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ProblemsByVin Index / 2020-NISSAN-KICKS / COMPLAINTS
Full complaint record · NHTSA

2020 Nissan Kicks owner complaints

89 complaints filed with NHTSA on this vehicle , including 2 reporting a crash, fire, injury, or fatality. Showing the 300 most recent — grouped by category for scanning.

powertrain 5 complaints shown

16 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain cluster analysis →
12/26/2023 ODI #11561839.0

Transmission failed before the car reaching 15,000 miles. The car dealership replaced the transmission after two week in the shop. They did not provide a loner car so I was without a car for 2 weeks. After the car was worked and the new transmission installed, it was given back to me. Today 12/16 I had to take it back to the dealership because it’s giving a check engine indication. The dealership informed it is a known issue with this cars but I haven’t seen any recalls. Today, my car has no warranty since it expired. This is unacceptable.

12/11/2024 ODI #11630247.0

Car acceleration delayed. Batteries dying and needing replaced regularly. Needs constant jump starts. Will not accelerate or move in the snow. Does not stop in emergencies. The vehicle was bought brand new and I have had bad luck with the Nissan kicks 2020 since purchasing it.

12/07/2020 ODI #11378367.0

Entering highway or traffic car hesitates no power . Seems like the engine isnt providing enough gas for take off, this is with the pedal accelerator completely pressed down. This has happened several times. Scary when your entereing traffic. Had back to dealer once and said all was fine. It happens almost every time I drive it but not all the time mainly when you come to an almost stop and try to go. I looked on line for bullitins and came across classification at19-002d reference ntb19-040d.

11/13/2024 ODI #11624894.0

The transmission has always juddered and got the run around that nothing was wrong and now the car judders more

11/03/2025 ODI #11697266.0

When driving my car the crash light comes on in traffic and sometimes when braking. Recently it started to flash the hydroplaning symbol and now the check engine is on. I’ve seen other people online having the same issue with their vehicles as well.

other 4 complaints shown

12/17/2020 1,700 mi ODI #11383932.0

Bought 2020 kicks. It has an serious issue regulating temperature. It seems this car has a blend door issue that does not allow the car to have the temp set at an acceptable level for comfort. Its either too cold or too hot. 60-62 degrees its cold, move to 63 and up and its hot?? In any of y other cars anything at 68 and below is cool to cold. This is bordering on having drivers being constantly distracted by having to manually adjust the temp repeatedly to maintain comfortable levels. This car is marketed for young adults as an economical/safe approach to a new vehicle . Nissan should fix this before someone get injured being distracted

12/10/2025 ODI #11704269.0

The sensor lights constantly come on and then the engine light comes on. When I got the engine light read, it says I need a new mass airflow sensor. I have replaced this sensor 3 times now and the air filter, the same issue is occurring over and over again. Every sensor light comes on and the car starts to decelerate while you are driving making it difficult to press the gas or accelerate to a higher speed.

11/05/2022 ODI #11492426.0

I have 2 issues. 1. The forward collision light has come on for no apparent reason. This has happened 4 times in the last 2-3 months. The car doesn't do anything with this issue other then the warning indicator. 2. The automatic braking system has activated for no apparent reason. This has happened 3 times. In two cases, it was just a quick short braking event then the car went back to normal driving. I don't recall speeds for these, but they were not interstate speeds. The third event was at highway speeds, about 65-70. The car broke very hard for 2-3 seconds. Scared me to death because no one was around me. I'm concerned about this happening again when someone is behind me.

10/29/2023 ODI #11552494.0

I have had several issues with my check engine light popping on and off, I have also had my car brake by itself while going 65/70 MPH on the interstate twice almost causing two rear end collisions, the lights go haywire, the car does not want to accelerate

electrical 4 complaints shown

23 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $850 · see electrical cluster analysis →
12/10/2025 59,000 mi ODI #11704300.0

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed electronic control module. The contact was informed that the electronic control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the parts were on back order. In addition, the contact referenced an online site, which referenced the failure with the vehicle, and for parts were not being available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

12/08/2022 ODI #11496626.0

When driving 50mph - 70 mph the Forward Collision Warning will engage and the emergency brakes will engage. The car will come to a stop. This has happened while on the highway and crashes were barely avoided. It has injured my back with the sudden stop. Today 12/8 it happened again and both the Forward Collision Warning and Rear Collision Warning engaged, the car stopped from going 68 mph on the highway, and the car disabled my traction control.

