Dacia Stepway AEB activating itself

techie · 24-09-2025 02:36PM

I can't believe this, the Dealer rang and have said the car is within spec of what Dacia have recommended, they have seen the message and beeping but have not had the active braking going off yet, and this is the worst part, now 3 weeks later, they are now taking off the front bumper to check the actual radar, they will then give me back the car tomorrow!!!

I have been in touch with dealer 2 and they are more than willing to look at the car for me next week

_Kaiser_ · 24-09-2025 03:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123847114#Comment_123847114

Ya, at this stage I would just get the car back and bring it to the 2nd dealer - and never give them your business again!

It doesn't surprise me at all that nothing has been done unfortunately. I had a feeling they and Dacia would pass it between them.

Hopefully the 2nd dealer will sort it.. if not however I would strongly be advising you to investigate how you get a refund.

techie · 24-09-2025 05:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123847343#Comment_123847343

Yes that is what I am going to do, thanks, will enquire at the 2nd dealer our options with it when I am there, my wife and I have both agreed this is the first and last Dacia we are going to have, not pleased

kirving · 24-09-2025 08:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123845996#Comment_123845996

I'm not sure about the definition of EDR, but your car will absolutely have some type of Event Data Recorder, simple because airbag manufacturers need to be able to prove that their system didn't fire for XYZ reason. ie: you could have a fatal crash, but the airbag didn't fire because a seatbelt wasn't worn, and the data shows that an airbag can make things even worse if a belt isn't worn.

Out of my own interest, can you share some Google Maps locations of where it has happened?

In terms of the debug process, I don't actually disagree with them not having taken the bumper off immediately. 3 weeks is long, but they could be waiting for a response from the radar supplier even. It's a very serious issue, and taking it apart could cover up the root cause of the problem which does still need to be found.

In any case, get a front and rear dashcam to cover your ass in case it does happen again.

techie · 24-09-2025 08:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123848032#Comment_123848032

Sure, this is where it happened me last:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/7o5kkZmdY8eK6RCi6

My wife's incidents happened here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/NSLN4SWHBdRTcm4C8

https://maps.app.goo.gl/FL7w2goigM2aiD8H6

https://maps.app.goo.gl/gy6AvqkAH692jDxr7

This was the worst one where it happened:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/QgM2DCUiBSAyFd6c7

All of these incidents had no cars in front of us

Is this enough?

_Kaiser_ · 24-09-2025 11:39PM

The thing that jumps out at me from those is every location has some sort of barrier beside a fairly narrow road - a hedge, wall, railings etc

Is it possible there's some misaligned sensor or camera that is making the car think these obstacles are in front of you.

techie · 25-09-2025 03:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123848517#Comment_123848517

Thanks for this, they are taking off the bumper today to look at the Radar in front, no camera on our car, is this needed to recalibrate the radar do you know?

They may "accidentally" sort the issue today so?

10-10-20 · 25-09-2025 09:50AM

An accidental fix would not give anyone the confidence that the issue will not return as really what's needed is a root-cause rather than blind faith.

techie · 25-09-2025 09:53AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123848942#Comment_123848942

It was meant as a tongue in cheek comment about my faith in Dealer 1!

I am not happy at all with them and Dacia at the moment, Dealer 2 is in another league with my dealings with them so far

kirving · 25-09-2025 07:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123848043#Comment_123848043

Thanks! I thought it might always be under a bridge or a large reflective sign or something, but it looks to be on narrow roads for the most part - which could suggest some calibration issue (ie: the radar thinks the car is travelling toward the object).

Interesting, quite a few cars will use the radar only for cruise control to follow a car on the motorway, and then a camera system for AEB, as radars historically do not have enough lateral resolution to be able to distinguish the position of static objects at the side of the road, so they're set up to ignore static objects entirely, and then just keep the large reflection "blob" from the car in front in the centre of their field of view. This radar only based system seems to be trying to do both.

There's a very good reason why Porsche (and others) historically test on backroads in the West of Ireland, but tbh the roads where you're having problems are far from unique to the west of Ireland.

If they do a recalibration, ask them to share the before/after values to show that something meaningful has changed.

techie · 25-09-2025 07:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123850490#Comment_123850490

I collected the car today from them, with a signed letter saying all is within manufacturers spec. I asked had a calibration been done, to be told it was done twice, 1st a few weeks back, and 2nd today as they had the front bumper off!

I don't believe them, so have scheduled in with Dealer 2 for next Friday to have a look at it, just fitted a dashcam to the car now so will have video evidence if and when it happens again,

One thing I noticed was that they raised the front number plate above where it used to be, and also the car now has approx 1000km more on it?

GPoint · 25-09-2025 07:36PM

Likely service manager was driving it home every day in the hope to recreate your problem.

techie · 25-09-2025 07:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123850559#Comment_123850559

Does not bother me about the mileage as they said their Workshop foreman was driving it, they said it happened twice , flashed up Brake and beeped but no active braking, they could not recreate the active braking in the time they had it, so passed it as all normal

kirving · 26-09-2025 01:08AM

Driving it 1000km is fairly enough in the sense that they needed to debug it, but they should also be compensating you in some way for it.

Do you have a picture of the number plate before or afterward? It looks very close to the radar on online pics.

techie · 26-09-2025 05:51AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123851151#Comment_123851151

This is when we collected it last April, will post up a current pic today when its gets brighter, thanks for this!

techie · 26-09-2025 11:40AM

Here is a head on shot today of it:

techie · 26-09-2025 06:06PM

So update for you all, collected the car yesterday, drove it home, went to work in it this morning, and then on way home today , collected my daughter from school, started the car to go home, and the dash lit up like a Christmas tree!!

Check TPW, Front Radar to check, Warning: Check Braking System, Check ESC, with yellow Spanner light on

Rang Garage and they have given me another car, this is just endless

Question for you all, could this all have been caused by a dud Battery?

Dr_Colossus · 27-09-2025 12:17PM

Sounds like a horrendous situation and with nothing to add in terms of assistance can only wish you luck.

Saw this video that mentions similar and captures one slow moving incident on dashcam so all this modern tech certainly isn't all it's cracked up to be. (Disclaim, video is somewhat ruined by over 90s of an advertisment)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwSDoZK9QO4

techie · 28-09-2025 04:58PM

Update, I am in touch with another customer of the dealer I am dealing with, his wife's car is now doing it again, almost a year on from them replacing the Radar as a precaution,

He is contacting them tomorrow about it, different branch but same dealer,

I think its time to get the Salesman that I brought it from there, to get us out of the deal and into another car!

_Kaiser_ · 28-09-2025 05:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123858619#Comment_123858619

I'd be thinking it's time to get into an entirely different dealer and brand at this stage to be honest. The amount of chasing you've had to do for what is a serious safety issue doesn't suggest that it'll be any different if you run into any other problems with a car from them.

techie · 28-09-2025 05:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123858637#Comment_123858637

Yes I think you are right, thanks

Will start the ball rolling on that tomorrow and update here, for any people in future that may have the same issues

techie · 29-09-2025 06:56PM

Garage rang today, there are errors on the car now, none relating to low voltage (which I assume they mean battery), they have asked to keep it another day to go through it,

Separately have asked the sales guy that sold it to me, to get me out of it (PCP) and get me an alternate car, so far he has just sent me a new PCP on a new car, will have it out with him tomorrow, as mentioned already there should be some goodwill for a faulty car and the messing around so far.

KrisOR · 29-09-2025 08:53PM

I am Having the same issue as Techie. 232 Jogger that has been back to the dealership twice already for the active braking randomly activating and doing an emergency brake. First time they had it for 2 weeks, it happened to them also while driving, they did recalibration and software update. A month or so later happened again, they had car for 2.5 weeks then and as a precaution replaced the radar in front bumper. fast forward to yesterday and low and behold its back. Car going back in on wednesday but will be contacting Sales manager tomorrow as i do not feel safe in car. i have 3 small kids and one of which is in a wheelchair which i stored in the back of the car when travelling anywhere.

techie · 30-09-2025 11:21PM

Went into Dealer today to be told my Dacia fault was down to a low battery, I asked about alternator to be told it was just the battery,

Last straw, went to the Sales guy and asked him to get us out of the Dacia which to be fair to him, he did, I took home a 2021 Renault Captur with low mileage and great spec, going back 3 years but my Wife is happy as she is back in a Renault, they have agreed to clear the finance on the Dacia (with some goodwill) , and we have a new deal on the Captur now, thankfully this is now over

I hope @KrisOR gets sorted too, to his satisfaction,

I really believe that in time, Dacia will have to issue a recall on this issue as its quite dangerous

_Kaiser_ · 03-10-2025 07:37AM

Great result and congrats on the replacement. Sounds like a much better deal than another Dacia you'd only be waiting for the same thing to happen with.

If the wife is happy being back in a Renault too then that's win-win! Happy wife, happy life!

Thanks for letting us know the outcome.

For KrisOR I'd suggest the same - it's not worth the risk and the hassle of trying to sort this out especially with small kids in the car. Push for a refund/replacement from another brand that you're happy with.

techie · 03-10-2025 09:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123872480#Comment_123872480

Thanks, I see they have already our old car up for resale again , I hope it does not cause an accident, they are obviously confident that its "fixed"

XT1200 · 04-10-2025 03:34PM

Does not say a whole lot for Keary's business ethics

Dacia Stepway AEB activating itself

Comments