NHTSA Complaint #10072450 — 2003 BMW 325I

WINDSHIELD WIPERS "AUTO" POSITION CAUSES WIPERS TO FAIL TO SUDDENLY FAIL TO OPERATE DURING RAIN CONDITIONS. ALSO, CAN CAUSE DISTRACTING SWEEPS OF THE WIPERS WITH NO RAIN OR WATER, ANYWHERE NEAR THE CAR OR WINDSHIELD SENSOR. ODDLY, DEALERSHIP TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR; SERVICE WRITERS REFUSED TO WRITE IT UP AS "NORMAL" OPERATION. BMW FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER NOTED THE WINDSHIELD SENSOR (WHICH ALSO CONTAINS CONTROLS FOR AUTOMATIC LIGHTS) WAS MASSIVELY DELAMINATED FROM THE WINDSHIELD, THUS REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD FOR THIS SMALL PART. ISSUES: 1. NORMAL "ERRATIC" OPERATION OF WIPERS (AND AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS) IS ACCEPTABLE TO BMW SERVICE WRITERS. 2. WIPERS ARE A CRITICAL SAFETY FUNCTION, YET WITH BMW'S SYSTEM THEY CAN APPARENTLY OPERATE ERRATICALLY DUE TO A BAD SENSOR "BOND" WITH THE WINDSHIELD. 3. THE COST OF A REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD IS HIGH--OUT OF WARRANTY MANY DRIVERS MAY NOT BOTHER TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE GIVEN THE MASSIVE COST (AND ABSURDITY) OF REPLACING AN OTHERWISE PERFECT WINDSHIELD. THIS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT IF THE DRIVER WERE TO BE IN THE "AUTO" WIPER FUNCTION WITH A FAILED SYSTEM. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. MARK PETERS [email protected]