Nissan’s Automatic Emergency Braking System (AEB System)
Automatic emergency braking systems are astounding technological advancements… when they are working properly. Unfortunately, that is not a reality for many Nissan consumers who allege the automaker of selling vehicles with defective Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) or Forward Collision Warning (FCW) systems.
Several class-action lawsuits say that these faulty braking systems make several vehicles within Nissan’s portfolio unsafe to drive.
Several Nissan drivers have reported serious issues while their vehicles were in motion, such as their vehicles suddenly stopping while driving despite no obstacles behind or in front of the car. 14 crashes and 5 deaths have been linked to sudden and automatic actions by AEB/FCW systems.
AEB first began appearing in Nissan vehicles in 2015, affected models include but are not limited to 2017-current year:
- Nissan Altima
- Nissan Armada
- Nissan Leaf
- Nissan Maxima
- Nissan Murano
- Nissan Pathfinder
- Nissan Rogue
- Nisan Rogue Sport
- Nissan Sentra
- Nissan Titan
Virtually any Nissan vehicle that is a model year 2015 or newer could be equipped with a faulty radar system. There is reason to believe that certain Nissan Kicks and Nissan Versa models are also affected. So far, there is currently no official Nissan recall pertaining to the AEB system.
How Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and Forward Collision Warning (FCW) Work
Nissan’s AEB is a driving technology that is supposed to prevent collisions by detecting obstacles and triggering the brake system if the driver does not respond in time. The system relies on radars and front distance sensors.
Problems arise when the AEB/FCW systems detect non-existent obstacles, triggering the brakes despite there being no obstacles to the front or rear of the vehicle. Several Nissan drivers have reported that their vehicles abruptly stopped or decelerated while driving, increasing their risk of side-on or rear-end collisions.
Sudden stopping or deceleration are not the only signs that a Nissan vehicle’s AEB system is faulty. Affected vehicles will also exhibit “Front radar unavailable due to malfunction” warning messages, sudden acceleration, and difficulty starting.
These vehicles also tend to display a brake system warning light as well as other Nissan warning lights. Nissan dashboard symbols and meanings can be hard to decipher—which is why it is crucial to be attentive and take your vehicle in for repairs when a warning light appears.
Consumer Complaints
Nissan’s automatic emergency braking system was initially designed to prevent accidents, but unfortunately for many drivers, it has had the opposite effect.
Nissan owners and lessees have lodged numerous formal complaints regarding their experiences with the AEB/FCW systems in their vehicles. The following are official complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
“While moving at 35 MPH on a paved surface street with no obstacles/cars in front of me or behind me and a green light at the next traffic light, the car made a high-pitched noise and came to a full stop. Seemed as if the emergency braking system engaged for no apparent reason. Could have caused a rear end collision if anyone were behind me or if I were on the highway”
2018 Nissan Rogue Owner
“Faulty radar on my Nissan Pathfinder is compromising my emergency braking system. It frequently deactivates itself thereby disabling my cruise control and the emergency braking system. A warning flashes on the dashboard to indicate the problem: front radar unavailable. In my view the emergency braking system is unreliable.”
2018 Nissan Pathfinder Owner
“While driving forward, the vehicle suddenly, unexpectedly and violently applies the brakes without any driver input whatsoever! There are no other vehicles or pedestrians in the vicinity at the time. This sudden braking problem began on or about 5/15/18 and happened on several occasions after that. Twice while entering the underground parking garage at an office building and twice while driving on a city street. Vehicle has been at the local Nissan dealer for over a week but neither the dealership nor the manufacturer apparently has any idea how to fix the problem. They think that there is a fault in the Automatic Emergency Braking system. The service manager told me that other instances of the same issue have been reported to Nissan. The salesperson indicated that there were 4 other similar cases at their dealership alone.”
2018 Nissan LEAF Owner
“While parallel parking, we backed into the space and when we put the car in Drive, it lurched forward at an incredible speed. We hit and pushed the car parked in front of us, hopped up onto the sidewalk, knocked down a street light, and moved a huge concrete planter.”
2020 Nissan Murano Owner
Work With a Nissan Lemon Law Expert
New technologies like AEB should help prevent auto collisions, not initiate them. If you have experienced forward emergency braking system Nissan collision warning light issues, or your vehicle has had several repairs for recurring problems, then your vehicle could very well be a lemon.
Your Nissan vehicle may be a part of one or more class-action lawsuits against the auto manufacturer. Make sure to opt out before the deadline so that you can successfully open a lemon law claim. Individual claims can offer significantly more in recovery than settlements from class-action lawsuits.
Nissan has allegedly known about manufacturing problems with their automatic braking systems since 2015 yet continued to sell affected vehicles anyway and offer no solutions. Do not allow Nissan to brush your concerns under the rug—get in touch with a Lemon Law Expert as soon as possible.
An experienced California lemon law attorney can help you opt-out of any lawsuits pertaining to your vehicle, begin a lemon law claim, and recover any damages you have incurred because of your Nissan lemon.
If your Nissan was purchased or leased, new or used, and has been in and out of the repair shop, there is a chance that it is a lemon. You may qualify for a refund, replacement vehicle, or cash compensation for your Nissan. To determine whether you have a lemon law claim, contact us online or call (877) 885-5366 today.
