2021 Nissan Kicks Problems

What owners report

Complaints on the 2021 Kicks cluster around two areas: the forward collision/AEB system braking or warning when nothing is in front of the car, and paint bubbling and chipping around the windshield and body seams. A smaller but recurring group describes CVT transmission slipping, vibration and loss of acceleration, mostly in the 50,000-90,000 mile range. Door lock actuators and infotainment failures also appear in the sample.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Paint chipping and bubbling around windshield

   • 23 complaints (29%)
   • typically at 1.4 yrs old
   • filed 2022–2026

   Complaints describe paint chipping along the upper crease above the windshield, with rust appearing in the chipped areas. Some owners report paint bubbling up from beneath the surface on body panels, and at least one reports the dealer or manufacturer declining a corrosion warranty claim. Reported on vehicles at low mileage with no consistent mileage figure given in the sample; several are fleet units.

   What to check: Inspect the roof edge above the windshield and door seams closely for chipped or bubbled paint and any rust starting underneath, and ask whether any corrosion warranty claim has been filed.

   An excerpt from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11715572, filed 2026-02
2. 2
   Forward collision avoidance

   Forward collision/AEB braking with no obstacle

   • 14 complaints (18%)
   • typically at 2.5 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe the forward collision warning or automatic emergency braking activating when no vehicle is ahead, sometimes with the car briefly slowing or stopping. Several report it happens most often driving toward low sun, at night, or when passing vehicles in an adjacent turn lane, and that a warning message or lamp stays on until the car is restarted. Complaints mention multiple dealer visits where no fault was found, and some say they were told there was nothing to repair. Reported across a wide mileage range, from near-new vehicles to higher mileage, often in low sun or at night.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the radar/lane camera software updates in the related service bulletins have been applied, and test drive a car in bright low sun if possible. Note whether the AEB and forward collision lamps behave normally or come on without a vehicle ahead.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have experienced my forward collision warning light coming on when driving toward the sun in the mornings on my way to work. When I go into a shade it turns off but immediately pops back on and slows my car down when I return into the sunlight. It has not done this since I bought in July 2021 until last week.”

   NHTSA complaint #11435658, filed 2021-10

   “Hello, this has happened multiple times within a year & a half of having the vehicle (bought in Jan 2023) where the Front Collision Warning will randomly go off during anytime of the day, even at night. I have also had all the side collision warnings just stay yellow in the screen while driving. Just recently when I was driving in the mountains of GA, I had everything go off & the Forward Driving Aids Temporarily Disabled.”

   NHTSA complaint #11601753, filed 2024-07
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   CVT slipping, shudder and loss of acceleration

   • 11 complaints (14%)
   • median 72,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners report the transmission slipping or shuddering, the engine revving without the car picking up speed, and in some cases a complete loss of motive power while driving. Complaints also describe a burnt smell and dark transmission fluid, and say dealers either could not duplicate the problem or did not repair it. One mentions transmission vibration on reacceleration after braking. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 90,000 miles, with a few cases at lower mileage.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check transmission fluid condition and smell, and drive the car through stop-and-go and quick reacceleration to feel for shudder or hesitation. Ask for service records showing whether transmission fluid was ever changed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “At 54,000 miles on my car my car was shaking and not wanting to go past 20miles an hour. My check engine light came on. Safety was at risk, there was no warning that my car was having trouble. It was driving fine one minute and ttem all of a sudden check engine light came on. Feel that the cvt engines in Nissan are not safe”

   NHTSA complaint #11604841, filed 2024-07

   “The car won’t accelerate pass 40mph , ABS light will turn on , it completely stopped on the free way. I waited 5 minutes and the car started running. I d been doing this since march 2026. Got a diagnosis they thought it was a wheel bearings and sensor but the car didn’t accelerate again. And stopped working.”

   NHTSA complaint #11770181, filed 2026-10

Buying note. Ask for service records covering transmission fluid changes and any software updates for the driver-assist and infotainment systems, and check the paint above the windshield and around body seams for bubbling or rust. A test drive in varied light and stop-and-go traffic helps show whether the collision warning and transmission behave normally.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.