Power Train Problems of Nissan Kicks - part 1

Was driving at low speed after entering a parking lot and the engine quit. When I attempted to restart the starter would not engage. The power widows still functioned. A subsequent check of the battery indicated it is fully charged. Had this occurred at highway speed it could have been dangerous situation since the power brakes and power steering were not functional.

See all problems of the 2025 Nissan Kicks 🔎.

The car has 82000 miles on it and transmission had to be replaced. The car is 4 years old and the repair is was $6000. 00 which is over half the cars value. Nissan consumer affairs denied any goodwill assistance for a know issue with Nissan cvt transmissions.

See all problems of the 2022 Nissan Kicks 🔎.

September 9, 2026: the vehicle had the same malfunction as in February 2024. The vehicle was in drive and was stopped in a parking lot. When the driver pressed the accelerator there was no response from the engine/powertrain and the vehicle did not move. The ignition was cycled and the vehicle could be moved.

See all problems of the 2023 Nissan Kicks 🔎.

The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that there was a green fluid leaking underneath the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there were two hoses leaking from the transmission and the radiator. After further inspection, it was determined the radiator had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the failure was being investigated. The failure mileage was approximately 37,100.

The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered, jerked, and felt as though it was about to stall before resuming normal operation. The failure occurred more frequently while making left or right turns. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,100.

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Driving on a highway when rear differential and drive shaft broke loose from vehicle while driving at 65 mph. Right rear wheel went over real diff. Causing the rear end of vehicle to come off the pavement. Fortunately was able to get car under control before it flipped. There was no warning signs prior. We were violently lurched and still are feeling residual effects from that incident.

My car when in over 95 degree weather, literally will not have power to get up hills and starts to jerk and looses power to make the hills. When the temps outside are cooler the car works fine. I live in [xxx] and I drive long distance to work. I also have a [xxx] son that has to be in the car with me. I can’t have my car messing up all because it’s hot outside and it obviously doesn’t like the heat. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2020 Nissan Kicks 🔎.

Date: xxxto:national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA)office of defects investigation (odi)1200 new jersey avenue, sewest buildingwashington, DC 20590from:[xxx] [xxx]: formal vehicle safety complaint – sudden loss of propulsion and traffic hesitation / 2020 Nissan Kicks (VIN: [xxx])to the office of defects investigation,I am writing to formally report a critical, life-threatening vehicle safety defect involving the powertrain/automatic transmission assembly on my 2020 Nissan Kicks fwd sv. While operating the vehicle at 61,564 miles in active traffic, the vehicle suffered a sudden and dangerous loss of propulsion without any prior warning. Upon pressing the accelerator pedal, the transmission slipped severely, causing the vehicle to hazardously shudder, shake, and hesitate to move forward. This unexpected lag in acceleration left the vehicle moving dangerously slow in a live traffic lane, creating an immediate and imminent risk of a severe rear-end collision. The vehicle was driven to a certified facility, vann york's high point Nissan (located in [xxx]), for an emergency mechanical diagnosis. A diagnostic scan revealed active diagnostic trouble codes dtc p17f0 (cvt judder) and dtc p2859 (clutch a pressure). The certified dealership technician explicitly documented on repair order #xxx that the transaxle assembly "wont move and is noisy," prescribing a complete transmission replacement due to internal component failure. Following this diagnosis, I was forced to navigate the vehicle back to my residence under highly hazardous conditions using hazard lights. Due to the high risk of a total sudden stall or sudden loss of acceleration on public roadways, the vehicle has been grounded at my residence and is currently parked as completely undrivable due to severe safety fears. Nissan has a widespread, heavily documented historical record of manufactur information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I had a noise and highway vibration in my 2021 Nissan Kicks. Brought it to the dealer and was told the front axle nut was loose. They said it is a common issue. There is a TSB on it but I believe it is a safety issue due to it being a loose axle nut and vibration.

