2020 Nissan Sentra automatic emergency braking problems
76 of the 205 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Nissan Sentra name the automatic emergency braking (NHTSA’s “Forward Collision Avoidance” heading — forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, including phantom braking). Filed under the same heading: 15 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the automatic emergency braking
Source: NHTSA complaint database6 of the 76 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2020: 2 · 2021: 22 · 2022: 13 · 2023: 18 · 2024: 9 · 2025: 12
Half of the 14 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the automatic emergency braking problem between 2,000 and 19,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
205 complaints in all about the 2020 Nissan Sentra, 12 filed in 2025. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Forward Collision Avoidance” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Nissan Sentra automatic emergency braking problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the automatic emergency braking. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Forward Collision-Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking inadvertently activated. The Automatic Emergency Braking warning light was illuminated. The failure occurred on five separate occasions.
The emergency braking system has gone off on this car 4 times. After the first two we took the car into the dealership and they said that they could not find any problems with it. Yesterday we had two more incidents. I am taking the vehicle in tomorrow. I have asked that they replace the sensors but was told that it is up to Nissan.
Nissan Sentra 2020 automatic emergency braking system engages for no apparent reason and brings car to complete stop while driving. This has happened about 10 times within the past year. Appears AEB sensors are faulty. Luckily was not rear-ended during incidents.
Purchased car in 2020 and within a couple of weeks of purchase I was thrown on brakes warnings flashing that there was an obstruction. This happened in the middle of traffic and I was almost hit. I returned the car and was told because they could not mimic what happened with me there as nothing wrong.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, the full brake assist radar illuminated independently. The contact mentioned that the emergency brake illuminated and was only able to operate the steering wheel. In addition, once the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle operated normally.
What is on file about the automatic emergency braking
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications15 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Other systems with a record on the 2020 Nissan Sentra
Source: the same files- steering problems 55 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre automatic emergency braking problems common on the 2020 Nissan Sentra?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 76 owner complaints naming the automatic emergency braking on this model year (37% of everything owners filed about it), and 15 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the automatic emergency braking on the 2020 Nissan Sentra?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 4 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do automatic emergency braking problems show up on the 2020 Nissan Sentra?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 6,000 miles; half of them between 2,000 and 19,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Forward Collision Avoidance" heading cover?
Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, including phantom braking. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.