulsar: Nissan Pulsar recalls.
Other Nissan models
Checking a particular Pulsar?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.