NHTSA Complaint #10002760 — 2003 VOLVO 700

THE "CLEAR" PLASTIC RAW RESIN MATERIAL MODERNLY AND CONTEMPORARILY USED IN HEADLAMP SHIELDS/DOORS/LENSES IS FREQUENTLY OF AN INFERIOR GRADE WHICH PROGRESSIVELY CLOUDS OVER TIME AND YIELDS VEHICLES LESS VISIBLE TO OTHERS AND WITH VERY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED VISIBILITY TO THEIR OPERATORS. NON-CLOUDING PLASTICS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE SINCE THE '40S AND "BRILLIANT" CRYSTAL PLASTICS ARE VERY POPULAR TODAY, BUT DOMESTIC AND IMPORT MANUFACTURERS FREQUENTLY SKRIMP ON COSTS BY USING INFERIOR PLASTICS. I IMAGINE IT IS A UV-DAMAGE PROBLEM. THIS WAS MUCH LESS A PROBLEM YEARS AGO WHEN ALMOST ALL LAMPS WERE SEALED AND THEIR LENSE DIRECTLY EXPOSED FOR PROJECTION AND VIEW. BUT TODAY, MANY IF NOT MOST, HEADLAMPS USE CARTRIDGES OR BULBS BEHIND THESE EXPENSIVE DESIGNER PLASTIC COVERS/SCREENS. I FEEL THESE INITIALLY-CLEAR PLASTIC COVERS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE VEHICLE'S "ESSENTIAL" "AS MANUFACTURED" SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND THAT MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR REPLACEMENT OF SUCH DEFECTIVE PARTS AS A SAFETY-RELATED RECALL. THERE ARE PLENTY OF NIGHT ACCIDENTS INVOLVING APPARENT IMPAIRED VISION/LIGHTING, BUT I HAVE NO DATA AND NO RESOURCES TO CREATE SUCH DATA.