2018 Nissan KICKS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
84 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
6,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 31 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 26 of 84 complaints (31.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 22 | 26.2% |
| Engine operation | 12 | 14.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 9.5% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 3.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 2.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 26 |
| Electrical System | 23 |
| Engine | 21 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | 16 |
| Service Brakes | 14 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 12 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 8 |
| Power Train | 8 |
Unknown Or Other: 26; Electrical System: 23; Engine: 21; Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings: 16; Service Brakes: 14; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 12; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 8; Power Train: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 26 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 26; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (26). 53 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 19 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2026 | 9 |
2018: 3; 2019: 19; 2020: 8; 2021: 8; 2022: 12; 2023: 9; 2024: 5; 2025: 11; 2026: 9
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 12 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 8 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11123848 · 2018-08-31 (August 31, 2018)
MY UNCLE, [XXX], PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2018 NISSAN KICK, FROM STEVENS CREEK NISSAN, IN SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, LAST WEEK. THEY OWN A TOTAL OF FIVE NISSAN'S NOW, ONE FOR EACH DAUGHTER AND ONE FOR [XXX], THEY HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THEIR OTHER NISSANS. [XXX] HAS BOUGHT FIVE VEHICLES OVER A TEN-YEAR TIME SPAN, HE HAS PLACED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND FAITH INTO NISSAN. ON AUGUST 27TH, THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ON THE FREEWAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO NISSAN OF SERRAMONTE, IN COLMA, C…
Owner-reported narrative. 85 miles reported. Look up ODI 11123848 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11140171 · 2018-10-13 (October 13, 2018)
AT RANDOM TIMES WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED THE ENGINE STARTS BUT NONE OF THE INSTRUMENTS IN THE DASHBOARD (DIGITAL GAUGE, SENSORS, ETC...) INCLUDING THE STEREO WOULD TURN ON. IN ADDITION POWER STEERING IS NOT FUNCTIONAL. IT TAKES SEVERAL TRIES OF RESTARTING THE CAR IN ORDER TO GET ALL THE GAUGES, SENSORS, STEREO AND POWER STEERING TO FUNCTION. THIS ISSUR CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS COMPLETELY OFF AND IT IS TURNED ON. I EVEN TOOK A VIDEO SHOWING THE ISSUE.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11140171 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11156033 · 2018-12-04 (December 4, 2018)
WITHIN THE FIRST 300 MILES THE SENSORS STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SIDE SENSORS. THE THE FRONT SENSOR RELATING TO THE AEB STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. I NOW HAVE 6000 MILES ON THE CAR IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF SHOP WITH NO CLEAR SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED THE FRONT SENSOR, BUT WITHIN 24 HOURS IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING AGAIN. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT 6 DAYS AGO, THE AEB DID NOT ENGAGE, THE SENSORS DID NOT ENGAGE. WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED (2 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE) IT WAS DRIZZLING, BUT I WAS STATIONARY WHEN SENSOR …
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11156033 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11165757 · 2019-01-04 (January 4, 2019)
FREQUENT AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING DEACTIVATION WHILE DRIVING DURING WHICH A WARNING IS DISPLAYED THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEACTIVATED, A WARNING LIGHT IS DISPLAYED AND CRUISE CONTROL IS DEACTIVATED.
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11165757 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11180493 · 2019-02-16 (February 16, 2019)
AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKE INDICATORS WOULD APPEAR INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. VEHICLE INDICATORS WILL GO OFF EVEN IF THERE IS NO VEHICLES AHEAD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11180493 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11191419 · 2019-03-25 (March 25, 2019)
CAR, SHUTS OFF IN REVERSE , TRANSMISION PULLS FRONT SENSOR SIGNALS FALLS OBJECTS WHEN DRIVING AT THE HIGH IT STOPS SHUTS OFF
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11191419 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11194309 · 2019-04-06 (April 6, 2019)
AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING (AEB) SYSTEMS MALFUNCTION. SHOWS A WARNING 'FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION' THERE WERE NO CARS OR OBSTRUCTIONS IN FRONT OF VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11194309 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11204926 · 2019-05-01 (May 1, 2019)
FAULTY RADAR - WARNING FLASH ON DASHBOARD INDICATING "FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION. CAR IS IN MOTION AND WARNING APPEARS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NOT WEATHER RELATED AND CAN WARN WHILE CITY STREET, HIGHWAY AT ANY TIME. DOES NOT COME ON BECAUSE OF A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR WHILE TURNING. IT HAS COME ON DAY AND NIGHT FOR NO OBVIOUS REASON. I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT IT IN NOVEMBER 2018. ONGOING.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11204926 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
19V654000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
Reported: 2019-09-12 (September 12, 2019)
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
NHTSA campaign record ↗