NHTSA Complaint #10701570 — 2011 BMW X5

IN LATE DECEMBER 2014, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT WASHER NOZZLE AND COVER FELL OFF SOME TIME DURING USE (VEHICLE SPEED IS UNKNOWN; 45 MPH IS A GUESS). THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY SNOW OR ICE ON IT. IN EARLY MARCH OF 2015, BOTH HEADLIGHT WASHER NOZZLES AND COVERS FELL OFF WITHIN A WEEK OF EACH OTHER, BOTH TIMES WITH NO SNOW OR ICE ON THE VEHICLE (THE VEHICLE IS PARKED IN A GARAGE AT BOTH HOME AND WORK). THE RIGHT NOZZLE/COVER ASSEMBLY WAS HANGING LOOSELY, AND WAS SALVAGED. IN JANUARY 2015, BMW WOULD NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY, CLAIMING THE PARTS WERE "EXTERIOR TRIM," RATHER THAN SAFETY FEATURES, AND THEREFORE NOT COVERED. AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT INVOLVING BOTH WASHERS, BMW WOULD NOT ALLOW THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER TO DEACTIVATE THE HEADLIGHT WASHERS (TO PREVENT FUTURE INCIDENCES), CLAIMING THE PARTS ARE "SAFETY FEATURES." IT SEEMS BMW CHANGES THE DESIGNATION OF THE PARTS BASED ON WHAT WILL COST THEM MONEY. THE WASHERS ARE OBVIOUSLY SAFETY FEATURES, AND ARE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE VEHICLE'S OPTIONAL "COLD WEATHER PACKAGE," INTENDED TO KEEP THE HEADLIGHTS CLEAR OF DEBRIS LIKE ROAD GRIME AND ICE. THE PARTS ARE ALSO OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE, AS THEY KEEP COMING OFF UNDER NORMAL USE WELL WITHIN THEIR EXPECTED LIFESPAN, AND INITIAL RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW VEHICLES THAT HAVE HEADLIGHT WASHERS. *TR