Reliable Auto DB

2018 Nissan Kicks reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 85 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Kicks over 9 years — 10 per year. The other Kicks years sit at about the same rate: their median is 11 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Camera.

2018 Nissan Kicks
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

85

Per year

10

Recalls

1

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (23 of 85), then Engine (22) and Forward collision avoidance (19). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash.

Next to 2019

The 2019 Kicks has 134 complaints, 10 per year. The 2018 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Nissan Kicks. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2019-09-12 · NHTSA campaign 19V654000
Summary 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."
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.

Complaints by component (85 total)

Electrical system
23
Engine
22
Forward collision avoidance
19
Service brakes
14
Electronic stability control (ESC)
12
Powertrain
8
Fuel and propulsion system
4
Steering
4
Suspension
4
Exterior lighting
3
Speed control
3
Air bags
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Air brakes
1
Communication
1
Lane departure
1
Seats
1
Structure
1
Tires
1
Show 11 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

3201819201982020820211220229202352024112025102026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "My transmission failed while traveling on a highway at 60mph almost causing an accident. Issues with this generation of cvt transmissions have been the subject of multiple lawsuits and warrenty extensions. Nissan is…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-18
  • "It originally started about two years ago when the check engine light came on (along with others) that point to a code with the Mass Air Flow sensor. It would stall at low RPMs at traffic lights, and was extremely…"
    Electrical system, Engine, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-07-25
  • "2018 Nissan Kicks evap system has holes in it from Freon that causes the Freon to leak out. The required Freon is contributing to the holes being made in the aluminum evap. It leaks out and the air blows hot. Is there…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-06-09
  • "Vehicle experienced sudden engine stall/shutdown after warning indicators illuminated. While driving at low speed, the ABS warning light, front collision warning light, and check engine light appeared. After placing the…"
    Engine · filed 2026-04-19
  • "The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled and lost motive power, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle…"
    Engine · filed 2026-04-07

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Nissan Kicks SUV FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Kicks 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 31 36 33 MPG $1950

Specs and fitment

P15 generation, 2018–2024
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 , 4.5 qt capacity
Tire size 205/60R16, 205/55R17 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 22V-693 covers certain 2021 Kicks and Versa vehicles: an intermittent electrical connection in the EPS torque sensor can disable power steering assist. Dealers inspect the steering column torque sensor lot code and replace the column if needed. Recall 24V-154 covers certain 2023-2024 Kicks vehicles among other Nissan models: the driver air bag inflator may absorb moisture and deploy improperly; dealers replace the front driver air bag assembly.

Compare

Next year 2019 Nissan Kicks See every Nissan Kicks model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Nissan Kicks reliable?

Owners have filed 85 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Kicks over 9 years — 10 per year. The other Kicks years sit at about the same rate: their median is 11 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Camera.

What are common problems with a 2018 Nissan Kicks?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (23 of 85), then Engine (22) and Forward collision avoidance (19). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash.

Is the 2018 Nissan Kicks more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 Kicks has 134 complaints, 10 per year. The 2018 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2019.

Has the 2018 Nissan Kicks been recalled?

The 2018 Nissan Kicks has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Nissan Kicks?

Owners have filed 85 complaints about the 2018 Nissan Kicks with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Nissan Kicks get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Nissan Kicks is 33 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Nissan Kicks take?

US Kicks in this generation use 0W-20 (about 4.5 qt with filter).

Does recall 22V-693 affect the Nissan Kicks?

Yes for certain 2021 Kicks (and Versa): an intermittent EPS torque-sensor connection can disable power steering assist; dealers inspect the sensor lot code.

What generation is the 2020 Nissan Kicks?

P15 generation (2018-2024 in the US catalog this site tracks).