It’s a driver’s worst nightmare. Driving a BMW with the gas pedal stuck, at speeds of 90 mph, nothing from the BMW brakes, and a frantic conversation with 911 that goes on for 40 agonizing miles.
That was exactly what happened to Florida motorist Joseph Cooper as he drove his SUV on I-95 near Vero Beach. Cooper was the sole occupant in the vehicle.
“My gas pedal is stuck,” Cooper can be heard telling a 911 dispatcher in dramatic recordings.
Runaway BMW
Speeds hit over 95 mph and he nearly hit another motorist. Eventually, police slowed the car using spiked stop sticks that hit the two left tires, slowing the car down to 60 mph. By the time the car stopped, Cooper was rising on rims.
A BMW spokesperson called the scenario implausible:
“The accelerator pedal in BMW vehicles is hinged at the bottom and mounts to the floor. Therefore an object or floor mat cannot slide under the accelerator pedal and jam it. Original BMW floor mats are custom-fitted for each vehicle and are installed with anchors to keep them properly located in the front footwells of each vehicle.
“The vehicle could also have been stopped by two additional means: By placing the transmission in neutral and coasting to a stop and/or by shutting off the ignition without removing the key. This is accomplished by turning the key counterclockwise. The engine would have shut off and the driver could have safely coasted the vehicle to a stop.”
Lucky to Be Alive
Cooper can be heard on the 911 call telling dispatchers he tried putting the car in neutral but it still didn’t stop the car. Fortunately, he had the foresight to call 911. Emergency officials talked him through it and worked to clear the roadways. Thankfully, no one was hurt, except for maybe BMW’s pride.
Our BMW technicians have never heard of such a problem before, but there’s always a first time for everything. We’re just glad it didn’t happen to us.
