Nissan Kicks Gas Gauge Not Working – Here's the Solution

You are pulling away from a gas station, and you notice the gas gauge is not working, yet you have just filled the tank. You are in a panic and confused, wondering whether your Nissan Kicks is playing tricks on you. The good thing is that you are the one who picked up the nozzle from the gas pump and pulled the trigger of the nozzle until the tank was filled.

In this article, we discuss the gas gauge issue that is now common on Nissan Kicks. A considerable number of Nissan Kicks drivers have reported the issue. The problem seems to affect this Nissan model of all years. Here, we will explore the various reasons that cause the gauge to stop working. We will further describe the various steps you can take to solve this gas gauge problem.

The Nissan Kicks gas gauge

Nissan Kicks is a pretty new model from Nissan, introduced in 2016. As such, it comes with modern features, and the technology employed in most of its parts and systems is pretty new. Looking at the gas gauge of the Nissan Kicks, you will find that it indicates the approximate fuel level in the gas tank.

When the fuel level in the tank runs low, some Nissan Kicks will display a warning message that the car is running low on fuel. Others will illuminate a warning light about the same. The Nissan equips the Nissan Kicks with the DTE, Distance To Empty, indicator to help you manage gas more effectively.

The DTE indicator displays the distance the car can be driven before refueling. This indicator is found between the tachometer and the speedo and will display the miles digitally. This number is normally calculated based on the amount of gas in the tank, the most recent gas economy of the car, and the actual fuel consumption rate. Driving conditions and patterns will make the DTE value vary, which then means that the DTE shown can vary from the actual distance the gas can last. 

Nissan Kicks gas gauge not working problem

The Nissan Kicks gas gauge tends to fail from time to time. Quite a number of owners of this car have reported issues concerning the gas gauge. Some of the reasons why the gauge stops working are simple, while others are quite technical. Solving this gas gauge issue can be simple and without any cost, but for others, you will need to visit a Nissan dealership to have it resolved. Here are some of the reasons for the Nissan Kicks gas gauge not working;

1) The DTE not working

The most common issue with Nissan Kicks and several other Nissan models is a malfunctioning DTE feature. For most Nissan Kicks, the DTE when the gas tank is filled up is 300 miles. As you drive your car, the DTE should drop gradually toward zero, and this should help you know when to do a refill.

Many drivers have reported that the DTE stops working after refueling and won't match up. The distance to empty remains unchanged after refueling, hence making it impossible for the driver to know the estimated distance the gas in the tank will take them.

Solution

The answer to this problem has been provided by Nissan and can be found in the user manual. All you have to do is do a reset of the DTE system. Go to the menu on the instrument cluster and select the average MPG. A pop-up question will appear - Reset Avg Fuel Fuel Economy Confirm Reset? Press 'YES', and that should reset the DTE. Driving for a short distance will update the DTE.

It is important to read the user manual on how the gas gauge and the DTE work. If you refuel the car with less than 10 liters or leave the ignition while refueling, then the DTE will not be updated. To resolve this, you will need to make several trips for the DTE to update itself. You should also not be refueling your vehicle while the engine runs. If the DTE fails to update even after several trips, which is not likely, then it is time to visit the dealership. 

There are times when driving around or a reset will not solve the DTE issue. Some people have successfully solved this issue by disconnecting the car battery for a few minutes. Disconnecting the battery helps erase DTE memory, and it's forced to read afresh. Where the DTE's countdown moves faster than the actual gas consumption, disconnecting the battery has been seen to resolve the issue.

2) Faulty sending unit

The gas gauge may fail to indicate whether or how much gas you have in the tank. This issue is also common in the Nissan Kicks and can be quite frustrating. The most likely culprit when the gauge fails to work completely is the sending unit.

The sending unit is located at the top of the fuel tank under the back seat of your Nissan Kicks. The sending unit is responsible for the constant monitoring of gas in the tank. Over time and due to the constant usage, the unit wears, and at some time, it might become faulty and fail to monitor the gas level.

The sending unit connects with the instrument cluster through a pair of contacts. It moves along a variable resistor, which wears off over time. When these contacts wear out, the gas circuits can remain closed or open. The wrong voltage from the circuits to the gas gauge means the gauge might think the tank is either full or empty. This will then make the gas gauge fail to register whether the gas tank has fuel or not. When the sending unit malfunctions in Nissan Kicks, the gauge will fail, and the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) or check engine light will illuminate. A trouble code will also be recorded.

Solution

The solution to this sending unit problem is that you need the services of a qualified Nissan mechanic. It is best to send your car to a Nissan dealership, where the unit will be replaced for free if the vehicle is still under warranty. A sending unit for this car goes for around $200.

3) Faulty instrument cluster

Modern cars like Nissan Kicks have an integrated instrument cluster. This means that rather than having many circuit boards for all systems behind the dash, a single circuit board encompassing the fuel system, the MPG, the tachometer, the lane departure system, and others is installed.

Several Nissan Kicks owners report that when the gas gauge stopped working, the suggestion, or rather the part that finally made it work, was a new instrument cluster. The gas gauge could also be faulty, and the digital indicator may get stuck at a particular point, even though this is not common.

Solution

A malfunctioning instrument cluster is susceptible to many faults, including a faulty gas gauge. You might notice that besides the gas gauge malfunctioning, other indicators are faulty as well. The answer to this problem, unfortunately for Nissan Kicks, is pricey. The price ranges between $700 to $1,500 depending on your location and the scarcity of Nissan parts.

4) A circuit issue

The gas gauge depends on a circuit to function as intended. Wires are running from the fuel sender to the instrument cluster to the fuses. The circuit also requires the right voltage and proper ground for the fuel sender and the instrument cluster for proper functioning. When the circuit has a problem or interruption, the gas gauge will stop working. The smooth operation of the circuit can also be disrupted if there is corrosion on sending unit contacts and other metallic parts.

Solution

The answer to this problem lies in establishing what is the root cause. If the contacts are corroded or if the wiring has issues, then you will need to attend to that specific problem. Many are times when Nissan Kicks owners have been advised to replace the sending unit and, after that, the instrument cluster, only for the problem to turn out to be a simple wiring issue. The technician working on the vehicle should ground the instrument and the sending unit properly to avoid future gas gauge problems.

Conclusion

Nissan Kicks gas gauge has been problematic for some people. The DTE especially has been frustrating for some people. However, reading the user manual and allowing the car systems to sort themselves will go a great way in resolving this issue. For example, when you refuel and the gauge doesn't register, drive for a few miles, and the gauge will most likely reset by itself. As indicated in the user manual, minimal refueling of the car or refueling while the engine is still running will not be registered in the DTE fuel system.

When everything has been said and done, the Nissan Kicks gas gauge issues, while unique to the car model, are not particularly more than those of any other car model. When the gauge fails or starts to malfunction, start with the basics. When a reset and driving around for a few trips doesn't solve the gauge issue, it is time to engage the services of a Nissan dealership.