NHTSA complaint #11416691

Owner complaint summary

WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ALONE AROUND 7:30PM 5/13/2021 ON THE WAY TO A RESTAURANT, AFTER I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL TO PASS ANOTHER CAR (ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 50MILE-55MILE/HR), THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN ACCELERATED ON ITSELF. I NOTICED RIGHT AWAY AFTER MY RIGHT FOOT MOVED AWAY FROM THE GAS PEDAL (FROM 50 TO 55 THEN UP TO 65MILE/HR, I STOPPED MY OBSERVATION SINCE IT WAS GETTING TOO FAST). I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL TO REDUCE THE SPEED FOR ABOUT A MILE OR TWO. AFTER I REACHED THE NEXT TRAFFIC LIGHT, I HAD TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL VERY HARD TO MAKE THE CAR FULLY STOP, SO I DECIDED TO SWITCH THE TRANSMISSION FROM D TO P TO SEE IF IT COULD GET OUT OF ACCELERATION PROBLEM. ONCE I SWITCHED TO PARK, I TRIED TO SWITCH IT BACK TO DRIVE MODE, HOWEVER THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND AND STAYED IN PARKING MODE. I THEN TRIED TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND TURNED IT BACK TWO TO THREE TIMES, IT JUST DIDN'T ALLOW ME TO CHANGE BACK TO DRIVE MODE. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CAR MADE A LOT OF NOISE SINCE IT ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. I REALIZED IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO SIT IN THE CAR IN FRONT OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHT EVEN WITH THE EMERGENCY LIGHT ON. SO I DECIDED TO TURN IT OFF AND LEFT THE CAR. I SMELLED A VERY STRONG BURNING SMELL EVEN THOUGH I QUICKLY MOVED AWAY FROM THE CAR. I WAITED ON THE STREET SIDE FOR ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES AND WENT BACK TO THE CAR, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO SWITCH TO D MODE AND DROVE AWAY SLOWLY. I HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM HAPPENED LAST YEAR AROUND OCTOBER FOR 3-4 TIMES (NOT AS BAD AS IT WAS TODAY, I CAN TURN ENGINE OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON, IT WILL RETURN TO NORMAL) AND I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO BMW DEALERSHIP (BMW AT GWINNETT PLACE IN DULUTH GA, WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN NOV 2019) AND THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO CREATE THE PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN JUST TOLD ME TO DRIVE SLOWLY (25-35MILE/HR FOR THE FIRST 3-4 MIN) EVERYDAY AT THE BEGINNING. I RECORDED TWO VIDEOS AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT.