U.S. public vehicle records

Nissan PULSAR problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

19 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

Not available median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1983 to 1989 model years. Data updated: 2026-09-30 (September 30, 2026). 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 19 complaints (15.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	2	10.5%
Electrical and battery issues	2	10.5%
Fuel system concerns	2	10.5%
Transmission and shifting	1	5.3%
Steering behavior	1	5.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components

Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	3
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly	2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	2
Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers	1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	1
Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights	1
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump	1
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	1

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 3; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 2; Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

No usable failure mileage is recorded. 19 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

1995: 6; 1996: 3; 1997: 1; 1998: 1; 1999: 2; 2000: 2; 2001: 2; 2002: 2

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 883287 · 2001-03-16 (March 16, 2001)

BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. PRIVATE MECHANIC LOOKED AT VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DETERMINE A REASON FOR FAILURE. CONSUMER DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN SHE REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER AT A STOP LIGHT. BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONAL 2 MONTHS AFTER ACCIDENT, THEN FAILED AGAIN. ERRATIC OPERATION WITH BRAKE FAILURE 3 TIMES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 883287 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 960951 · 1995-03-02 (March 2, 1995)

WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN PEDAL GOES DOWN LOW AND HEARS GRINDING NOISE, HAS REPLACED COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM AND CV JOINT BOOTS.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 960951 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 720261 · 2000-03-17 (March 17, 2000)

WHEN WE WERE WAITING BEFORE A RED LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN, IT BECAME DEAD SUDDENLY. THIS SITUATION HAPPENED FIVE TIMES WITHIN ONE WEEK. FOR THESE FIVE TIMES,WE RESTARTED IT AFTER A WHILE FOR THREE TIMES, JUMPED IT ONE TIME AND THE OTHER TIME WE COULD NOT RESTART IT AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE(WITHOUT TRYING TO JUMP IT) BUT MADE IT THE NEXT DAY. WE HAVE CHANGED THE BATTERY AND SENT IT TO AUTO REPAIR. THE MECHANIAN CHECKED IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM! *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 720261 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 489835 · 1995-04-26 (April 26, 1995)

SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSES AIR CONDITIONING FUSES TO SHORT/BLOW OUT, CAUSING AIR CONDITIONER TO FAIL. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 489835 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 537085 · 1998-06-17 (June 17, 1998)

OWNER NEVER NOTIFIED OF RECALL NOTICE #TS84-083, FOR FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT. IS NISSAN RESPONSIBLE TO REPLACE WITH UPDATED FUEL PUMP?

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 537085 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 981167 · 1996-03-25 (March 25, 1996)

EXPERIENCING FUEL LEAK IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, RECALL THAT RELATES, BUT NOT INLCUDED (87V-191). *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 981167 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 511858 · 1996-11-27 (November 27, 1996)

DEFECT IN 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION, CAUSING IT TO JUMP OUT OF GEAR.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 511858 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 736505 · 2000-11-18 (November 18, 2000)

STEERING JERKS TO LEFT WHEN IN MIDDLE OFF ON LEFT CURVE OR HITTING A BUMP. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 736505 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

From yearThrough year

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1983: 1; 1984: 2; 1985: 0; 1986: 0; 1987: 1; 1988: 1; 1989: 0

First model yearSecond model year

Year-by-year records

Nissan PULSAR model-year comparison
Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Change in recalls
1983	1	1	Not available
1984	1	2	+1
1985	2	0	-2
1986	2	0	0
1987	3	1	+1
1988	6	1	0
1989	4	0	-1

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

19 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.

