The failure mechanism of PZT 95/5 under direct current and pulsed electric field is studied by experiment and theoretical analysis in this paper. The electrothermal coupled failure is the key mode when the PZT 95/5 is subjected to direct current. But when the pulsed electric field is applied to the PZT 95/5, the resonance effect and the relation between energy and frequency being considered, the vibrant energy shifts to high frequency and the possibility of electromechanical-coupled failure is increased with decreasing pulse duration. When the pulse duration is increased, the failure behavior transfers gradually from mechanical coupled with electric failure to direct current failure mode.