NHTSA Complaint #10157152 — 2004 MINI COOPER S

MY 2004 MINI COOPER S, DELIVERED IN JUNE OF '04, HAVING @ 20,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, IS NOW ON ITS THIRD WINDSHIELD ALL DUE TO STRESS CRACKS. THE CRACKS SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THERMAL INSTABILITY. I.E. COLD OUTSIDE/HOT INSIDE ETC. I PERSONALLY KNOW OF ONE 2003 MINI OWNER IN MA WHO HAS NOW HAD 6 WINDSHIELDS REPLACED SINCE PURCHASE. THE MINI COMMUNITY HAS DETERMINED THAT AFTERMARKET US MADE GLASS BY PPG DOES NOT HAVE THE PROPENSITY FOR SUCH FAILURES. I AM RELUCTANT TO CONTINUE GOING TO MY DEALER AS THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE FOREIGN MANUFACTURED OEM GLASS. ON THE OTHER HAND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WITH A NON OEM PRODUCT, OUT OF POCKET TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. FOR MUCH MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN REFER TO THE MINI COOPER OWNERS INTERNET WEB FORUM "NORTHAMERICANMOTORING .COM" THE DEFECT IS WIDE SPREAD FROM THE MINI'S INTRODUCTION IN '02 CONTINUING THROUGH TO '05 PRODUCTION MODELS. TO FIND THIS INFORMATION, GO TO "BENEATH THE BONNET" AND USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER FOR "CRACKED GLASS". YOUR ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. FEEL FREE TO CALL ME IF I CAN BE OF HELP. SINCERELY, MARK WILLIAMS CFP *JB