Diagsheet

2020 Nissan Sentra · symptom sheet

Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking)

  • 26owner reports
  • 24,700median miles
  • 1involved a crash

Newest report Nov 20, 2025 · checked Sep 9, 2026

68 of the 204 complaints on this car are about collision avoidance. 26 of those describe phantom braking. Only infotainment is reported more often on this car.

Tick what matches of 26 reports

11
5
2
2
3

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the radar or camera sensor (9 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on collision avoidance covers the 2020 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into collision avoidance on the Sentra

DP16-002opened Dec 20, 2016
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · model years 2007 to 2008

Scope of recalls 08v311 and 09v431. Closed oct 2, 2017.

NHTSA summary
Nissan conducted safety recalls 08V-311 and 09V-431 to remedy leaking master cylinders on certain MY 2007 and 2008 Nissan Sentra vehicles.The recall populations were determined based on production changes to the master cylinder which were fully implemented into production on April 18, 2008.NHTSA utilized vehicle owner questionnaire (VOQ) reports and did not request field information from Nissan.ODI identified two MY 2008 Nissan Sentra VOQs including the petitioner?s vehicle, which were not covered by the recalls and reported a leaking master cylinder.Both of these incidents occurred 6 or more years into the service life of the vehicle.ODI also identified three VOQs which reported a leaking master cylinder after receiving the recall remedy.While one of these failures occurred within 36 months of the recall remedy, the other two occurred at a later time.ODI notes that the original recall addressed failures which occurred early in the life of the vehicle, typically during the first 36 months of service.Master cylinders are generally expected to experience wear and thus will display a finite service life.After a thorough review of the available data in NHTSA's VOQ database, the agency has not identified a trend that would call into question the scope or adequacy of Nissan's recalls.Accordingly, and in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, ODI is denying the petition.A detailed summary of ODI's analysi
PE14-014opened May 20, 2014
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · model years 2013 to 2014

Excessive brake pedal travel. Closed may 13, 2015.

NHTSA summary
On May 20, 2014, ODI opened PE14-014 based on eight complaints alleging incidents of excessive brake pedal travel in model year (MY) 2013 through 2014 Nissan Sentra, Versa Sedan and Versa Note passenger cars (Figure 1) and information in Early Warning Reporting field reports indicating issues with master cylinder internal seals.In response to an information request letter sent by ODI, Nissan identified a condition with the master cylinder in early production subject vehicles that could result in a slow internal leak past one of the recuperating seals to the brake reservoir when the brake pedal is depressed very slowly or lightly (Figure 2).The subject vehicles are equipped with fixed seal master cylinders supplied by TRW.To address concerns with water hammer noise with the standard seal design, the master cylinders in the early production subject vehicles used AWH (anti-water hammer) seals.The AWH seals are sensitive to contamination from assembly plant cleanliness issues, which can produce the internal leak condition during slow or light brake applies but perform as designed with normal or emergency brake applications.TRW indicated that the risk of contamination interacting with the subject seals is greatest after the evacuation and pressure fill process used to fill the brake system during the manufacturing process (early life issue).TRW developed a new master cylinder seal design (EVO seal) that addresses the noise concern and eliminates the internal leak concern associate
PE93-101opened Nov 30, 1993
Speed control · model years 1991 to 1993

Stalling. Closed mar 31, 1994.

NHTSA summary
There is no summary currently available

None of these investigations covers the 2020 model year.

When it happens

Too few of these reports state a mileage to give a range.

120
921
622
623
124
325

What owners wrote

“When driving the forward collision avoidance system acts up. It will randomly slam on the breaks when nothing is in front. It also happens when cruise control is on, it will slam the breaks with an empty road ahead. It also thinks that there is something ahead when the road is clear ahead. This needs to be looked at because the number of complaints in regard to this is silly.”

Filed Aug 18, 2023

“My vehicle randomly slammed on the brakes twice tonight within a 30 minute span. The first time was on a busy highway going about 45 mph at about 7:00 pm. The second time was on a residential street going about 25 mph at about 8:00 pm. Both times, the dashboard lit up red with hazard lights. Nothing was directly in front of me that would have caused the issue. Mileage is less than 20,000.”

Filed Aug 4, 2023

“Automatic Emergency Braking and Front Collision Avoidance system has caused the vehicle to brake when there is nothing in front of vehicle, or show "System Malfunction" on the dash. Dealer unable to duplicate but said it happens to most Nissan Sentra's. Found it happens more frequently when there is rain or bad weather.”

Filed Mar 2, 2023

“At 5:44 on Hwy 50/Elizabeth Ave in Pueblo, CO. The automatic emergency braking system locked up with no reason for it to do so. Thankfully we were not rear ended. I have documented via photograph of this system error alert coming on several times a week while driving this vehicle. It has been to the dealership now twice for this issue and will be making yet another appt to get the car back in again.”

Filed Dec 23, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 1 of 26 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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