NHTSA Complaint #11230329 — 2017 NISSAN MURANO

MY CAR HAS A FRONT EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM. THE SENSOR FOR THIS SYSTEM IS LOCATED AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR, UNDERNEATH ONE OF THE HEAD LIGHTS. THE SENSOR DETECTS WHEN A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU HAS STOPPED. AS YOU GET CLOSER TO THE VEHICLE, IF YOU DO NOT STOP, THE CAR WILL SOUND A 3-BEEP ALERT NOTIFYING YOU TO STOP. IF YOU STILL DO NOT STOP, THE CAR WILL APPLY THE BRAKES AND FORCE THE CAR TO STOP TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. ONE NIGHT, I WAS DRIVING HOME ON A CITY STREET, WHEN THE 3-BEEP ALERT SOUNDED, AND THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY STARTED FLASHING RED AND WHITE LIGHTS. THERE WAS A MESSAGE ON THE DISPLAY STATING THAT A CRASH WAS IMMINENT. THEN THE BRAKES ENGAGED SUDDENLY, AND THE CAR ALMOST CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE BRAKES ENGAGED SO HARD AND SO QUICKLY, THAT IT THREW ME FORWARD IN THE SEAT. AT THE TIME, THERE WAS NO CAR IN FRONT OF ME COMING TO A SUDDEN STOP AND NO CRASH WAS IMMINENT. THE CLOSEST CAR TO ME WAS 2-3 CAR LENGTHS AHEAD, AND IT HAD NOT STOPPED. THANKFULLY, THE STREET WAS NOT BUSY AT THE TIME, AND THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. NISSAN IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, AND THERE ARE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS, BUT NISSAN WON'T ISSUE A RECALL. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR TO 2 NISSAN DEALERSHIPS AND THEY WON'T REPLACE THE SENSOR. THE FIRST DEALER TOLD ME MY SENSOR WAS DIRTY, BUT THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, IF THE SENSOR IS DIRTY, THERE WILL BE A MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY INDICATING THE SENSOR IS OBSTRUCTED, AND THE FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM WILL TURN OFF. THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. THE SECOND NISSAN DEALER DID A SOFTWARE UPDATE ON MY CAR AND RESET THE SENSOR. I KEEP BEING TOLD TO BRING THE CAR BACK IF THE ISSUE HAPPENS AGAIN, BUT THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF ISSUE YOU WANT TO WAIT TO HAVE HAPPEN AGAIN. WHAT IF I AM ON A BUSY STREET OR THE HIGHWAY? I COULD HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS.