2023 Nissan Kicks Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2023 Nissan Kicks carries 1 open NHTSA recall — most recently covering inflator module. Owners report 6 recurring issue clusters, led by “Automatic emergency braking activation without obstruction.” Nissan owner's manuals split service into Schedule 1 (severe) and Schedule 2 (normal). Most US drivers fall under Schedule 1. The biggest preventable failure on Nissan vehicles is CVT transmission damage from extended fluid intervals — owners of Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, and Murano with CVT should not skip it.

1 Open Recall

Source: NHTSA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Campaign #24V154000 · Feb 27, 2024

Issue: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Titan, Frontier, Infiniti QX60, Pathfinder, 2023-2024 Sentra, Versa, Kicks, Infiniti QX50, and 2023 Rogue vehicles. Due to a manufacturing issue, the driver's air bag inflator may absorb moisture, and cause the air bag to deploy improperly.

Risk: An air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Dealers will replace the front driver's air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD103, PD104, and PMA34.

Recall data refreshed Sep 13, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2023 Nissan Kicks.

Reported to NHTSA

Automatic emergency braking activation without obstruction

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

10 NHTSA complaints · 2023-08 → 2026-05

The AEB system activated without cause (phantom braking incident). While driving on a neighborhood street (25-30 mph), the car seized up, came to a near complete stop, and a red (outline) and white (background) triangle containing a bold red exclamation mark appeared on the dash
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11554577
The emergency braking systems will randomly brake without anything in front of the car. When backing into a parking spot, if the car senses a parking block it will emergency brake. When driving, there has been a person walking on a sidewalk, not in the road or crossing the road…
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11674299
I was driving 55 mph where my car applied the automatic emergency feature and suddenly started breaking without reason. I was not able to accelerate due to the malfunction of the car breaking on its own and when the car reached about 30 mph that’s when i was able to accelerate…
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11636756

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine stall at stop lights and loss of acceleration

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER

7 NHTSA complaints · 2023-07 → 2026-03

I was sitting at a light during rush hour with my kids. The light turned green, but nothing happened when I pushed the car accelerator. I put my flashers on and tried not to panic. I put the car in park, turned it off, then turned it back on. The car worked properly and I was…
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11572787
While driving at about 25mph, the engine suddenly shut off without any warning. After the engine shut off the collision warning, battery and oil light indicators came on. The car remained in drive and started to roll backwards. When pressing the engine start button, nothing…
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11543318
Stalled problem on traffic light. It's hapen 2 times. First time 2 weeks ago, do not remember date. Second time its hapen 11.10.2023. On red light my car is stalled. Than I turn my flashers, alredy was green light. People start go around my car. Restart my car and drive my car…
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11555057

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Rear window spontaneous shattering

VISIBILITY/WIPER

3 NHTSA complaints · 2026-01 → 2026-03

Back window shattered spontaneously without notice
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11725483
WHILE COMING FROM THE GROCERY STORE TO MY APARTMENT I HEARD A LOUD POP AND I SAW THRU MY MIRROR THAT MY REAR WINDOW WAS SHATTERED. I. STOP ON THE NEXT BLOCK AND PARK TO SEE IF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING HIT MY WINDOW BUT NOTHING... I NOTICED ON THE SIDE OF THE SORROUNDI WINDOW THE…
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11713289
Back glass was shattered with no visible impact. Back glass was replaced by Safelite
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11713664

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CVT transmission failure and loss of motive power

POWER TRAIN

2 NHTSA complaints · 2025-08 → 2026-06

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…
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11743307
While driving uphill and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle decelerated and lost motive power. The failure became a persistent failure. The contact stated that on one occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, while the transmission was shifting from 1st to 2nd gear, a…
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11680327

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Driver-side blind spot camera signal loss

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

2 NHTSA complaints · 2025-08 → 2026-06

The driver side (left) camera seems to be partially out (gets a faint signal in sunlight, fully out at night) and it is unclear how well the saftey features work as a result
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11743070
there is now a second instance of one of the side cameras going out. The first one happened at roughly ~20k miles, and now the other side at ~36k miles. This is dangerous since these cameras feed into the lane keeping and blind spot systems, as well as the parking system
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11682783

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Intermittent no-start and electrical system failure

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2 NHTSA complaints · 2023-11 → 2025-12

The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine failed to turn over. The contact had to wait for 20 minutes to an hour before being able to start the vehicle. The failure was intermittent. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken…
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11704047
I was driving and the battery light came on again, after 5 minutes the acceleration stopped working as I turned into the subdivision. The vehicle was going 5mph, I was able to make to a relatives house. Once I pull in the driveway, all of the indicator lights came on and a…
Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11582132

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 13, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 13, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter

Every 5,000 mi

Replace synthetic-blend or full-synthetic oil every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1. Schedule 2: 7,500 miles. VR30DDTT (3.0L twin-turbo): full synthetic only.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 5,000 mi

Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Front-wheel-drive Nissans (Altima, Sentra, Versa) wear front tires fast — don't skip rotations.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

CVT Fluid (NS-3)

Every 60,000 mi

Nissan officially calls CVT fluid 'lifetime,' but independent technicians and Nissan TSBs recommend replacement every 60,000 miles to prevent CVT failure. Use Nissan NS-3 fluid only — substitutes destroy the belt-and-pulley system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$360–$500

Shop

~$255–$355

DIY

~$80–$180

CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Rogue and Pathfinder front pads typically last 35,000-50,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 2 years. Dark or amber fluid indicates moisture contamination.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles, sooner if driving on dusty unpaved roads.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Spark Plugs

Every 105,000 mi

Iridium-tipped spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on QR25, MR20, and VQ35 engines. VR30DDTT: 60,000 miles due to higher cylinder pressures.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Long-Life Coolant

Every 75,000 mi

Nissan Long-Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue/green): first change at 105,000 miles, then every 75,000. Do not mix with other coolant chemistries.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Transfer Case / Rear Diff (AWD models)

Every 60,000 mi

Rogue AWD, Murano AWD, Pathfinder 4WD: replace transfer case fluid and rear differential fluid every 60,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$105–$140

Shop

~$75–$100

DIY

~$15–$40

AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 15,000 mi

Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on Altima, Rogue, and Sentra.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

4 crashes 2010–2024

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

2

complaints mentioning a crash

0

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2023 Nissan Kicks reflects Nissan's published service intervals and the Maintenance Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.