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 Oct 2, 2026
68 of the 205 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
Phantom braking on other Sentra years
No other Sentra model year has enough reports of phantom braking for a sheet of its own. See every Sentra year.
What this problem usually is
Phantom braking is a car that brakes hard on its own, often at highway speed, with nothing in the road ahead. About one owner in five mentions a near miss with the car behind.
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 Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into collision avoidance on the Sentra
Scope of recalls 08v311 and 09v431. Closed oct 2, 2017.
Excessive brake pedal travel. Closed may 13, 2015.
Stalling. Closed mar 31, 1994.
None of these investigations covers the 2020 model year.
When it happens
Too few of these reports state a mileage to give a range.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 3 service bulletins or notices for the 2020 Nissan Sentra that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING WARNING LIGHT BLINKING APPLIED SYSTEMS: Vehicles equipped with a lane camera (see Figure 1) SERVICE INFORMATION If the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) warning light or is blinking (but not illuminated steadily) or the customer states it is blinking, and there are no related DTCs, inspect the ...
AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING WARNING LIGHT BLINKING
FALSE ACTIVATION OF AEB OR FCW IF YOU CONFIRM The customer states they have experienced false activation and/or unexpected braking of the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) or Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system, AND There are no related DTCs stored. ACTION 1.
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. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 33 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 25 reports