- What you'll get from Nissan Kicks VIN check?
- Nissan Kicks Vehicle History Risk Factors
- Characters 1-3 of a Nissan Kicks VIN
- List of WMI Codes for a Nissan Kicks
- Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Nissan Kicks VIN
- Character 9 is the "check digit" in a Nissan Kicks VIN.
- 10th Character in the Nissan Kicks VIN — Year Code
- 11th Character in the Nissan Kicks VIN — Plant Code(s)
- Known Nissan Kicks Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
- VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Nissan Kicks
- How to find a Nissan Kicks's VIN?
- Sample VIN Decode Report for a Nissan Kicks
What you’ll get from Nissan Kicks VIN check?
- Plant City: The VIN may uncover the manufacturing location of the Nissan Kicks, potentially pointing to cities like Aguascalientes.
- Vehicle Type: The VIN could classify the Nissan Kicks as a passenger car, suggesting its primary use as a vehicle for transporting passengers.
- Transmission Style: The VIN might specify the transmission style, potentially indicating a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) for the Nissan Kicks.
- Fuel Type: The VIN may indicate that the Nissan Kicks is powered by gasoline, providing insights into its fuel requirements.
- Safety Systems: The VIN has the potential to provide information about the safety systems equipped in the Nissan Kicks, including features like Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and Traction Control, among others.
Nissan Kicks Vehicle History Risk Factors
Nissan’s reliability record is mixed — the Frontier and older Maxima have strong reputations, while the CVT-heavy lineup of the 2010s has generated one of the highest rates of powertrain complaints in the segment. A Bumper VIN check on a used Nissan should focus on the following:
CVT transmission failures across multiple models (2012–2018 Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Versa). Nissan’s Jatco CVT transmissions in this generation have among the highest owner-reported failure rates of any modern powertrain component. Failures typically manifest as shuddering, overheating, and sudden loss of drive between 60,000 and 120,000 miles. Nissan extended the warranty on these transmissions multiple times due to failure rates. A service record showing CVT replacement or fluid service is important context — but a replacement doesn’t guarantee the replacement unit will outlast the original.
Timing chain stretch on 2.5L QR25DE engine (2002–2012 Altima, Sentra, Rogue). Nissan’s QR25DE engine had documented timing chain and tensioner stretch issues that could cause engine damage if the chain jumped. Look for service records referencing timing chain noise or replacement.
Rust on Frontier and older Xterra. Nissan issued a frame rust recall for Frontiers from 2005–2016 in certain states after discovering frames that could rust completely through. Verify recall compliance on any Frontier from this era — this is a structural safety issue, not cosmetic rust.
Flood damage on Rogues and Altimas. Nissan’s compact SUVs and sedans appear frequently in flood damage reports from hurricane-affected regions. Electrical system issues from water intrusion are particularly problematic on the CVT-heavy Nissan lineup.
A Bumper VIN check shows accident history, title brands, flood damage, and odometer records for this specific vehicle.
How to decode a Nissan Kicks VIN
Characters 1-3 of a Nissan Kicks VIN
The World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the initial sequence of three letters or numbers in a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), uniquely identifying the manufacturer of the vehicle. For a Nissan Kicks, the WMI is ‘3N1’, which reveals that the vehicle is a Nissan model and it is manufactured by Nissan Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. in Mexico. The WMI is an essential component of a vehicle’s identity, making it possible to trace the car back to its manufacturer, model, and place of origin. It provides a standardized way of classifying vehicles across the global automotive industry.
List of WMI Codes for a Nissan Kicks
WMI: 3N1
- Model Years Covered: 2018-2024
- Example VIN: 3N1CP5CU0JL497093
- Manufacturer Name: Nissan Mexicana, S.A. de C.V.
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City:
- State or Province: C.P.
- Country: Mexico
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Nissan Kicks VIN
These characters correspond to components like:
- Engine type
- Transmission
- Model or trim
- Body style
- Gross vehicle weight range
Nissan’s Vehicle Descriptor Section encodes body style, restraint system type, engine variant, and series level across its Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Frontier, and Titan lineups. On the Rogue and Altima — Nissan’s two highest-volume models — the VDS distinguishes between CVT-equipped and traditional automatic variants, and between the 2.0L and 2.5L four-cylinder engines offered in different trim levels and model years. This is particularly relevant for used buyers because Nissan’s CVT transmission has a well-documented reliability gap compared to traditional automatics, and confirming which transmission a specific VIN has can significantly affect the risk profile of a used purchase.
Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.
Character 9 is the “check digit” in a Nissan Kicks VIN.
Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.
