RoadVitals

1988 Nissan Pulsar Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
6
Latest Mar 16, 2001
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
5
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Nissan Pulsar, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Engine337.5%
  • Fuel system225.0%
  • Brakes112.5%
  • Steering112.5%
  • Suspension112.5%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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

NHTSA ID 720261 · filed Mar 17, 2000

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. DURING THIS SAME TIME IT WAS FOUND THAT MY VALVES WERE ALL BENT. THE TOTAL BILL WAS 2,000 DOLLARS, HOWEVER, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WAS DUE TO THE SPARK PLUGS. I WAS WARN OUT IN PURSUEING THIS BY DISAPPEARING EMPLOYEES AND PHONE NUMBERS SUDDENLY DISCONNECTED WHENEVER A SOLUTION WAS NEAR. DURING THIS TIME I WAS UNDER FINANCIAL STRAIN AND WAS UNABLE TO TRAVEL TO INDIANA SMALL CLAIMS TO PURSUE THE ISSUE. HAVE YOU HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE?

NHTSA ID 706286 · filed May 6, 1999

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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

NHTSA ID 705810 · filed Apr 20, 1999

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

NHTSA ID 981167 · filed Mar 25, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

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

NHTSA ID 883287 · filed Mar 16, 2001

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

CRACKED HEAD GASKET, CAUSING OIL LEAK.

NHTSA ID 503535 · filed Apr 15, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

CRACKED HEAD GASKET, CAUSING OIL LEAK.

NHTSA ID 503535 · filed Apr 15, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .