Radar Issue question any Nissan Techs on here please ?

[sj58uk]

Hi

I have a 2017 J11 N-Connecta, which has front radar etc

I am getting a lot more failures than I used to get on the front radar.

By failure, I get a beep, the white icon ( near the clock ) goes red and the mid-screen says 'unavailable front radar obstruction', also on the right clock a red icon with two cars nose to nose with an exclamation mark. This stays on for a few minutes and then clears.

I have had it to the dealer twice, they have cleared a fault code called 'radar stain', they are insisting it's normal behaviour due to rain & dirt. They claim the sensor is testing ok. I do agree this failure can happen as I used to get the failure during ice or sleet. But this is now happening on fine days. I did 3 x trips last weekend (around 15 miles), it failed 5 times after being in to the dealer last Friday when they cleaned and reset it. I can't agree that it got so dirty in 12 hours or so from them having it to me experiencing the failure.

I have asked Nissan Customer services to step in and they are asking me to get a 2nd opinion, which is why I am on this forum hoping someone can please suggest a solution as my next nearest dealer is too far away.

Kind regards
Steve

[calnorth]

Nissan diagnostics tells their mechanic to tell you this:

"DTC C1A16 may be detected under the following conditions.
(Explain to the customer about the difference between the contamination detection function and the indication when the malfunction is detected and tell them this is not a malfunction.)
• When contamination or foreign materials adhere to the distance sensor area of the front bumper
• When driving while it is snowing or when frost forms on the distance sensor area of the front bumper
• When distance sensor area of the front bumper is temporarily fogged"

So really thats it. And its only a dirty/fogged bumper?

The radar is sensing a signal thats corrupt on the firing/return timeline and raises a DTC (Error Code). Or its electronically faulty.

You'll likely need to visit a different Nissan dealer and you will need to know if they pick up the DTC again. It might not be the exact one mentioned above, however it relates to a Radar Stain.

If they see that DTC again they'll have to investigate further, which means replace the radar head behind the bumper and check alignment. Their is no repair of the radar head.

[sj58uk]

Hi

Thanks for a great detailed reply.

As the issue is considerably happening more now that it used to, is it reasonable to assume the head has a fault. Given that for the first 3 x years from new the occasional failure was only during ice and sleet/snow..

Is it also possible that when the dealer plugs it in it reads all ok because at the time the fault isn't present, but it intermittently fails for me in a way that a test dosn't show ?

Cheers
Steve

[calnorth]

Hi

Thanks for a great detailed reply.

As the issue is considerably happening more now that it used to, is it reasonable to assume the head has a fault. Given that for the first 3 x years from new the occasional failure was only during ice and sleet/snow..

Is it also possible that when the dealer plugs it in it reads all ok because at the time the fault isn't present, but it intermittently fails for me in a way that a test dosn't show ?

Cheers
Steve

....

I have the same car/year as you and as far as I'm concerned radar may well not exist. Perhaps I don't drive fast enough? I get no warnings unless I'm about 3 foot from a wall and thats likely sonar sensors. Nissan had updated the software for radar 2 years back...no difference I could see other than some spurious warnings in weird places. If it annoys you then report it.

A fault (DTC) history is retained in the engine management unit primarily. Not sure about the radar errors but it seems to persist where they picked it up on your visits.

Nissan have had problems here and causing the Automatic Braking to kick off unexpectedly. The software update mentioned above was a fix.

[lewisbryant]

Sj58k what is your nissan garage that your using called if you don't mind me asking

[sj58uk]

Calnorth Thanks for the reply

Lewisbryant I would rather not say. I will say they are doing all they can in the circumstances.