NHTSA Complaint #10366270 — 2003 BMW 330I

AROUND NOVEMBER 2009 I STARTED TO NOTICE THE UNMODIFIED FACTORY XENON HEADLAMPS IN OUR CAR SEEMED DIM. OVER THE NEXT YEAR THEY SEEMED TO DIM CONSIDERABLY AND AFTER THE RECENT END OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN MY NIGHT-TIME DRIVING, I HAVE FOUND THE HEADLAMPS TO PROVIDE NEARLY NO PROJECTED LIGHT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT BMW BUILT THESE HEADLAMPS USING A CHROME-COATED PLASTIC REFLECTOR TO DIRECT THE LIGHT FORWARD TO THE ROAD. IT APPEARS THE DESIGN USED PLACED THE BULB TOO NEAR THE REFLECTOR OR USED PLASTIC WITH INADEQUATE TEMPERATURE RESISTANCE AND THE BOWL ITSELF HAS GRADUALLY BURNT TO THE POINT WHERE IT NO LONGER REFLECTS LIGHT. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FIRE AT THIS POINT BUT THE PLASTIC APPEARS TO BE FAILING STRUCTURALLY NOW (BURN THROUGH) AND I FEAR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I ALLOWED IT TO PROGRESS FURTHER. THE LIGHT PROJECTED WITH LOW BEAMS ON NOW IS SO INADEQUATE THE CAR CANNOT BE SAFELY USED FOR NIGHT DRIVING. BMW DOES NOT SELL REPLACEMENT REFLECTOR BOWLS TO ALLOW REPAIR OF THE HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY AND THE ONLY OPTION TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE IS TO PURCHASE A PAIR OF NEW HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLIES AT APPROXIMATELY $1,200 EACH. I HAVE CONTACTED BOTH MY LOCAL BMW DEALER AND BMW CARS NORTH AMERICA AND NEITHER HAS OFFERED AN ENGINEERING OR CUSTOMER SERVICE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.