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Nissan · NHTSA safety record

2020 Nissan Kicks

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

93

Complaints

7

Crashes

0

Fires

3

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2020 Nissan Kicks have filed 93 safety complaints with NHTSA between March 2020 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is forward collision avoidance, named in 34 of them (37%). The typical failure was reported at 5,850 miles, the median across the 26 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints rose 41% year on year: 24 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 17 in the twelve before.

No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 93.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 34 37%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 27 29%
ENGINE 20 22%
POWER TRAIN 18 19%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 13 14%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12 13%
LANE DEPARTURE 10 11%
SERVICE BRAKES 10 11%
AIR BAGS 7 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 6 6%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 5 5%
STEERING 3 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 26.

2020 2025 2026
2020 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 22,000 miles

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

NHTSA complaint 11497749, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION

1 injured · crash · towed · 22,485 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kick. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 20-25 MPH and attempting to make a left turn, the vehicle suddenly lost control causing the vehicle to go straight across the road instead of completing the left turn. The vehicle crashed into 2 mailboxes before it came to a stop. The passenger side wheel bent outward causing the passenger side fender to lodge into the door. The driver-side wheel had turned in the opposite direction. The passenger side axle detached from the transmission. The lower ball joint detached from the lower control arm and the sway bar had fractured The air bags did not deploy. The mailboxes were damaged. The

NHTSA complaint 11563345, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

1 injured · crash · towed · 65,000 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while the fiancé was driving approximately 30 MPH, and turning left the power steering and power brake suddenly failed causing the fiancé to loose control of the steering and and crash to a traffic pole. The contact indicated that prior to the incident the crash detection warning light had activated. During the crash the air bags deployed and the driver sustain bruising of the left arm and lefts from the air bag deployment and seatbelts. The fiance was transported and treated at the local hospital. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determine. The

NHTSA complaint 11738156, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

crash · towed

SIDE IMPACTED BY 52 YEAR OLD JEEP. BOTH DRIVER SIDE DOORS CAVED IN, WINDOWS SHATTERED, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY

NHTSA complaint 11470890. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My 2020 Nissan Kicks with 62,000 miles, went into limp mode on XXX and after a diagnostic test by the Pinnacle Nissan dealership in Scottsdale ([XXX]), it was determined a "Throttle Body Replacement" was needed. I paid $1,143.69 for that work. On XXX, the car went into limp mode again while on the freeway and the Pinnacle Nissan dealership in Scottsdale stated it needed an "Engine Wire Harness" replacement that would cost $8,057.83. I then contacted Nissan consumer affairs and after one month of review, it was determined that the car was out of warranty and there was nothing they can do. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint 11757117. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Check engine light appears on and throws code p0101, mass air flow sensor. Have changed mass air flow sensor twice, had code cleared at mechanic. Drive 5 miles and BAM check engine light appears. As soon as my car hits 2000 RPM, the front and rear collision lights and traction light come on… my car almost doesn’t move when I press the gas to go after this happens and the rpm’s are up to 3000-4000 just going 30 mph

NHTSA complaint 11750491. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
My vehicle over the last 3-4 years has been showing P0101 code errors, resulting in issues with idle, performance, and fuel economy. Cleaning the MAF sensor does nothing. This causes all sensors to turn off and stay off until the car is subsequently turned off again. I have taken it in to Nissan to be inspected and refuse to pay over $500 just for them to diagnose the issue. Have seen this also being a recurring issue with other owners.

NHTSA complaint 11750705. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
CVT issues-car is sputtering and gears slipping. Vehicle has 148,000 miles.

NHTSA complaint 11749724. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
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

NHTSA complaint 11742524, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Nissan Kicks

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 33 4 —
2024 31 1 —
2023 14 1 —
2021 74 2 —
2019 134 1 —
2018 84 1 —

Other 2020 Nissan models

Sentra 204 Leaf 161 Altima 157 Rogue 147 Versa 64 Pathfinder 47 Murano 42 Rogue Sport 38

Every Nissan on this site — 200 vehicles, 319 recall campaigns and 5 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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