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NHTSA investigating 200,000 Sentra, Versa models over brakes

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a second investigation into Nissan in May. The first covered inaccurate fuel gauges in the 2007 Quest minivan. The latest affects the Sentra and Versa from the 2013 and 2014 model years and the 2014 Versa Note, because of complaints of long brake pedal travel. If NHTSA finds a problem, it could affect an estimated 200,000 vehicles.
At the moment, this is still only a preliminary evaluation "to asses the scope, frequency and safety-related consequences of the alleged defect," according to the report, but it could lead to the full recall. NHTSA is still trying to find whether or not there are accidents, injuries or fatalities related to the problem. At this time, much of the data in the document is still marked Confidential or TBD. Nissan told Reuters in a statement that the company is working with the agency on the investigation and supplying the regulator with further information.
According to NHTSA, its Office of Defects Investigation has received eight complaints about long pedal travel in these models. They allege that the brake pedal goes all the way to the floor when pressed in some cases and doesn't sufficiently slow the vehicle. Autoblog has contacted Nissan for its reaction to the investigation. We will update this story when we receive a reply. Until then, scroll down to read the current investigation report.

Nissan planning 90-second Super Bowl commercial, plus two debut cameos

The Super Bowl is still a few days away, but the big ads from several automakers for the game are already streaming online. Nissan is bucking the trend, though, and the Japanese brand is only releasing the first 10 seconds of its spot before the actual premiere. Much like one of Toyota's ads, Nissan is choosing to focus on fathers this year. The story of the commercial is about a racecar-driving dad balancing work and life with his new child, but despite the motorsports connection, the teaser shows cars for just a few seconds. Hopefully, setting the commercial to Harry Chapin's Cat's in the Cradle doesn't make the whole thing too maudlin. We'll be seeing even more from Nissan during the Super Bowl than originally thought, as well. The automaker will now be taking 90 seconds of ad time during the game, rather than the original plan for 60 seconds. Perhaps the extension will give the company even more time to show off its two surprise product cameos during the spot. One of them is rumored to be the first official glimpse at the GT-R LM Nismo LMP1 racer. Nissan lengthens Super Bowl commercial to 90 seconds, teases "With Dad" spot with release of brief clip Nissan back as Super Bowl advertiser after nearly two decades Releases first 10 seconds of its ad as a teaser Announces the in-game commercial has been lengthened to 90 seconds Story will depict the struggle of work-life balance facing many American families Iconic song "Cats in the Cradle" by the late Harry Chapin featured Two surprise products to make cameo appearances NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan, which has been teasing its Super Bowl plans through a one-of-a-kind social media campaign using YouTube "content creator" videos and the hashtag #withdad, is giving the first hint of its in-game commercial by releasing a short preview of the spot today. Nissan previously announced it would feature a 60-second spot in the Super Bowl. The company has increased its stake in the game to a 90-second ad, which it says will tell a unique family story while maintaining a strong Nissan brand connection.

Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, Toyota Tundra flunk IIHS headlight test

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety put pickup truck headlights to the test and found that the majority of them were equipped with subpar units. The 2017 Honda Ridgeline was the only truck to earn a rating of "good." The large pickup truck test was comprised of the: 2016 to 2017 GMC Sierra, 2017 Nissan Titan, 2016 Ram 1500, 2016 to 2017 Chevrolet Silverado, 2016 to 2017 Ford F-150, and 2016 to 2017 Toyota Tundra. The Sierra's headlights earned a rating of "acceptable," the headlights found on the Titan and Ram 1500 were found to be "marginal," and the ones on the Silverado, F-150, and Tundra were rated as "poor." IIHS claims the F-150 was the most disappointing out of the large pickup trucks as both its halogen and optional LED headlights failed to provide adequate visibility during testing. The Ridgeline (which earned a "good rating"), is usually considered a midsize or small truck, though IIHS included it in the field of large pickups. The headlights on the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado, 2016 GMC Canyon, 2016 Nissan Frontier, and 2016 to 2017 Toyota Tacoma, which made up the small pickup truck group, all earned a rating of "poor." The IIHS claimed the Colorado had the worst headlights of any truck that was tested, as the base vehicle's units were only able to illuminate up to 123 feet in front of the car. The Ridgeline's headlights, for reference, were able to illuminate up to 358 feet in front of the vehicle. To conduct its test, the IIHS utilizes a special tool to measure how far light is projected out of the headlights in different driving situations. The trucks' headlights were tested in a straight line and in corners, while vehicles with high-beam assist were given extra praise. The headlights on the pickup trucks also mimic the testing that was done on small SUVs and cars earlier this year. Next year, automakers will need to fit their vehicles with headlights that earn a rating of either good or acceptable to earn the IIHS Top Safety Pick+. Related Video: