Nissan Kicks Instrument Cluster Recall — When the Dashboard Goes Dark
Nissan has acknowledged the defect to federal regulators: NHTSA campaign 26V331000 covers vehicles where a software error in the combination meter may cause the screen display to go partially or fully blank — a failure to meet the federal standard for dashboard displays. A blank dashboard hides your speed and warning lights. When a manufacturer concedes a defect that fails a federal standard, RockPoint Law's attorneys pursue a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement.
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Nissan North America, Inc. is recalling certain 2025–2026 Kicks vehicles because a software error in the combination meter may cause the screen display to go partially or fully blank (NHTSA 26V331000, reported May 21, 2026). As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the federal standard for vehicle controls and displays. Nissan concedes that a blank display will not show critical safety information such as vehicle speed and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will update the combination meter software, free of charge. A recall is the manufacturer admitting in writing that the vehicle was sold defective — here, one that doesn't meet a federal safety standard. If Nissan can't make the vehicle right in a reasonable time, or the fix doesn't hold, your state's Lemon Law and the federal warranty acts may entitle you to a refund, a replacement vehicle, or cash, and RockPoint Law pursues that claim directly against Nissan.
The official NHTSA filing
| NHTSA Campaign | 26V331000 |
|---|---|
| Date Reported | May 21, 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Nissan North America, Inc. |
| Vehicles Affected | 51,598 |
| Models Covered | Nissan Kicks |
| Model Years | 2025–2026 |
| Defect | Combination meter software error can blank the display, hiding speed and warning lights; fails FMVSS 101 |
| Manufacturer Remedy | Dealers update the combination meter software, free of charge |
| Nissan Customer Service | 1-800-647-7261 (Nissan recall no. PMA66) |
| Safety Severity | Display Failure |
Can I keep driving while I wait for the repair?
NHTSA has not issued a Do Not Drive or Park Outside warning for this recall. You can generally keep driving while you wait for the free repair, but you should not ignore it: A partial or blank screen display will not show critical safety information such as vehicle speed and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash. Schedule the recall service as soon as parts are available, and keep every repair order in case the fix does not hold.
A blank gauge cluster, and the safety information it hides
The combination meter is the digital gauge cluster directly in front of the driver — it shows your speed, your warning and indicator lights, and the alerts the vehicle uses to tell you something is wrong. In this recall, Nissan concedes that on these Kicks vehicles “a software error in the combination meter may cause the screen display to go partially or fully blank.” A dashboard that goes dark takes away the driver's primary source of information about the vehicle.
This is a federal compliance failure, not just Nissan's own risk assessment. The filing states the vehicles “fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, ‘Control and Displays,’” and that “a partial or blank screen display will not show critical safety information such as vehicle speed and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.” Driving without a speedometer or warning lights means driving blind to the very signals that prevent accidents.
The remedy is a combination meter software update. A calibration can correct the error that blanks the screen, but owners are right to ask whether reprogramming fully resolves a display that has already gone dark. By filing recall 26V331000, Nissan has formally acknowledged the noncompliance. Whether the fix actually restores a vehicle you can trust is exactly the question a Lemon Law claim is built to test.
Kicks dashboard going blank? A display defect that fails a federal safety standard is exactly the kind of issue that turns a recall into a claim. Let our attorneys review your service history.
Free Case Review →Why a federal-standard display failure raises the stakes
Owners are right to be uneasy about a gauge cluster that can go dark — without it you can't see your speed or the warning lights that tell you something is wrong. That unease is also the legal core of a Lemon Law claim: safety, value, and trust in the vehicle.
A recall obligates Nissan to attempt a free repair — nothing more. It does not refund you, replace your Kicks, or compensate you for owning a vehicle that didn't meet a federal safety standard. A Lemon Law claim is your personal right to a real remedy when that repair comes up short. A recall documents the problem; a claim is what makes the manufacturer pay for it.
State Lemon Laws and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act share three core requirements, and a recall that admits a federal safety-standard failure helps satisfy the first two before you ever reach the dealer:
- A substantial defect — a gauge cluster that can go partially or fully blank — in a vehicle that fails its federal display standard — hides the speed and warning lights a driver needs to drive safely.
- The manufacturer's knowledge — recall 26V331000 is Nissan's written admission, on the record, that the combination meter software can blank the display and that the vehicles fail to comply with a federal standard.
- A reasonable number of failed repair attempts — this is the part you build — by documenting the software update, the date and mileage, and any time the display goes blank afterward.
Protect the vehicle, and the record
The best outcomes go to owners who treat each visit as part of the record. Follow this path to keep your options open:
- Step 1 · Confirm
Verify your VIN and get the software update
Check your 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov or call Nissan at 1-800-647-7261 (Nissan recall PMA66). If included, have the dealer update the combination meter software free of charge. Owner letters are expected to be mailed July 1, 2026.
- Step 2 · Document
Get the repair order — in writing
Keep the repair order showing the date, mileage, the software update applied, and the recall number (26V331000). For a display defect that fails a federal standard, written proof of exactly what was done is essential to any later claim.
- Step 3 · Observe
Log every blank-display event
After the update, note any time the gauge cluster goes partially or fully blank — the date, mileage, and what you couldn't see. A photo or video of the blank display is powerful evidence. A display problem the update didn't fully resolve is exactly what to capture.
- Step 4 · Act
If Nissan can't make it right, call counsel
If the update doesn't hold and the display keeps going blank, you may qualify for a buyback, replacement, or cash. That's when you hand the matter to RockPoint Law.
Kicks dashboard still going dark after the recall? That instinct is worth checking. Send us your service records and we'll tell you where you stand, free.
Talk to an Attorney →Nissan Kicks instrument cluster recall & Lemon Law questions
Does the Kicks instrument cluster recall automatically make my vehicle a lemon?
No. Recall 26V331000 is Nissan conceding a software error may blank the combination meter display and that the vehicles fail to comply with the federal display standard — strong evidence, but not the whole case. Whether your Kicks is a lemon depends on two more things: that the defect substantially impairs the vehicle, and that Nissan can't put it right in a reasonable number of attempts. A display that keeps going blank after the update, or repeat visits for the same issue, is what tips it into a claim. We review your records and tell you if you've crossed that line.
Why does it matter that the vehicle fails a federal safety standard?
Nissan's filing states these vehicles fail to comply with the federal standard for vehicle controls and displays. A vehicle that doesn't meet a federal safety standard it was legally required to meet is, by definition, not as warranted. For a Lemon Law or warranty claim, a documented federal-standard noncompliance is a strong fact, because it goes to whether the vehicle was fit for sale in the first place.
Is it safe to drive my Kicks if the display goes blank?
Nissan's own filing states a partial or blank display won't show critical safety information such as vehicle speed and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash. If your display is going blank, it's wise to get the free software update promptly and to document each occurrence. If the problem continues after the repair, that's precisely the kind of fact a Lemon Law claim is built to address.
What does it cost to have RockPoint Law review my case?
Nothing to start. Your case review is free and confidential. In most Lemon Law and warranty matters the manufacturer pays attorney's fees if your claim succeeds, so you can pursue Nissan without paying us out of pocket. Lemon Law eligibility depends on the specific facts of your case.
Kicks instrument cluster still not right after the recall?
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