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Cvt issues-car is sputtering and gears slipping. Vehicle has 148,000 miles.

At first it just seemed sluggish like it didn’t want to take off then the transmission started jerking would not allow the car to go engine revving up to 5000 rpm before the transmission would engage.

On 05. 28. 2026 my car veered sporadically to the right causing my tire to hit the curb as I was going under a viaduct with a high curb I lost my hub cap and damaged my rim slightly. Now my wheel is at a constant angle to the left, and veers sporadically left and right. After being in a reddit forum and seeing other people had this problem and it should be covered under warranty. However, I was told I would still have to pay for an alignment because its needed after a a bushing is replaced. If the bushing was defective and caused my wheel alignment to be off then why do I have to pay? I dont mind. . . I'm just curious.

The cvt transmission is slipping and losing acceleration while driving, overheating and smelling really bad like burnt rubber, the oil is black and smells burnt, its currently at 52,100 miles and I sent it up to chuck colvin Nissan and they did not fix my car, they drove it back to me and when I test drove it myself it broke down on the side of the road and I had to sit for 30 minutes for it to cool off before driving home.

Cel on, code po101 indicates maf sensor is faulty with related abs, fcw, and slippery road lights illuminating when braking on a curve or at a stop sign. Car often loses power and need to be turned off to reset and become driveable again. Cleaning and replacing the maf sensor and air filter does not fix the problem. This is a known issue for 2019 Kicks that Nissan is failing to address. This issue renders the car unreliable and unsafe to drive.

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The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while stopped at light, the vehicle did not accelerate and lost power. The vehicle was towed to a friend's residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the cvt transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,632.

About 15 minutes after starting car and about 5 miles, I was making a right turn from a stop sign. Made almost a complete turn and the car stopped moving. Engine revved from depressing accelerator and car did not move (except for backwards due to being on an incline). Applied the brakes. Looked to make sure I was in gear and I was. Display said d for drive and gear selector was in d. For about after 10 seconds of wondering what was happening, the transmission engaged and I was able to continue. Called Nissan and was told as long as it's driving now, they will look at it at my next service (10,000 m).

When I was pulling out of my driveway, my car wouldn't accelerate and started making a terrible noise. I lost all power and couldn't get it to move leaving me stuck in the middle of the road. It wouldn't even let me coast off to the side of the road. I have had this same problem before with this transmission and had it replaced with a new manufactured for my car by Nissan transmission.

The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle but was unable to shift to drive(d). There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that prior to the failure the vehicle was taken to a dealer for service and was advised that the transmission fluid needed to be flushed. The transmission fluid was not flushed. Additionally, during an oil change at a fast oil change service, the technician advised the contact that there was an oil leak coming from one of the spark plugs. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or mechanic to be diagnosed. The oil leak was not repaired. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the local dealer or independent mechanic for the transmission failure. The vehicle was diagnosed but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

Vehicle will not go forward when accelerating, the vehicle does go in reverse. It is available for inspection at Nissan vacaville. It is a safety risk as I was driving, it stalled in turning lane on street and wouldn't go. I had to have it put in neutral so I could get it to a safe location so I could have it towed to my residence. I have a service report saying that there's a faulty piece in the transmission by Nissan in vacaville. No indication that there were any issues to the vehicle when I took it for service on Saturday 2/28/26. No lights came on the car or anything that would warrant an issue.

My vehicle has experienced transmission-related issues that have affected its safety, reliability, and overall performance. The symptoms include hesitation during acceleration, delayed response when pressing the accelerator, jerking, loss of power, and unpredictable driving behavior. These issues have made it difficult to safely merge into traffic, cross intersections, and maintain normal driving speeds. The transmission problems occurred despite routine maintenance and normal vehicle operation. These symptoms raise serious concerns about the safety and durability of the cvt transmission installed in this vehicle. I am concerned that these issues may represent a broader defect affecting 2019 Nissan Kicks vehicles equipped with cvt transmissions. Drivers should be able to rely on their vehicles to accelerate and operate safely without fear of sudden loss of power or transmission failure. I respectfully request that this matter be thoroughly investigated and that Nissan be held accountable for any manufacturing defects associated with the cvt transmission. I also request consideration for appropriate repairs, reimbursement for related expenses, or any other remedy available if this issue is determined to be a known defect.

