Forward Driving Aids Temporarily Disabled Nissan Altima: Symptoms, Causes & Solutions

A message stating “Forward Driving Aids Temporarily Disabled” in your Nissan Altima means some key safety technologies have been shut down due to issues detected by systems like radar or camera sensors. 

This article will cover what driver aids are under, why it happens, and how to troubleshoot and restore full feature functionality.

What Driver Assist Features Are Under this Situation?

When the notice about disabled forward driving aids appears, some of the following safety systems may be non-operational:

Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC)

• ICC allows the vehicle to automatically adjust the speed to maintain a safe distance from the car ahead. 

• Disabling ICC suspends this self-adjusting speed capability.

Intelligent Forward Collision Warning (I-FCW)

• I-FCW uses sensors to detect potential front collisions and alerts the driver visually, audibly, and physically via brake pulses. 

• This collision alert results in temporary deactivation.

Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)

• AEB sensors can detect vehicles ahead which have suddenly slowed or stopped by automatically activating the brakes if the driver is not responding quickly enough. 

• Loss of AEB removes emergency automatic braking functionality as well.

What Triggers This Message and Disables These Features?

There are a few common triggers that are responsible for the driving aids disabled message and subsequent shut down:

• Dust, dirt, snow, ice or other debris could be interfering with the radar housed behind the front grille or windshield camera sensors. 

• This confuses their data signals by leading to the disabled warning.

Extreme Temperature Shifts

• In very hot or very cold weather conditions, large temperature swings can temporarily impact the accuracy of sensor measurement capabilities by leading to the message.

Outdated Firmware

• The vehicle’s firmware (operating software) interacts with and processes data from vehicle sensors. 

• Old firmware versions can miscommunicate with sensors and trigger the warning light.

Short Circuit or Bad Wiring

• Electrical issues like frayed wiring or short circuits in the sensor, camera or driving assist systems can create operating problems by triggering the aids disabled alert.

How to Troubleshoot & Re-Enable the Driver Safety Features

If you experience the Forward Driving Aids Temporarily Disabled message, try these troubleshooting approaches:

Clean/Check Sensors

• Carefully clear any obstructing debris, snow or ice buildup from radar and camera sensors. 

• Key sensor locations include the Nissan emblem grille and windshield behind the rearview mirror.

Update the Firmware

• Visit your Nissan dealer to have them reinstall the latest firmware/software to ensure a proper communication with sensors and driving assist systems.

Diagnosing the Electrical Issues

• Consult your dealer’s service center to have them inspect for wiring shorts/damage that could contribute to the sensor communication faults and driving aids that have shut down.

• In many cases, completing one or more of these actions clears any temporary issues and successfully re-enables all disabled driver assist and safety technologies in your Nissan Altima.

Prevention of Recurring Warning Messages

• Once your forward driving aids are restored to proper working functionality, consider these proactive steps to avoid repeat issues in the future:

Maintain the Sensor Cleanliness

• Periodically check and manually clear all the snow, ice, and debris buildup from radar and camera sensors to maintain visibility and measurement accuracy.

Stay with Latest Updates

• As Nissan releases new firmware updates for your vehicle, promptly visit your dealership to have the latest software installed. 

• This maximizes compatibility between sensors and driving aids.

Inspect the Electrical System

• Have your dealer annually inspect the wiring conditions and connections associated with driver assist electronic systems as part of routine maintenance to check for deterioration over time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Forward Driving Aids Temporarily Disabled Nissan Altima

Q: Is it safe to drive with those features disabled?

A: Yes, but you lose access to potentially important safety technologies like automatic braking. 

Q: Is this warning sign indicates some bigger issues?

A: Not necessarily – it’s often a temporary glitch. But continually recurring sensor problems causing repeated disablements should be thoroughly diagnosed in case of if major repairs are needed.