11/19/2021 ODI #11441012.0

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Forward Collision - Warning lights How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - Vehicle slowed to a stop and would not move forward. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No

10/31/2024 ODI #11622864.0

The vehicles electrical system will go out mid drive. Front collision and rear collision sensor will turn off. Also the traction control will turn off with the other sensors going out. Plus the transmission while it’s sensors are going out will make it unable to pull out either forward or reverse.

engine 3 complaints shown

7 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $3,100 · see engine cluster analysis →
12/22/2022 ODI #11498603.0

Since I got the kicks in May of this year 2022 I have had multiple incidents where the lights for the sensors come on out of nowhere and it shows 3 messages for .sensor malfunction. They popped on again a few days ago and now the check engine light is on and the code it's showing is main air flow sensor failure. That sensor from what I have been told should last a long time. I have had it 7 months and it's only 2 years old. I change the air filter every oil change and with the sensor failed it won't drive proper causing a safety hazard for me and my children.

11/03/2021 ODI #11439211.0

*Engine or transmission failure - 27,165 current mileage *safety Risk - During moderate traffic conditions , vehicle was traveling approximtely 45 miles per hour, when it suddenly be gain to slow down. By the vehicle slowing in the manner that it did, could have caused the traffic following the vehicle to come to an abrupt stop resulting in a rear end collision. * The vehicle is currently at the Larry Miller Nissan for inspection and diagnostics * Check engine light illuminated seconds before the vehicle stalled there were no other indicators of distress such as burning smells or leaking fluids prior to the incident.

10/30/2020 5,700 mi ODI #11372343.0

The car currently has 5700 miles on the odometer. Ever since I bought it in june of 2020, intermittently the car will idle rough at stop lights. When it happens it is usually after driving on the highway for 20 or 30 minutes. On october 17, 2020 after about an hour on the highway the car idled rough at the first stop light I encountered then died. I restarted it then it promptly died again. After the second restart there were no other problems. Took the car into the dealer on monday 10/19/20. They kept it for 3 days and never could duplicate the problem. They did reprogram the engine control module that was under recall. Hoping maybe this resolves the problem.

brakes 2 complaints shown

7 total in this category · severe · avg repair $450 · see brakes cluster analysis →
11/15/2023 ODI #11555216.0

Over a period of 3 days leading up to the braking incident the Collison warning came on periodically when there was no need, the sensor on the dash on the left,right and front of the vehicle image went yellow, the Malfunction light came on and the Collison warning with no cars around. On the November 9th, 2023 I got the collison warning (looks like 2 cars)and it went away. However that day I was pulling forward from a green light and as I was through the intersection the car suddenly braked stopping the car and a red square appeared on the dash with a letter in it - not sure what it was as I was trying to ensure I was not going to be rear-ended. I was the first car from the light so there was no car ahead of me and no reason for the car to brake and stop. The car behind reacted and went ar

11/12/2021 Crash ODI #11440279.0

I am the owner of the vehicle but my daughter was the driver and I am making the complaint on her behalf but she can provide additional details. The vehicle began making a grinding sound at times that sounds similar to the anti-lock braking. Then on Oct 29 the vehicle locked down the brakes as she was pulling into the parking lot at work when there was not a collision imminent. She skidded into the curb damaging her front driver side wheel. We took the vehicle to the Dick Smith Nissan dealer in Lexington SC but they told us they couldn't reproduce the failure and recommended we bring it back if it happened again. We went to pick up the vehicle but before leaving with the car I drove the car around the parking lot and the forward collision light came on in under a minute. They immediately t

airbags 1 complaint shown

4 total in this category · severe · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags cluster analysis →
12/16/2022 22,000 mi Crash ODI #11497749.0

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic signal, a truck with a snow plow came up on the driver's side of the vehicle where a corner of the plow crashed into the passenger rear driver-side door, and then crashed into the driver's side door. The corner of the plow had torn a gash through the passenger door. The contact stated that both the rear passenger and driver's door glass had shattered. The driver's door was crushed but had not been penetrated by the corner of the plow. The contact had suffered cuts and bruises on his left arm, with a partial tear of his rotator cuff of his left shoulder. The contact stated that he was concussed. The contact was transported by ambulance to an ER. The police were on the scene and filed a report. The vehicle wa

seatbelts 1 complaint shown

11/04/2025 ODI #11697341.0

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.

Showing 300 of 89 total complaints. The full federal record is available at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2020/Nissan/Kicks#complaints.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaint database. Last synced 2026-06-14. Complaints are owner-submitted and unverified — the existence of a complaint is not proof of a defect, but a pattern of complaints around the same component is a signal worth weighing. Verify any specific filing at nhtsa.gov.
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