NHTSA Complaint #10224753 — 2000 DODGE INTREPID

THE SPECIFIC REFERENCE I HAVE IS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID. THE ISSUE IS THE PLASTIC COVER FOR THE HEADLAMPS HAVE UNDERGONE A MATERIAL FAILURE?THEY HAVE A SERIES OF MICRO-STRUCTURED CRACKS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PLASTIC COVER THAT SCATTERS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE LIGHT FROM LAMPS PREVENTING NORMAL FUNCTION AND GOOD VISION FOR THE DRIVERS. PLASTICS DO NOT CRACK ON THEIR OWN AND THIS EVENT IS NOT FROM AN ACCIDENT OR OTHER UNIQUE EVENT ON THIS CAR. I HAVE A PH.D. IN CHEMISTRY FROM HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND MY EXPERTISE IS IN MICRO/NANO-TECHNOLOGY. THIS EDUCATION WHICH IS UNIQUE HAS ENABLED ME TO INVESTIGATE THE REASON OF A ?HAZY? HEADLAMP COVER. THE DEALERSHIP MIS-DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND INITIALLY SOLD A ?COSTLY? ($50 PLUS LABOR) CLEANER KIT. MICRO-CRACKS CANNOT BE FIXED BUT SUCH A METHOD AND WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK TO EXPLAIN THE THIS WAS NOT DIRT OR A HAZE BUT CRACKS; THEY ADMITTED THEY DID NOT LOOK CLOSELY AT THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AND SUGGESTED CALLING CHRYSLER DIRECTLY. I CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE AT CHRYSLER WHO BASICALLY IGNORED MY COMMENT, SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT SUCH A CLAIM, AND TOLD ME SINCE THE CAR WAS TOO OLD I HAD TO PAY ALL EXPENSES OUT OF MY POCKET. I TURN TO YOU BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SEE IF THIS IS A LARGER PROBLEM; WHICH FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH MATERIALS BELIEVE IT HAS TO BE. UNLIKE WITH BRAKE PADS OR OTHER CONSUMABLE/WEAR-DOWN ITEMS IN A CAR, THE PLASTIC COVERS FOR LIGHTS SHOULD NOT FAIL OVER TIME. SINCE THE CAR STILL RUNS AND THE LIGHTS ARE TECHNICALLY ON ALTHOUGH THE VISIBILITY IS GREATLY DIMINISHED, THEY MIGHT NOT REALIZE THEIR SAFETY IS AT RISK WITH DIMINISHED VISIBILITY. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT CRASH INVESTIGATORS DO NOT LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF THE PLASTIC COVERING THE HEADLAMPS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF MICRO-CRACKS LIMITING VISIBILITY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN READING MY COMMENTS. SINCERELY, ADAM WINKLEMAN, PH.D. *TR