2018 Nissan Pulsar — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,126 MOT tests, the 2018 Nissan Pulsar recorded a 90.3% pass rate. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (10.4% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.2%) and lighting & signalling (3.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 417 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.3% in the 0-30k band and 24.2% in the 120-150k band, a 18.0-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 9.0% fail against 15.5% for diesel, a 6.5-point gap across 11,126 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.2% | 574 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.1% | 350 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 275 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.9% | 212 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.4% | 153 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 46 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 417 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 244 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 240 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 131 |
| 5 | Washers | 113 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 61 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 22.7% | 2,530 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.6% | 1,513 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.6% | 738 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.5% | 392 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 257 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 232 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 5,760 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 4,272 | 12.1% |
| 60-90k | 884 | 17.4% |
| 90-120k | 172 | 19.8% |
| 120-150k | 33 | 24.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 9,914 | 9.0% |
| Diesel | 1,212 | 15.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,182 | 5.4% |
| 2022 | 2,196 | 7.1% |
| 2023 | 2,210 | 8.9% |
| 2024 | 2,210 | 11.4% |
| 2025 | 2,328 | 15.2% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Pulsar
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.2% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (3.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.5% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2018 Nissan Pulsars pass their MOT?
90.3% of the 11,126 2018 Nissan Pulsar MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Nissan Pulsar?
Tyres, recorded in 5.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.1%).
Does the 2018 Pulsar get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 24.2% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,126 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.