NissanPulsar NX1988Overview/nissan/pulsar-nx/1988/base/

1988 Nissan Pulsar NX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1988 Pulsar NX.

The 1988 Nissan Pulsar NX carries a 3.5-quart engine oil fill specification using 20W-40, 20W-50, or 5W-30 viscosity grades, establishing a precise maintenance baseline for this model year. Recorded reliability data reflects a contained issue set of just eight total owner complaints and one recall, with Engine & Engine Cooling standing as the most frequently cited concern area. That pattern—minimal overall volume but a definitive concentration in engine and cooling systems—means researchers should prioritize those assemblies when assessing this model year’s long-term durability record.

Model year19901989198819871986198519841983

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length166.5 in
Overall width66.1 in
Overall height51.2 in
Wheelbase95.7 in
Curb weight2388 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.5 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40
Engine Oil Capacity3.5 qt
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40
Engine Oil Capacity3.5 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1988 Nissan Pulsar NX dominate in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 3 of 8 reports (38%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the engine & engine cooling, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
3
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
8
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 8 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling3
Fuel System, Gasoline2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Steering1
Suspension1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

87V191000Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank AssemblyReported 18/12/1987

THE SOLDERED JOINT WHERE INLET PIPE ATTACHES TO THE FUEL TANK MAY BE CRACKED. Remedy: REPLACE FUEL TANK IF THERE IS SEEPAGE OR CRACK.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB-09-1012010-09-30TiresNISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR…
NTB-09-1292010-09-13EquipmentNISSAN: VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT. WHEN REPLACING THE EVAP CANISTER VENT CONTROL…
NTB-09-0302009-04-06Electrical SystemNISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Pulsar NX. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1988 Pulsar NX take?

3.5 qt of ABOVE 50 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30 OR 10W-30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30 OR 10W-40, per the factory manual.

Does the 1988 Pulsar NX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.