NissanKicks2018Overview/nissan/kicks/2018/base/

2018 Nissan Kicks

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Kicks.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2018 Nissan Kicks enters the segment as a passenger car propelled by an automatic transmission with variable gear ratios that delivers an EPA-estimated 31/36/33 mpg across city, highway, and combined cycles. Its inaugural model year recorded 83 owner complaints and a single recall, with the leading complaint category listed as unknown or other. That complaint tally positions the 2018 below the model's peak of 133 reports in 2019 but well above the 4-complaint low seen in 2026, suggesting the first year carried typical early-production volume before a sharp decline in reported issues over the 2018–2026 span.

Model year20252024202320222021202020192018

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque83 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy31/36/33 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 1520865F0E. Note the factory front wiper blades is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Tire sizeP205/60R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rimNS inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520865F0E
Engine air filter165465RB1A
Spark plug224015RL1B
Front wiper blades288905RL0B discontinued · alt 288905RL0A
Serpentine belt117205RB0B
Thermostat212005RF3A alt 21049ED00A
Cabin air filter278915RB0C

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined31 / 36 / 33 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Kicks of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.7–9.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.70 sec — 2018 SR
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2018SR 1.6L I-49.70 sec17.50 sec125 hpFWD
2018SR 1.6L I-49.70 sec17.50 sec125 hpFWD
2018SR 1.6L I-49.90 sec17.60 sec125 hpFWD
2018SR 1.6L I-49.90 sec17.60 sec125 hpFWD
2020SR 1.6L I-410.50 sec18.00 sec122 hpFWD
2021SR 1.6L I-410.00 sec17.90 sec122 hpFWD
2021SR 1.6L I-410.10 sec17.70 sec122 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 83 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)5.1 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)5.1 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)58.0 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts80 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts80.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs18 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts83 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2

Service checks

RPM73.0
RPM73.0

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6014 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 4 stages
120.0 ft. lbs.20 ft. lbs
2Back off 360.0 degrees360 degrees
314.0 ft. lbs.14 ft. lbs
460.0
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
126.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6026 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6022 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages
130 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
2Turn 60 degrees60 degrees
3Loosen all bolts in reverse order.
430 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
5Turn 75 degrees75 degrees
6Turn 75
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
124 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6024 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
124.0 ft. lbs.24 ft. lbs
260.0

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant at 105,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 105,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Keyless Entry Remote Battery (replace)
Every 20,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
At 40,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2018 Nissan Kicks recorded 83 complaints and 124 TSBs, appearing more stable than the subsequent 2019 model, which saw an increase to 133 complaints and 138 TSBs. Across the generation, complaint volume peaked in 2019 before trending downward to 31 by 2025, while recalls remained low until spiking to 4 in 2025 and 3 in 2026. For the 2018 model specifically, the primary complaint areas were "Unknown Or Other" (12) and "Service Brakes" (6), although the data does not specify the root causes for these issues. The year also reported one crash complaint and zero fire complaints. Because it avoids the peak complaint volume of 2019 and the higher recall rates of the latest model years, this is a good year to buy.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
124
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
83
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 83 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other12
Service Brakes6
Forward Collision Avoidance4
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)4
Engine3
Service Brakes,Forward Collision Avoidance3
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other,Engine3
Electrical System,Forward Collision Avoidance3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19V654000Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: CameraReported 12/09/2019

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… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 124 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB23-048A2026-04-08Electrical SystemDTC P17F4 STORED IN THE TCM IF YOU CONFIRM The customer reports transmission vibration…
NTB19-033G2025-02-20Forward Collision AvoidanceINTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE AND AEB/FEB WARNING LIGHT ON OR RADAR OBSTRUCTION…
NTB13-107G2024-05-20Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Kicks. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2018 Kicks have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Kicks get?

EPA figures are 31 city / 36 highway / 33 combined mpg.