Vehicle was just purchased from a Nissan dealership (2020 Kicks) and less than 1,300 miles of driving throwing a code stating there is a problem with cvt transmission. Will not produce enough power when going uphill. Rpms will suddenly not go over 1 when given gas uphill. There was a recall for this problem on other 2020 Kicks but ours isn't covered and we just purchased this vehicle and drove it home less than 2 months ago.

My cvt transmission has stopped working. At no time during taking it to Nissan dealerships to have oil changes in basic maintenance was it ever suggested to do a filter or fluid change on my transmission although Nissan transmissions are sold to consumers as locked and maintenance free it is a well-known fact that I've come to find out that this is a very incorrect statement and fluid and filters do need change every 30 to 50,000 miles or it will cause severe damage to one's transmission which is what it occurred to me on my 2021 Nissan Kicks. Also all my safety features that told me if I was outside of a lane or anything like that would go off and not work properly tell me that it was wet conditions when it wasn't tell me I was going to crash when I wasn't even near anything. This occurred before the transmission completely bottomed out.

Engine timing and transmission failed and replaced before 90,000 miles,.

The contact owns a 2025 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, there was a loud vibrating sound coming from the rear driver’s side of the vehicle, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that on several occasions, the vehicle wobbled unexpectedly, with a grinding sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure persisted and that the vehicle was towed on several occasions. The vehicle was towed to several dealers; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. An undisclosed dealer stated that the loud clunking sound was coming from the front tires during a test drive. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 8,958.

2026 Nissan Kicks, less than 1,500 mi. Computer system several warning lights appeared without notice; caused car to shut off and sputter before starting several times. The first time the warning lights that came on were: warning (exclamation point inside triangle); malfunction see owner's manual (in orange box on panel) with all collision symbols showing [pictures avail on request] second warning lights ( warning temporarily disabled clean sensor area see owner's manual) in bigger yellow / orange box on computer screen with exclamation point in triangle symbols and crash symbol) [pics avail] vehicle problem both duplicated and inspected at dealership. Connector pin harness needed repair/replaced. Oil light flashed after repairs. Clicks heard while turning right or left. Vehicle diagnostic inspected at another Nissan dealership out of state. [audio and vid avail] Nissan dealership ocala FL could not duplicate either problem with test drive. Problem persisted. Scheduled appointment at an ice cold air. Problem was identified as possible cv axle problems and referred to Nissan dealership since have warrenty. Went to maas Nissan dealership in brooksville FL. Dealership was able to hear and duplicate customer complaint with noise turning wheel. Dealership had to replace both right and left front axles of brand new 2026 Nissan Kicks car, a major repair less than 1,900 miles. [service records avail].

The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, there was a loud boom coming from the engine compartment with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the traffic light turned red, and the contact stopped the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to move when the light turned green. The contact stated that the driver behind started honking the horn however, the contact was unable to drive off and waved the other driver to go around. The contact stated that when the vehicle finally responded, the vehicle reversed instead and crashed into another vehicle. The police was called, and a police report was filed. The contact sustained a left side muscle strain from the neck down to the hip. The contact received medical attention at the emergency room. The contact called the insurance provider, and the vehicle was towed to a collision center. The contact was informed that the failure was transmission related. The insurance provider stated that the damages to the body of the vehicle would be repaired however, any failures to the transmission was not covered, and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The insurance provider stated that there were transmission related recalls for similar vehicles; however, the contact had not received any notifications of a transmission recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

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.

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.

