2018 Nissan Kicks: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
84 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 84 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 10.5
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
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 worrying during normal driving. We got it replaced and so far okay, but recently the ABS and traction control lights come on and stay on. Another issue that many MANY Nissan owners experience. Some people t…
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 any help with a recall or repair. I was quoted $4000 to fix. Possible lemon laws. If you research on google. The Kicks are notorious for this problem. The mechanics I talked to laughed or knew all abo…
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 was restarted; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions and was diagnosed with airflow sensor failure. The contact was informed that the airflow sensor n…
Recalls: 1 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 19V654000 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | 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. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 33 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $1,850
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Unknown Or Other26 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System23 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine21 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Forward Collision Avoidance19 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Service Brakes15 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Electronic Stability Control (Esc)12 complaints · typical job: Yaw sensor or ESC module replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$660–$1,560
Other Nissan Kicks years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Nissan Kicks?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Unknown Or Other (26 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Nissan Kicks a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 91/100, computed from 84 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Nissan Kicks's most common problem?
26 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Nissan Kicks sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is diagnosis and mixed repair: about 2.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$940 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2018 Nissan Kicks cost to run per year?
About $3,839 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $19,198 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2018 Nissan Kicks have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Nissan Kicks, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 12/09/2019. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2018 Nissan Kicks really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 84 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 84 NHTSA complaints on record (10.5/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (15.2/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems