NHTSA Complaint #10161911 — 2006 BMW 325I

WHILE WASHING CAR IN HOT SUN THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN HIT WITH COLD WATER FROM HOSE. DEALER CLAIMS IT WAS AN IMPACT BREAK CAUSED BY WINDSHIELD WIPER BEING PULLED UP AND DROPPED ONTO WINDSHIELD. IF WINDSHIELD WIPER BROKE WINDSHIELD (WHICH GIVEN THE LENGTH OF THE SOFT RUBBER WIPER WE FIND IT HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT IMPACT OF A DROPPED WIPER BLADE COULD OR SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO BREAK A WINDSHIELD THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND MUCH MORE SEVERE ROAD HAZARD IMPACT OR IF IT WAS DONE BY COLD WATER ON AN EXTREMELY HOT SUN HEATED WINDSHIELD....EITHER WAY THIS WINDSHIELD COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE STRONG AND MADE TO SAFETY STANDARDS. THE WINDSHIELD IS SURROUNDED BY A BLACK BACKING ON THE OUTER EDGES AND IT GETS VERY HOT WHEN THE SUN IS AT THE PROPER ANGLE SHINING DOWN ON THE CAR. WE DISCOVERED THESE INTENSELY HOT EDGES OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN WASHING THE CAR. WHEN WE HIT THE WINDSHIELD WITH COLD WATER IT SHATTERED AND CRACKED. THERE WERE TWO OF US WASHING THE CAR AND WE KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED DESPITE THE DEALERS CLAIM OF IMPACT DAMAGE FROM A "DROPPED WIPER". WE HAVE SAVED THE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD FOR NHTSA SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO INVESTIGATE THIS COMPLAINT. THE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD IS IN OUR GARAGE AND WE WILL KEEP IT THERE FOR THE NEXT 90 DAYS. IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU REGARDING YOUR NEED FOR THE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD THEN WE WILL PUT IT OUT FOR TRASH COLLECTION. THANKS. *NM