Parts for your 2017 Nissan Pulsar-Gas struts

2017 Nissan Pulsar gas struts — what’s fitted and what isn’t

For the 2017 Nissan Pulsar sold in Australia and New Zealand (B17 series sedan), gas struts aren’t used on the bonnet or the boot from factory. The model uses a simple stay rod to hold the bonnet up, and a torsion bar/hinge setup to counterbalance the boot lid. This layout is confirmed in Nissan’s B17 Series Service Manual (Body – BL section: “Hood” specifies a support rod, “Trunk Lid” specifies torsion bars) and by the Nissan Electronic Parts Catalogue for B17, which lists no lift-support struts for either bonnet or boot.

Why didn’t Nissan fit gas struts here? It comes down to cost, packaging, weight, and service simplicity on an affordable small sedan. Torsion bars and a stay rod are robust, light, and inexpensive, with fewer wear items than gas-charged lift supports. On a sedan boot, the hinge geometry works well with torsion bars to provide a predictable opening action without the need for pressurised struts. For the bonnet, a stay rod avoids extra brackets and load paths that gas struts would require in the inner guards.

What does that mean for servicing? There are no gas struts to replace on a stock 2017 Pulsar sedan. Instead, focus on:

• Bonnet stay rod and clip: make sure the clip holds the rod firmly and the rod isn’t bent.
• Boot torsion bars: check for proper tension, corrosion, and that the boot opens and stays up smoothly.
• Hinges and latches: clean and lubricate pivot points and latch/striker, and adjust if the boot or bonnet sits proud.
• Seals: inspect weatherstrips for compression set and replace if water ingress is noted.

Got a Pulsar hatch? Earlier C12 Pulsar hatchbacks use gas-charged lift supports on the rear hatch. Those aren’t typical for 2017 in AU/NZ, as the hatch was largely discontinued by then, but if you do have a hatch with tired struts (hatch dropping, slow lift, or needing a hand to hold), replacement is straightforward: support the hatch safely, swap ball-joint clips, and fit matched left/right struts.

Technical sources: Nissan Pulsar/Sentra B17 Series Service Manual (2013–2017), BL – Body section (“Hood” and “Trunk Lid” procedures), Nissan Electronic Parts Catalogue (B17 body groups) showing support rod and torsion bars, with no gas lift supports listed.

• Does a 2017 Nissan Pulsar have gas struts on the bonnet or boot?
  No. The B17 sedan uses a bonnet stay rod and boot torsion bars, not gas-charged struts. That’s how Nissan engineered the model for our market.
• Can gas struts be retrofitted to the bonnet or boot on a 2017 Pulsar?
  It’s possible as a custom modification, but it needs purpose-made brackets and the correct force rating. Poorly chosen or fitted struts can warp panels or stress hinges, so most owners stick with the factory setup.
• My Pulsar hatch has weak lift supports — are they the same as the sedan?
  Different story. Hatchbacks use gas struts on the rear hatch. If the hatch sags or won’t hold up, replace the pair with like-for-like struts matched to the hatch variant.