Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

96 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Minor
43

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 15transmission slipping 11
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. While driving from a stop, the vehicle started sputtering and lost motive power. While driving 70 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated to 45 MPH while…
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The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. While driving from a stop, the vehicle started sputtering and lost motive power. While driving 70 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated to 45 MPH while driving uphill with the RPM elevated. The failure occurred while the outdoor temperature was above 95 degrees. The failure had persisted over time. The contact stated that the floorboard was extremely hot during the failure. The contact was concerned about being in a crash with her child in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where the transmission was flushed, but the failure reoccurred. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Trophy Nissan Service (5031 N Galloway Ave, Mesquite, TX 75150), but the cause of the failure was not determined. Additionally, an independent mechanic was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer, Nissan, was called, and a voice mail was left for customer service, but there was no response. An email was sent to the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764773 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
17

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 10sudden stalling 5electrical shorts 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that the ABS, Forward Facing Camera, Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), Lane Variation, and other safety feature lights were…
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The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that the ABS, Forward Facing Camera, Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), Lane Variation, and other safety feature lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the ABS and Forward-Facing Camera. The dealer diagnosed that the ADAS needed to be replaced; however, the part was on back order. While awaiting parts for the repair, the battery started to lose power and needed to be jump-started several times. The manufacturer was informed of the issue. The manufacturer opened a case for the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11710355 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
16

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

software faults 13loss of braking 1
A recent report: The vehicle's ABS Actuator (47660-5RW0D) failed and was replaced. Given the mileage was only 32,827, the component failed prematurely and was nowhere near the end of its lifetime expectancy. This…
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The vehicle's ABS Actuator (47660-5RW0D) failed and was replaced. Given the mileage was only 32,827, the component failed prematurely and was nowhere near the end of its lifetime expectancy. This indicates it was inherently defective from the factory. This premature failure presented a critical safety hazard. Because the component controls anti-lock braking and the electronic stability control, a sudden failure compromises vehicle safety, increases stopping distances, and poses an immediate risk to driver, passenger, and public safety. Multiple warning lights have been sporadically coming on, every few months, since November of 2025 when the vehicle was serviced, but would go after the vehicle was turned off. This was dismissed as an electric glitch due to a firmware update after researching online to find this was a common occurrence and would just be fixed the next time the vehicle was serviced. Finally, a few days prior to 05/30/2026, the lights came on and stayed on. The vehicle was checked for a bad battery at a local auto parts store on 05/30/2026 as this was researched to be another common possibility. When this was ruled out, the vehicle was taken to a local dealership and inspected and diagnosed to be the bad ABS actuator.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11742524 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Worth reading
4

Most reports here involve loss of steering. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 2 mention an injury.

loss of steering 2
A recent report: My tire is 205 50r17 and they gave me a 235 tire which made my car feel funny . I’ve been sitting here for an hour waiting on a tire and they messed up my rim

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11763575 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
6

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 3 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 3software faults 1airbags deploying unexpectedly 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front driver's side seat belt independently unlatched. The local dealer was not contacted. The…
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The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front driver's side seat belt independently unlatched. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 197. The VIN was not available.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11697341 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Worth reading
3

Most reports here involve fluid leaks. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

fluid leaks 1airbags not deploying 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated while lowering the passenger’s side sun visor, the contact became aware that the sun visor had melted. On another occasion the rear-view…
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The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated while lowering the passenger’s side sun visor, the contact became aware that the sun visor had melted. On another occasion the rear-view mirror detached. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 55,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11536037 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
7

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 4
A recent report: Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the…
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Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 98,000 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 108,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11685016 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 96 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2020 and 2026, roughly 15 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.