0.0%Usable mileage0 / 19 records

57.9%Valid incident date11 / 19 records

100.0%Valid filing date19 / 19 records

57.9%Ordered incident and filing dates11 / 19 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 814194 WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE THERMOSTAT NEEDLE HAND WENT COMPLETELY UP. THEN STATED THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING AND THEY PULLED OVER. CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD AND A FIRE BROKE OUT, CAUSING INJURIES TO HER BACK AND HAIR, CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CAR WAS TOTALLY DAMAGED. *AK Look up ODI 814194 at NHTSA ↗	233.3% ODI 706286 AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT I WAS UNAWARE OF ANYONE WHOME COULD HELP ME. I HAVE PAPERS PROVING THAT IN 1988 NISSAN PULSARS , AFTER 30,000 MILES, PLATINUM PARKS PLUGS ARE TO BE USED DURING A TUNE UP. IN THE BOSH MANUAL FOR SPARK PLUGS IT STATES THAT THIS IS UNNECCESARY. NISSAN AGREES THAT IS IS, HOWEVER, FAILES TO DO ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH BOSH. BOSH ALSO REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. OR TO CHANGE THEIR MANUAL. THE DAMAGE DONE TO MY VEHICLE DUE TO NON PLATINUM SPARK PLUGS BEING USED WAS FOR MY COILS TO BURN UP. … Look up ODI 706286 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 881550 WHEN PUMPING GAS IN TANK GAS LEAKS OUT FROM UNDER CAR WHEN ALMOST FULL. GAS BURNS FAST. *AK Look up ODI 881550 at NHTSA ↗	116.7% ODI 981167 EXPERIENCING FUEL LEAK IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, RECALL THAT RELATES, BUT NOT INLCUDED (87V-191). *AK Look up ODI 981167 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	116.7% ODI 883287 BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. PRIVATE MECHANIC LOOKED AT VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DETERMINE A REASON FOR FAILURE. CONSUMER DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN SHE REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER AT A STOP LIGHT. BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONAL 2 MONTHS AFTER ACCIDENT, THEN FAILED AGAIN. ERRATIC OPERATION WITH BRAKE FAILURE 3 TIMES. *AK Look up ODI 883287 at NHTSA ↗	125.0% ODI 960951 WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN PEDAL GOES DOWN LOW AND HEARS GRINDING NOISE, HAS REPLACED COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM AND CV JOINT BOOTS. Look up ODI 960951 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	125.0% ODI 489835 SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSES AIR CONDITIONING FUSES TO SHORT/BLOW OUT, CAUSING AIR CONDITIONER TO FAIL. *SKD Look up ODI 489835 at NHTSA ↗
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	116.7% ODI 503535 RIGHT AXLE FAILED. Look up ODI 503535 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	125.0% ODI 761669 I WAS FAILED DUE TO A SMALL CRACK IN THE TAIL LIGHT COVER. UNFORTUNATELY THE COVER IS PART OF A LARGE PANEL THAT WRAPS AROUND THE SIDE. THE PART COSTS $140 TO REPLACE. WHEN THE LIGHTS GO ON YOU CAN TELL NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CRACKED ONE AND THE GOOD ONE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. NO WATER GETS IN AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SAFETY ISSUES WITH IT. I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO SPEND $140 TO FIX THIS WHEN THERE IS NO REAL NEED TO. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO GET MY CAR A STICKER? Look up ODI 761669 at NHTSA ↗
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 537085 OWNER NEVER NOTIFIED OF RECALL NOTICE #TS84-083, FOR FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT. IS NISSAN RESPONSIBLE TO REPLACE WITH UPDATED FUEL PUMP? Look up ODI 537085 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	116.7% ODI 705810 FUEL INJECTORS LEAK SIMILARLY TO 300ZX,200SX,AND MAXIMA THAT WERE VOLUNTARILY REPAIRED BY NISSAN. THERE IS A GREAT FIRE DANGER AND MILEAGE AND DRIVABILITY PROBLEM. NISSAN REFUSES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, STATING THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF A DEFECT IN THE INJECTORS OF THE '88 PULSAR WITH MULTI-PORT INJECTION EVENTHOUGH IT IS THE SAME MANUFACTURER AS THE REPLACED '88 300 ET AL, AND HAS THE SAME EXACT SAFETY PROBLEM. *AK Look up ODI 705810 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
No usable records for this analysis.

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

1988: 0 complaints · 1989: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
1988	0	0	0
1989	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
1988	4	2	0
1989	2	2	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly	Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights	Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump	Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	—	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly	0	—	0	0	0	0	0	0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers	0	0	0	—	0	0	0	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	0	0	0	0	—	0	0	0
Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights	0	0	0	0	0	—	0	0
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump	0	0	0	0	0	0	—	0
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

3 patterns with matching reports.

Brake response concerns

2 mentions · 10.5% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 883287

Look up ODI 883287 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 960951

WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN PEDAL GOES DOWN LOW AND HEARS GRINDING NOISE, HAS REPLACED COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM AND CV JOINT BOOTS.

Look up ODI 960951 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

Fuel smell or leak mentions

2 mentions · 10.5% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 881550

WHEN PUMPING GAS IN TANK GAS LEAKS OUT FROM UNDER CAR WHEN ALMOST FULL. GAS BURNS FAST. *AK

Look up ODI 881550 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 981167

EXPERIENCING FUEL LEAK IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, RECALL THAT RELATES, BUT NOT INLCUDED (87V-191). *AK

Look up ODI 981167 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(fuel leak\w*|gas leak\w*|gas(?:oline)? smell|smell\w* (?:of )?(?:fuel|gas))\b

Hard or delayed shifting

1 mentions · 5.3% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 736505

STEERING JERKS TO LEFT WHEN IN MIDDLE OFF ON LEFT CURVE OR HITTING A BUMP. *AK

Look up ODI 736505 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule