Automatic emergency braking is a safety feature that brakes for drivers when they are faced with an obstruction. However, AEB has been found to be defective in more than 800,000 2017-2018 Nissan Rogues. Nissan Rogue owners in North Carolina will want to know what is being done about this.
Nissan sent dealers a technical service bulletin, but it did not guarantee the notification of owners about the defect. The Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, says Nissan is violating federal law by not treating the defect as a safety problem.
In the middle of March 2019, the safety group petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct a formal investigation of the AEB defect. The NHTSA is required to give a formal response to the petition within 120 days. If it goes ahead with the investigation, there will likely be a recall with Nissan repairing the defect.
The NHTSA database is filled with complaints from Nissan Rogue drivers. Apparently, the AEB feature will cause the car to brake, sometimes abruptly and forcefully, when there is no obstruction in front of it. This endangers both the car’s occupants and those in the vehicles behind it. Many owners, failing to find a solution, resort to shutting off the feature, thus getting no safety benefit from it.
When a defective car part contributes to a personal injury, victims may be able to seek compensation from the manufacturer of that part. A claim could cover losses like medical expenses, lost wages, property damage and pain and suffering. Victims may want a lawyer to assess the case. An attorney may hire third parties like investigators and medical experts to gather proof and determine the extent of injuries. Victims may also have their lawyer negotiate for a settlement.