Parts for your 2012 Nissan Pulsar-Centre bearing

2012 Nissan Pulsar centre-bearing — what you need to know

For the 2012 Nissan Pulsar sold in Australia and New Zealand (B17 sedan and C12 hatch), a centre-bearing isn’t a relevant or fitted component. Technical documentation backs this up: the Nissan factory service manuals for B17/C12 list Front Axle and Transaxle sections only, with no Propeller Shaft or Centre Support Bearing section, and the Nissan FAST electronic parts catalogue for these models shows front drive shafts and CV joints but no centre support bearing part. Independent workshop data sources for the B17/C12 platform also describe a transverse engine, front‑wheel‑drive transaxle layout with no two‑piece propeller shaft.

Why isn’t a centre-bearing used on the 2012 Pulsar? A centre-bearing (often called a centre support bearing) exists to support a long, two‑piece propeller shaft in rear‑wheel‑drive or all‑wheel‑drive vehicles. The 2012 Pulsar is front‑wheel drive, so there’s no tailshaft running to the rear. Instead, it uses a compact transaxle with left and right front drive shafts featuring inner and outer CV joints. Because there’s no long prop shaft, there’s nothing that needs a centre support bearing.

Some front‑wheel‑drive cars use an intermediate (jack) shaft on the right‑hand side with a small carrier bearing mounted to the engine block to help equalise shaft lengths. On Pulsar variants where this intermediate shaft is fitted, that bearing is a carrier or intermediate shaft bearing, not a tailshaft centre-bearing. It serves a different purpose and is documented under the Front Axle/Driveshaft sections rather than any propeller shaft category.

• Drivetrain layout: transverse engine, FWD transaxle — no rear prop shaft to support.
• Service literature: no centre support bearing procedure or parts listing for B17/C12.
• Parts catalogues: only front drive shafts, CV joints, and (where applicable) an intermediate shaft carrier bearing.

If the car’s showing a noise that sounds like a “centre-bearing drone” or a vibration on throttle, it’s worth checking items that commonly mimic those symptoms in a FWD Pulsar:

• Front CV joints and boots (look for split boots, thrown grease, or clicking on full lock).
• Front wheel bearings (growling that changes with road speed and when loading/unloading on corners).
• Engine and transmission mounts (thumps on take‑off, excessive movement, or idle vibration).
• Right‑hand intermediate shaft carrier bearing, if fitted (roughness when spun by hand with the shaft removed, or play at the bracket).
• Tyre condition and balance, and bent wheels (common sources of vibration labelled as “driveline”).

Routine servicing for a 2012 Pulsar shouldn’t list a centre-bearing because it isn’t part of the car. During regular services, technicians typically inspect the front drive shafts, boots, wheel bearings, and mounts, and road test for any vibration or humming that could point to those items rather than a non‑existent centre support bearing.

Popular questions

Does a 2012 Nissan Pulsar have a centre-bearing?
No. The 2012 Pulsar (B17/C12) is front‑wheel drive and doesn’t use a two‑piece tailshaft, so there’s no centre support bearing in the driveline. Official Nissan service manuals and the Nissan parts catalogue for these models don’t list one.

What could cause “centre-bearing‑like” noise on a 2012 Pulsar?
Most commonly: front wheel bearings, worn CV joints, uneven or cupped tyres, or a tired engine/trans mount. On cars with a right‑hand intermediate shaft, the carrier bearing for that shaft can also drone when worn, but it’s different to a tailshaft centre-bearing.

Is there any Pulsar that might use a centre-bearing?
Not in the 2012 AU/NZ B17/C12 range. Centre support bearings are typical of rear‑ or all‑wheel‑drive vehicles with a long, two‑piece prop shaft. The 2012 Pulsar platform doesn’t have that setup.