NHTSA Complaint #10507348 — 2013 BMW X3

ON THE FIRST OCCURRENCE I BRAKED SMOOTHLY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT WAS RED AS I APPROACHED. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND THEN THE ENGINE REVVED AND LURCHED FORWARD SLOWLY 3 TO 4 TIMES TAKING ME THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AS I WAS PRESSING ON THE BRAKE. I COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. ONCE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND APPLIED THE GAS PEDAL AND DROVE TO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. WHEN I CAME OUT OF A STORE AFTER 45 MINUTES, I TESTED THE BRAKES BY DRIVING SLOWLY IN THE PARKING LOT AND APPLYING THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES. EACH TIME BUT ONE THE ENGINE REVVED WHILE I HAD MY FOOT DELIBERATELY ON THE BRAKES, NOT ON THE GAS OR GAS AND BRAKE. IF I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE REVVING STOPPED AND GAS OPERATED APPROPRIATELY. I DROVE HOME AND CALLED THE DEALER WHO HAD IT TOWED, CHECKED IT OUT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND SAID IT WAS FINE. IT WAS RAINING ON THE DAY OF THE OCCURRENCE. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE HAPPENED 6 DAYS AFTER THE FIRST, ANOTHER RAINY DAY. I BRAKED AT A STOP SIGN. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND THEN THE ENGINE REVVED AS I WAS PRESSING ON THE BRAKE, THEN LURCHED FORWARD ONCE INTO THE INTERSECTION. I IMMEDIATELY REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE AND DROVE FORWARD. THIS DID NOT REPEAT AS I DROVE HOME. AGAIN THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, CHECKED OUT BY THE DEALER AND AN ENGINEER FROM BMW NA AND NOTHING COULD BE REPRODUCED. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR HOME. IT HAD TO BE MY ERROR. I OBJECTED THAT I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER CAR I'VE DRIVEN INCLUDING THE TWO BMW LOANERS THEY SUPPLIED. I TOLD THEM I WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE DECISION NOT TO CHECK IT OUT FURTHER ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY HAD NOT MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO TEST IT IN THE RAIN. BMW NA REPRESENTATIVE WAS ADAMANT THAT IT COULD NOT BE THE VEHICLE. *TR