59 of the 874 complaints filed about the Nissan Kicks are about the braking system — 7% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2019.
59
Complaints
7%
Share of all complaints
6
Crashes
0
Fires
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns 2026 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The brakes and steering wheel were locked. All the warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, who confirmed there was a total communication failure across the modules. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 2,086.
NHTSA complaint #11754398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the ABS warning light was intermittently illuminated. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle failed to stop as intended while depressing the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure or diagnose the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided an assigned case number. The vehicle remained with the dealer however, the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 15,730.
NHTSA complaint #11744136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 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.
NHTSA complaint #11742524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
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 manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 65,000.
NHTSA complaint #11738156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
My car will just slam on the brakes for no reason at all. The only thing I did different was use the emergency brake the day before when I was on a slope. There is nothing in front of me causing this to happen. I've been to the shop about this before they charge you $190 to put it on a sensor and tell you there's nothing wrong with it that was a good while ago probably a year. It happened again Saturday morning driving home from work I was able to get to the shop today Tuesday morning. I told them I saw online that other people were having this issue. I could not afford to give them another $190 even though they said they could only diagnosis if it would happen while the mechanic was driving it or they could find it on the machine that would cost $190. I have a warranty on this car and I don't feel that it's fair that although they have to know about this issue they still want to charge me and will not even acknowledge that they're aware of this. I told the woman on the phone when I called in Saturday morning for an appointment which by the way they couldn't get me in until Monday anyways, that I had an hour commute to and from work and that if anyone would have been behind me they would have hit me. She seemed unconcerned. Everyone at Nissan seems unconcerned.
NHTSA complaint #11737437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Vehicle: 2023 Nissan Kicks SR Incident Detail: On April 1, my son was involved in an auto accident. According to my son, he was traveling at approximately 20–30 mph. Upon approaching slowed traffic, my son applied the service brakes; however, the vehicle failed to decelerate or stop. To mitigate the impact, my son veered to the right. Despite this evasive maneuver, the front-left side of the Nissan Kicks struck the rear-right bumper of the lead vehicle. My son was only able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop by engaging the emergency brake. Notably, despite the impact, the airbags did not deploy. This incident could have resulted in serious bodily injury or death for all involved and cause significant property damage and anxiety. The highway patrol was on scene and working on a full investigation. No warning lights appeared during the incident. The incident occurred 2 days ago and has not been inspected yet. The vehicle is available for inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11729021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
12/10/2024 brake warning light was on. Took to dealership and they found the left rear C1BDA-13 actuator malfunction, caliper parking brake motor to have open connection internally. Replaced on 12/13/24 along with gasket brake hose. 1/31/25 brake warning light on again. Dealership found the right rear C1BDB-13 actuator malfunction open. Unable to get code to reset. Replaced on 2/14/25 along with gasket brake hose. 2/19/26 brake warning light on again. Dealership found both rear actuators malfunction open and cracked (technician stated they were cracked in the video sent to me as an update), believe moisture getting inside parking brake calipers and freezing. Replaced both on 3/5/26 along with all 4 gasket brake hoses
NHTSA complaint #11727671 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Intermittently for the last year, car will show 3 dash lights: 1. AEB light 2. Slip indicator light 3. Master warning light When this occurs, the car can be slow to accelerate. When the three lights are on, the problem will persist until the engine is shut off for a period of several minutes. It does not occur every time the car is driven. In the last 3 months, there have been 3-4 instances where the check engine light has come on as well. The code every time has been P1010 or no code displayed. We tried changing out the MAF sensor with a third party part, and the issue occurred even more frequently. We then went back to the first sensor after cleaning it with MAF sensor cleaner. This seemed to resolve the issue for a month, but then it started to reoccur. The last two occurrences of the check engine light have occurred after rapid acceleration. - Yes original part is available for inspection. - Safety is at risk for self and others as car can have issues accelerating, which makes it dangerous to enter freeways and highways (which are necessary for my commute). - Dealer has not reproduced the error, however they have not seen it with a check engine code (taking the car in tomorrow). - no inspection by insurance, police, or manufacturer. - before the 3 error lights started to come on fairly regularly (several times a week) I had a few issues of intermittent sluggish acceleration over the course of 1-2 years when this issue first started, but no lights came on at first.
NHTSA complaint #11717137 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
All brake failure warning lights remain on while driving and ABS no longer works. It is a very common safety failure that Nissan is making a small fortune on. It is a definate safety item.
NHTSA complaint #11713616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
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.
