Summary of the Event: The driver of a 2025 BMW X1 M35i experienced an issue where the vehicle did not respond as expected when braking. The incident occurred in Gainesville on [XXX] at approximately [XXX]. After proceeding through a traffic light, the roadway transitioned from two lanes into one. The driver was in the right lane and needed to merge left. As the driver approached a turn while merging, she attempted to slow the vehicle but reported that it felt as though it was accelerating and that braking was ineffective or unresponsive. When the brake pedal was pressed, it felt unusually firm with very little travel and was difficult to depress, and the vehicle did not slow as expected. The driver was unable to reduce speed sufficiently to complete the turn, and the vehicle continued forward, striking a brick wall at the entrance of a residential subdivision at an estimated speed of 35–45 mph. Airbags deployed. No direct head impact occurred. Following the incident, the driver experienced headache and nausea and was evaluated in the emergency room approximately 10 days later, where she was diagnosed with a concussion. No prior braking issues were observed. Insurance will deem the car a total loss and not repairable. However, the vehicle is currently under manufacturer inspection with diagnostic data being preserved. The driver was cited for careless driving; however, this is being contested based on the reported braking issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI 11733789