Automatic emergency braking is meant to stop a crash you do not see coming. On some cars, it also brakes hard when nothing is there: under a bridge, past a parked car, on a curve or at a shadow. Owners call it phantom braking, and many say it is scarier than the crashes it is meant to prevent, because the car behind does not expect it.
Which cars get the most complaints
We searched our complaint data for reports of the emergency braking system activating with no obstacle, no reason or nothing ahead. About 400 complaints matched, and they cluster in a few models:
| Model year | Phantom braking complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 Honda CR-V | 44 |
| 2017 Honda CR-V | 36 |
| 2018 Honda Accord | 32 |
| 2019 Honda CR-V | 28 |
| 2018 Nissan Rogue | 15 |
| 2019 Nissan Rogue | 13 |
| 2019 Honda Accord | 13 |
| 2020 Honda CR-V | 10 |
These counts only include complaints that describe false braking in plain words. Many more owners describe related problems, such as false collision warnings, under labels like forward collision avoidance. Federal safety regulators opened investigations into false braking on both the Honda CR-V and Accord and the Nissan Rogue.
Why it happens
The system uses a camera, a radar unit or both to watch the road ahead. False braking usually comes from the system misreading something:
- Metal objects like bridges, overhead signs and manhole covers that reflect radar.
- Parked cars or guardrails on a curve that look like they are in your path.
- Low sun, shadows or dirt on the windshield in front of the camera.
- A misaligned sensor after a minor bump or windshield replacement.
What you can do
- Ask a dealer about software updates. Carmakers have released updates for many affected cars.
- Keep the windshield and front sensor clean. A dirty camera area causes false alerts.
- Make sure the sensors were recalibrated after any windshield or bumper repair. This is required on most cars with these systems.
- Adjust the settings. Many cars let you change the warning distance, which can reduce false alerts. We do not recommend switching the system off entirely, as it prevents real crashes.
- File a complaint. Federal investigations start from owner complaints. See how to file a safety complaint.
Buying a car with this history
On a test drive, take a route with overpasses, parked cars along the road and a curve or two. If the car brakes or flashes a collision warning with nothing ahead, ask whether the software is current. On our model pages, the complaint breakdown for each year shows how often collision avoidance problems were reported.
Questions
Is phantom braking covered by a recall? For most of the cars above, no. Fixes have come as software updates and service bulletins, which are often free under warranty.
Is it worse at night or in rain? Owners report it in all conditions, but low sun, heavy rain and dirty windshields come up often.
Can I be blamed if someone rear-ends me? In most cases the following driver is at fault, but a record of the problem with the dealer or regulators helps if there is a dispute.