NHTSA complaint #11710355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
While I was driving, my vehicle’s Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) suddenly stopped working. At the same time, the Automatic Emergency Braking / Forward Emergency Braking (AEB/FEB) warning light turned on. While the vehicle was in motion, warning messages appeared on the dashboard, including: “Unavailable: Front Radar Obstruction,” and/or “Forward Driving Aids Temporarily Disabled – Front Sensor Blocked. See Owner’s Manual.” These warnings appeared even though there was no visible obstruction to the front radar sensor. The sudden loss of Intelligent Cruise Control and forward safety features while I was driving reduced my ability to rely on these systems to help maintain a safe following distance. The unexpected warning lights and messages were distracting and created a potential safety risk. This issue occurred during normal driving conditions. I had to take the vehicle in for inspection to determine whether there was a malfunction with the front radar sensor or related safety systems.
NHTSA complaint #11705553 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the ABS warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the dealer determined that the ABS module needed to be replaced; however, the part was on a national backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.
NHTSA complaint #11704675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
While I was driving, I pressed the brake pedal. As soon as I applied the brakes, the vehicle abruptly screeched to a halt in a manner that felt abnormal and uncontrollable. Immediately after this sudden stop, the vehicle lost stability. It slid sideways, causing it to rotate and end up facing in a different direction than the one I had been traveling.
NHTSA complaint #11704519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
My vehicle has a serious safety defect involving the braking system and related electronic controls. The vehicle is available for inspection at any time. The main failure is sudden, unintended braking without me pressing the pedal. On November 5, 2025, around 6:20 p.m., the vehicle brake-checked in traffic and almost caused a rear-end collision. This continues to put my safety and the safety of others at risk every time I drive, but I have no other transportation for work. Along with the sudden braking, the car has loud crunching and dragging noises when braking or beginning to move, difficulty shifting between Drive, Reverse, and Park, and intermittent warning lights. Warning lights have appeared several times, and on one occasion stayed on long enough for me to bring the vehicle in. These symptoms first began in July 2025 and have continued ever since. The problems have been repeatedly reproduced by me and reported to the dealer. Although the dealership has sometimes claimed they could not find a problem, they later acknowledged noises and even suggested “better brakes,” which they said I would have to pay for despite my warranty and extended warranty. I have recordings of the noises and a voicemail from a service advisor. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership four times on July 15–16, August 6–9, August 19–22, and September 26, 2025, and also reviewed by Nissan North America Consumer Affairs. No police or insurance inspections have been done. Even after repeated attempts, the manufacturer and dealer have not resolved the safety issues. The sudden braking, shifting problems, noises, and warning lights make the vehicle unreliable and dangerous. I am afraid to drive it, and I am requesting an NHTSA investigation because these defects create a clear risk of a crash and have not been properly addressed by Nissan.
NHTSA complaint #11699469 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I was driving and needed to come to a stop because there was a four-way stop sign, and the brakes didn’t work. The pedal went all the way to the floor and even though I pumped the brakes, it wouldn’t stop. This is the second incident where this happens. I checked the brake pads and fluid everything is good. No warning lights come on when this happens. So the mechanic says they cannot check and see what’s wrong with it because no lights come on.
NHTSA complaint #11694301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The ABS and forward collision system failed. This caused the car not to respond during a hard brake when it was raining. I almost had an accident. The car was inspected on September 4, 2025, by Universal Nissan (12785 S Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, Florida). Universal Nissan found a malfunction in the ABS control (Actuator & ECU Assy antiskid) with a repair cost of $2,448. The car has 18,689 miles. The warning lamps appear as soon as the malfunction starts. The Nissan Kicks owner forum reports this ABS problem as recurrent. There are multiple reports on the website. I contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs (Case #5576215). They did not take responsibility for the ABS problem.
NHTSA complaint #11686580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated and the message “See Owner’s Manual" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact believed that the VIN was included in an undisclosed recall related to the ABS. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,600.
NHTSA complaint #11679853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated while driving at 60 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. The ABS, traction control, and Forward Collision Avoidance warning lights were illuminated. The contact was close by and drove and parked the vehicle at the residence. The following day, the contact started the vehicle and after driving for 4 miles the warning lights again became illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing motive power, and the contact depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer and the dealer was made are of the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,800.
NHTSA complaint #11652410 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The vehicle has a sensor in the front that will auto brake if it thinks I will crash into something . However many times it’s braked there’s been nothing in front of the car. I’ll have great distance between my car and the one in front of me. There have been at least 4 incidents since I’ve owned the car (1 year). There’s no active recalls, and the light will flash that I’m going to hit something until I shut off the car. Once I turn it back on the warning collision light is gone.
NHTSA complaint #11649368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
It all started when the electrical system just shut down. Then I had issues with the door locks not working and that electrical system not working. Then the car just stopping - shut off while driving. That was the worst. It just shut off and I could not get it to start again until I let it sit for a few minutes. Spent thousands of dollars on what the Nissan dealers said was wrong, but the issues just kept happening. Now all the lights on the dashboard are lit up, ABS, sensor, tracking, warning. I am attaching a picture for review. After spending so much money on this, I did some research and it seems that this is a continuing issue for Nissan Kicks 2019. Please help, I am tired of spending so much money and not fixing the issue.
NHTSA complaint #11648777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.