While driving on busy streets, unexpected acceleration while trying to brake at red lights...the brakes do not work. Fortunately no bodily injuries, only smashed up cars...I will not drive that car again and I don't even feel good about selling it to someone else.

- Hamburg, NY, USA

The incident occurred 6-5-2017. The vehicle was parked and on ignition start, the car's engine was unusually loud and revved up. Upon shifting the automatic gear to reverse, the car self-accelerated in reverse without pressing the gas. Attempts to repeatedly break did not work, so gear was shifted to drive to move forward and avoid a collision into a neighborhood home that was behind the parked car. Upon changing gear to drive, the car continued to self-accelerate forward, and again brakes did not work. In forward motion, at high speed the car went over the curb and hilly ground. Attempt to shift now to park along with brake did not work. To avoid massive accident and collision with parked cars ahead, the driver turned the wheels toward a utility pole to stop the vehicle. The car stopped only after a collision with the utility pole. The car was smoking in the back and was still revving when stopped. According to the driver, car was moving at speed 60 mph. No floor mats were misplaced near driver pedals. Driver was able to get help, at which point 911 call was made. Driver was transported by ambulance to fairfax hospital emergency room. Driver suffered fractured nose and tears in face that required surgical repair and sutures. Event reported to BMW North America, 6-6-2017. Most people will try to conclude that this was driver error. However, various malfunctioning self-acceleration issues with bmws have been reported online; including E46 generation bmws, which is the model of my car. In cases where the problem was successfully solved (for bmws), replacing either the vanos solenoid sensors or wheel speed sensors did the trick. In unsuccessful cases, the drivers simply sold/replaced the entire car because the dealerships were unable to detect or recreate the issue using the software and techniques they had.

- Falls Church, VA, USA

I had a well documented episode of unintended acceleration (foot on brake, car revved suddenly, then I flipped it into neutral). This occurred about 2 years ago. No one was injured. I brought the car to the dealership which identified a problem in the computer system. I have a copy of the records. I thought that this might be useful in other investigations of sudden unintended acceleration.

- Ellicott City, MD, USA

I was attempting to park my car at my employer's garage. I was turning my wheel to park in a space, my foot was off the gas pedal and moving very slowly, when my car seemed to jerk forward and all of a sudden it went forward at full speed. It accelerate all of sudden and smashed into the wall. I had my foot on the brake pushing down as hard as I could, but to no avail. It happened very quickly and the aftermath resulted in my airbag deploying and causing lacerations, burns to my arm, smoke and causing me to choke.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

When backing out of a parking spot, my vehicle struck a cement structural supporting column. I put on brakes to stop the car. The impact was later found to be minimal (dent). Shortly afterwards, the engine sound increased as though the foot pedal had been pushed down full throttle. My foot was not on the throttle. During this time, intermittent clicking sounds were heard, the vehicle then engaged into forward and drove itself, at full force, and hit the wall of the parking structure. The airbag deployed. My insurance company and BMW of North America were notified. A technical engineer from BMW inspected my vehicle on 4-2-2008. The vehicle could not be test driven due to its damages. The results from what were inspected by BMW revealed no defects or vehicle malfunctions. I was informed by my insurance company that the vehicle would be totaled I incurred a broken rib and multiple contusions due to this accident.

- San Diego, CA, USA

: the contact stated while pulling into a parking space at 2mph, there was a grinding noise followed by the vehicle lurching forward into a tree. There was extensive damage to the front of the vehicle, but no injuries were sustained. The police were on the scene, and a report was taken. The vehicle was towed to a body shop for inspection. A manufacturer representative inspected the vehicle, but the details of the investigation were not disclosed. The independent repair shop repaired the body damage, but could not determine the cause of the sudden vehicle acceleration.

- Middletown, NJ, USA