2025 Nissan Kicks Visibility Problems

On the morning of October 19 at approximately 6:16 AM, I was driving the vehicle to my sister's home roughly 15 miles away. About 5 miles into the journey, without any other vehicles around or any external impact, I heard a loud boom. Upon pulling over to inspect the car, I discovered that the rear windshield had spontaneously shattered and exploded, held in place entirely by the window tint. Based on the environmental conditions and vehicle operation at the time, I believe this failure was caused by thermal stress. The outside temperature was 52 degrees, and I had the rear defroster activated; the cold glass combined with the heat from the defroster caused severe thermal shock, leading the glass to stress and shatter. Spontaneous breakage due to thermal stress or manufacturing defects in tempered glass is a known issue and should be covered under the vehicle's warranty. I contacted my dealership to report this dangerous manufacturer defect. I was informed that the manager would be notified and would follow up with me promptly. Unfortunately, that callback never occurred. Because the dealership failed to respond, I had to arrange for the glass replacement independently through my insurance to ensure the vehicle was safe to drive.

NHTSA ID

11772695

Incident

Oct 19, 2026

Upon inspection by a certified technician, the windshield was found to have a stress crack. The repair evaluation confirmed there is no visible point of strike or impact from road debris. Although similar issues are commonly reported, the manufacturer denied knowledge of any widespread problem and refused to cover the repair costs. Previous management of this concern was negligent in addressing the defect. I have videos, photos of the damage, and a copy of the repair receipt available as evidence.

NHTSA ID

11734851

Incident

Apr 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle, there was ice on the rear glass. After closing the door, the rear glass shattered. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The local dealer was contacted, but did not answer. The contact drove to the dealer in person; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 8,000.

NHTSA ID

11716932

Incident

Feb 9, 2026

Mileage

8,000 mi

By 2,000 miles, cracked windsheild experienced. Had windsheild replaced. After 1st rain, windshield leaked, passenger top. Passenger floor also saturated. Windsheild removed then replaced after finding no cracks or problems with seal. Then, experienced 3 leaks passenger top windshield and ice 4-6 inches wide along entire interior bottom of windshield. Windsheild, again, replaced. Dealer refuses to check alternative reasons for leaking such as seam failure. Windshield replacements done by safelite. Dealer insists it's their responsibility. However, seam leaks and other issues are the dealers responsibility.

NHTSA ID

11715765

Incident

May 8, 2025

On or about 01/13/2025 my windshield cracked spontaneously during normal highway driving. As this is a brand new vehicle I find that Nissan needs to investigate the quality control of their windshield installation for the 2025 Kicks models. I have found many people online via facebook or reddit who have made similar complaints regarding their brand new 2025 Kicks windshield cracking within the last 3 months. As well as reports from Nissan's parts centers and Safelite regarding a delay in replacement windshields for this specific car due to increased demand.There were no warnings or symptoms of the problem prior.

NHTSA ID

11711002

Incident

Jan 13, 2026

The windshield cracks and breaks super easy this is a hazard because the windshield protects us. There needs to be a recall for a better sturdier windshield. I am not the only one with the nissan kicks who has this issue!

NHTSA ID

11700839

Incident

Nov 20, 2025

To the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT): I picked up a new car on January 11, and on January 28, I discovered a 10-inch crack on the inside of the front windshield. On February 1, I took the vehicle to a Nissan service center for inspection, and they confirmed the presence of another crack. As a vehicle manufacturer, Nissan should have the professional equipment necessary to inspect the windshield for cracks. However, since I filed my complaint with Nissan on February 1, it has now been over 20 days, and I have yet to receive any resolution or formal response. I cannot help but wonder—is Nissan intentionally delaying this matter to avoid responsibility? If Nissan does not have the proper inspection equipment, I propose that the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYSDMV) conduct an official inspection to determine the facts. Additionally, on the morning after I picked up the car on January 11 I found that the windshield washer fluid was not spraying. Upon checking, I discovered that the washer fluid reservoir was completely frozen. When I reported this issue to the Nissan sales staff, I was told, “Nissan’s washer fluid is like this—it will work once the car warms up.” This response is unacceptable. Is this really the standard for delivering a new Nissan vehicle? I am filing this complaint with DOT today because I am deeply concerned about the safety risks posed by the cracked windshield. In addition to the initial crack, I have now discovered another crack about 2 inches long near the first one. If this issue is not resolved promptly, it could pose a serious safety hazard. I urge DOT to take this matter seriously and push Nissan to take immediate action to address this issue and ensure consumer safety, preventing any potential accidents. I appreciate DOT’s attention to this matter and look forward to your response. Thank you.

NHTSA ID

11645082

Incident

Jan 11, 2025

Dear Mr / Madam I purchased a brand-new NISSAN SUV on January 13, 2025, but I have encountered serious quality issues since the day I took delivery of the vehicle. The specific problems are as follows: Wiper Washer Malfunction: On the day of delivery, I discovered that the vehicle's wiper washer system was faulty. The washer fluid was frozen, making it unusable. Front Windshield Crack: On January 28, 2025, I noticed a curved crack approximately 7 to 8 inches long on the inside of the front windshield, directly in the driver's field of vision. This crack is clearly visible in sunlight, and when touching the interior side of the glass, it can be distinctly felt. At that time, the vehicle's mileage was 364 miles. After inspection, it was confirmed that the vehicle had not been involved in any collisions. I reported this issue to Nissan Sales on February 1, 2025. Nissan company conducted an inspection, confirmed the presence of the crack, and stated that the vehicle had not experienced any impact. However, nearly a month has passed, and Nissan has yet to provide a clear resolution. I am deeply concerned about whether this crack poses a safety risk while driving, particularly whether the windshield might shatter unexpectedly during operation. I do not know if this constitutes a serious safety hazard, nor can I determine whether the glass will suddenly break in the future. This uncertainty is causing me significant anxiety. Since Nissan has not yet provided a timely solution, I feel compelled to formally lodge this complaint with NHTSA. I sincerely hope that Nissan will promptly address this issue and provide an appropriate resolution. Thank you! Sincerely,

NHTSA ID

11644476

Incident

Jan 14, 2025