NHTSA Complaint #10730119 — 2002 BMW 540I

THE PLASTIC COVERS ON THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY BMW BECAME CRAZED/FROSTED. EVERY BMW OF THIS VINTAGE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I SHOWED THIS TO OCCUR IN 2010 AT 100,000 MILES, BUT IN FACT IT WAS A STEADY DEGRADATION OVER SEVERAL YEARS. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. CAUSING RISK AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IN ADDITION, THE CRAZING/FROSTING RESULTS IN ADDITIONAL GLARE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I ASKED ABOUT RECALLS/REPLACEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS DEFECT AT MY LOCAL BMW DEALER; THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DISMISSED IT AS A NORMAL AGING ISSUE. I STRONGLY DISAGREE. A CAR OF THIS PRICE, OR ANY PRICE, SHOULD HAVE HEADLIGHTS THAT LAST LONGER THAN A FEW YEARS. I REPLACE THE HEADLAMP COVERS IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE, BUT THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $1238 FOR EACH SIDE. YES, $1238. THIS WAS A QUITE EXPENSIVE AUTO, BUT REGARDLESS OF COST, THIS SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL....UPDATED 07/30/15 *BF THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER IT WAS A NORMAL AGING ISSUE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIGHT OUTPUT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. UPDATED 09/01/15. *JB