2013 X1 Brake issue (X Drive 35i)

I was driving on the highway last week in some heavy rain. The vehicle in front of me stopped short and so I applied on the brakes but have you ever ridden a bike and only used your front brake? The rear lifts as the front deeps. Well when I hit my brakes on my X1 it dipped and pulled heavily toward the right, almost hitting the vehicle in the right lane.

At first I thought possible hydroplaning but after a few pumps on the brake they were braking solid. I continued to experiment at different speeds. After a few minutes of driving in the rain it repeated this deep and pulling hard to the right. After a few pumps on the brake they worked perfectly.

What I think is happening is the right and possibly the back brakes are accumulating water and the system that is supposed to wipe the discs are not operating properly.

I took it to the dealer and with no surprise they could not duplicate the issue. Well yea, unless you can take it on a test track with rain or water duplicating the environment your not going to duplicate the problem.

I have also found some complaints on the internet, drivers writing about similar problems in Europe since 2009.

Your thoughts and experiences, if any.

To pull hard to right means your front wheel must be pointing to the right?
Brake wipe thing is more of a gimmick and maybe shaves off some millisecond. If that system is not working it shouldn't pull to the right.

How fast were you going when you braked hard?
How fast do you have to go to duplicate it?
You can try it after a car wash...

Originally Posted by fb88

To pull hard to right means your front wheel must be pointing to the right?
Brake wipe thing is more of a gimmick and maybe shaves off some millisecond. If that system is not working it shouldn't pull to the right.

How fast were you going when you braked hard?
How fast do you have to go to duplicate it?
You can try it after a car wash...

1. Wheels straight, was on highway with no curve at the time. It was a brake failure grip.
2. I tested it in the range of 50 to 70.
3. Will try it but feel it might be a build up of water as the vehicle moves

By any chance if anyone has an X1 2013 Xdrive 35i and finds themselves driving in heavy rain and without applying the brakes for a period of time (most likely highway) then try applying the brakes and see if the brakes grip. Please let me know if you experienced this issue. By all means be aware it might pull and look for traffic on your sides.

Pulling right with wheels straight means the right brakes gripped and left ones didn't.

If it always pulls right I'd just get the dealer to change the right brake assembly for both wheels.

^sorry change the left brake assembly.

Brakes pulling the car in one direction usually indicates seized or stuck calipers. However this only occurred intermittently and in heavy rain creates more of a mystery. I'd have the dealer re-check the calipers to ensure they are functioning correctly.

Agree about the right brakes gripping but the vehicle had a strange reaction while braking. The front left dipped and the front right lifted giving the vehicle a heavy pull to the right. It seems as though the rear brakes did engage or not fully.

The car is heading back soon.

Just in case anyone else has this vehicle the issue for me happens when driving in heavy rain for a period of time without applying brakes and the automatic windshield wipers are engaged.

Be cautious.