I was driving, slowed down to stop at a red light. As I proceeded to stop the car made a noise like something was in front of me as I was driving too close. I made a grinding noise and would not go forward as I proceeded to go. I was in the street, had to put on emergency flasher so no one would hit me from the rear. Once traffic cleared I was able drive the car in reverse to a safe location. I called aaa road side assistance had the vehicle tolled back to my daughter house, called the dealership to retrieve warranty document so I can take it to a Nissan dealership to have it inspected. There were no warning signs, lamps, or message from the screen to show there was a problem. No warning signs prior to the vehicle malfunctioning.

I was driving on the road like normal and suddenly I got a front collision warning on the dash, the car wouldn’t accelerate and lost all power. Check engine light also came on with code reading p0101. I’ve had this issue before and the dealer doesn’t know what to do or they want to charge me a lot of money to fix it. I’ve read online many many people having the same issue. Luckily this hasn’t happened on the highway but if it does happen it could be catastrophic.

See all problems of the 2018 Nissan Kicks 🔎.

Transmission went out with no warning.

The dealer checked my car and changed some transmission parts but I feel the revs drop when I drive. The dealer cannot find anything. I must use the emergency brakes because the car moves in parking even in a flat place. The dealer said it was normal.

The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle occasionally experienced reduction in automotive power with the "system malfunction" message displayed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the battery had been replaced twice however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

1. Maf sensor replaced 3 times within a few months of replacing each time. (took it to the Nissan dealership multiple times and all they do is replace it without further diagnosing as to why) 2. Replaced the transmission in March 2025 (Nissan wanted to charge me ($8300. 00). I took it to glen burnie transmission ($5708. 00) 3. Replaced the alternator on 7 June 2025. 4. Vehicle has been hesitating and stalling while driving. 5. Vehicle doesn't want to start when I push the button and put my foot on the brake pedal. 6. Power steering issues (the steering wheel goes loose at times when I make turns or while trying to back up and then the vehicle stalls and then accelerates on it's own. 7. Vehicle is making a clicking sound. *vehicle is currently at firestone being diagnosed for the issues 4-7 mentioned above. *I stopped taking it to Nissan because they charge way to much for these issues that seem to be a constant issue but won't due any recalls on the 2020 Kicks. Vehicle purchased in may 2020. I will have to provide the repair receipts once I get the vehicle back from firestone because all of the documents are in the vehicle.

We have had several problems with our 2021 Nissan Kicks, all of which are safety concerns, and all of which have have occurred at well under 100,000 miles. We purchased the vehicle from a Nissan dealer in January of 2022. 1 - rust is bubbling up from under the paint. I am told this is perforating rust that could easily spread to or originate from the frame of the vehicle. This could cause the entire structure to fail. Despite the 5 year, no mileage limitation warranty for perforating rust, Nissan has refused to comply with the warranty. At the executive complaint level, they have admitted that the warranty exists, but at the repair level, Nissan has repeatedly informed the dealer that the vehicle is not covered by a rust warranty or that the warranty expired based on mileage. The person at the corporate complaint level refuses to speak with the dealer or affirm the coverage in writing. At the repair level, Nissan has offered a fix outside of warranty coverage (a patch) which does not provide the continuing coverage provided by a warranty repair (which requires replacement of the panel). I have spent countless hours taking the car in to have it looked at and on the phone to try to get coverage with no success. 2 - the structural metal on the inside of the drivers door is cracking. We took the car in for repair because the window was not working but when they opened it up, they found that the the structural metal of the door itself where the window mechanism is attached has cracked. We have video indicating this may be a design defect in addition to poor materials. The Nissan dealer is not helpful, saying only that they don't have a body shop. Body shops say the entire door needs to be replaced but do not want to get involved with seeking help from Nissan. 3 - the cvt transmission failed just after the manufacturers warranty expired which is way too early for this problem. By some miracle, most of the cost was covered by a third party warranty company.