NHTSA Complaint #10241468 — 2002 BMW M5

FOR SOME MONTHS NOW, MY REARVIEW MIRROR HAS BEEN DISCOLORED/OBSTRUCTED WITH A FLUID "BUBBLE" IN THE GLASS. I GENERALLY ONLY DRIVE THE CAR ON WEEKENDS IN BRIGHT AND SUNNY WEATHER, SO THE DECREASED VISIBILITY ISN'T A REAL BIG A DEAL AS IT WOULD BE IF DRIVEN AT NIGHT OR DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. HOWEVER I'VE RECENTLY LOOKED INTO REPLACING THE MIRROR MYSELF--THE DEALER WANTS A RELATIVELY LARGE SUM OF MONEY TO PERFORM THE WORK AS THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY--AND HAVE DISCOVERED THERE MIGHT BE ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS IF EXPOSED TO THE FLUID CONTAINED INSIDE. (FELLOW OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH THESE MIRRORS NOTE THAT IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS FLUID TO LEAK OUT OR EXPLODE, PARTICULARLY ON HOT DAYS AS I OFTEN EXPERIENCE HERE IN FLORIDA; THIS FLUID SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR IN ADDITION TO THE AFOREMENTIONED POSSIBLE HEALTH EFFECTS.) THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER OF THE MIRROR HAS NOT PUBLICLY DISCLOSED ANY INFORMATION AT THIS TIME IN REGARDS TO THE FLUIDS CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OR PROPER HANDLING MEASURES. IF NOTHING ELSE, I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PROPER DISPOSAL METHOD IS FOR THE OLD MIRROR (WHICH I ASSUME TO CONTAIN HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OF SOME SORT AS DEFINED BY THE EPA), SO AS NOT TO THROW IT IN WITH NORMAL HOUSEHOLD WASTE. ANY ASSISTANCE IN DETERMINING POTENTIAL RISKS AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR BOTH HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS WOULD BE MOST APPRECIATED. *TR