10th Character in the Nissan Kicks VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| R | 2024 Nissan Kicks |
| P | 2023 Nissan Kicks |
| N | 2022 Nissan Kicks |
| M | 2021 Nissan Kicks |
| L | 2020 Nissan Kicks |
| K | 2019 Nissan Kicks |
| J | 2018 Nissan Kicks |
11th Character in the Nissan Kicks VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known Nissan Kicks Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Smyrna | Tennessee | United States | Nissan North America Inc. | 3N1CP5CU0KC482479 |
| L | Aguascalientes | Aguascalientes | Mexico | Nissan Mexicana, S.A. De C.V. | 3N1CP5CU0JL497093 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Nissan Kicks
The final 6 characters in a Nissan Kicks’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Want to unlock even more detailed info about your vehicle?
How to find a Nissan Kicks’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your Nissan Kicks is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Nissan Kicks, as the VIN is frequently located here and can be seen through the windshield.
- Examine the door post (where the door latches when it is closed) on the driver’s side for a label that might contain the VIN.
- Check the engine block, where the VIN is sometimes stamped directly onto the engine itself.
- Review your Nissan Kicks’ vehicle registration documents or insurance papers, which will always list the VIN along with other important vehicle details.
- Inspect the vehicle’s frame near the windshield washer fluid reservoir, which may house the VIN plate.
- Locate the area beneath the spare tire, as sometimes the VIN can be found on the body of the car in the compartment where the spare tire is stored.
Don’t have your Nissan Kicks’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a Nissan Kicks
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) | Standard |
| Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) | Standard |
| Auto-Reverse System for Windows and Sunroofs | Standard |
| Backup Camera | Standard |
| Blind Spot Warning (BSW) | Standard |
| Body Class | Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback |
| Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) | Standard |
| Curtain Air Bag Locations | 1st and 2nd Rows |
| Displacement (CC) | 1600.0 |
| Displacement (CI) | 97.63799055157 |
| Displacement (L) | 1.6 |
| Doors | 4 |
| Drive Type | 4x2 |
| Dynamic Brake Support (DBS) | Standard |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | Standard |
| Engine Configuration | In-Line |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 4 |
| Event Data Recorder (EDR) | Standard |
| Forward Collision Warning (FCW) | Standard |
| Front Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From | Class 1B: 3,001 - 4,000 lb (1,360 - 1,814 kg) |
| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating To | Class 1B: 3,001 - 4,000 lb (1,360 - 1,814 kg) |
| Headlamp Light Source | Halogen |
| Keyless Ignition | Standard |
| Knee Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| Lane Departure Warning (LDW) | Standard |
| Lane Keeping Assistance (LKA) | Optional |
| Model | Kicks |
| Model Year | 2023 |
| Number of Seat Rows | 2 |
| Number of Seats | 5 |
| Other Restraint System Info | 3-Point Manual Belts: Driver and Passenger / 2nd row outboard & center |
| Parking Assist | Standard |
| Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking (PAEB) | Standard |
| Plant City | Aguascalientes |
| Plant Company Name | Mexico Aguascalientes plant |
| Plant Country | Mexico |
| Plant State | Ags. |
| Rear Automatic Emergency Braking | Standard |
| Rear Cross Traffic Alert | Standard |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Semiautomatic Headlamp Beam Switching | Standard |
| Side Air Bag Locations | 1st and 2nd Rows |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type | Direct |
| Traction Control | Standard |
| Transmission Speeds | 1 |
| Transmission Style | Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) |
| Trim | SV |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 3N1CP5CV*PL |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample VIN | 3N1CP5CV0PL465827 |
Specs tell you what it was built with. A VIN check tells you what's happened since.
Check any Nissan Kicks for accident history, flood damage, salvage title, and odometer fraud.
Run a free VIN check →Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the VIN on a Nissan Kicks?
On most Nissan vehicles, the VIN is located on the driver’s side dashboard, visible through the windshield from outside the car. It’s also on a sticker inside the driver’s side door jamb, and on your insurance card, title, and registration documents.
How do I check a Nissan Kicks's history for free?
Enter the Nissan Kicks’s 17-digit VIN into Bumper’s free VIN check at bumper.com. The free check shows factory specs and open NHTSA recalls. For the full history including accident records, title brands, theft status, and ownership history, run a full Bumper report.
What do Nissan Kicks VIN numbers start with?
Nissan Kicks VIN's start with 3N1 for vehicles manufactured by Nissan Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. in Mexico. The first three characters of any VIN identify the manufacturer. The full WMI table on this page lists all known codes for the Nissan Kicks.
Decode a Nissan VIN
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