NHTSA Complaint #10883538 — 2008 BMW 328

MY FAMILY AND I LEFT FOR VACATION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE FROM FLORIDA TO VIRGINIA. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND SINCE IT WAS SO LATE. WE WERE DRIVING AT ROUGHLY 78 MPH. WE HAD THE SUNROOF ANGLED OPEN. SUDDENLY, WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION, WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT, AND WE WERE ALL COVERED IN BITS OF GLASS. THE SOUND WAS SO SUDDEN AND LOUD THAT I NEARLY RAN OFF THE ROAD. WE REALIZED THE SOURCE OF THE FALLING GLASS WAS FROM OUR SUNROOF, WHICH NOW LOOKED LIKE A DOME. SOMETHING CAUSED IT TO WARP IN AN OUTWARD POSITION. TINY PIECES OF GLASS WERE FALLING ON US LIKE SNOW. WE PULLED OFF AT A TRUCK STOP AND VACUUMED OUT THE GLASS INSIDE THE CAR. THEN, AS WE SHUT THE CAR DOOR, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SUNROOF COLLAPSED, CREATING A GAPING HOLE. WE THEN BOUGHT DUCT TAPE TO SEAL THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE SO THAT WE COULD MAKE THE REST OF OUR 13 HOUR DRIVE TO OUR DESTINATION. WHEN WE ARRIVED, MY HUSBAND FOUND A FORD DEALERSHIP WHO GAVE US A HUGE SHEET OF WINDOW TAPE TO HELP SEAL IT OFF BETTER. WE THEN CALLED THE BMW MANUFACTURER IN GREER, S.C. TO FILE A COMPLAINT.. THEY ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THEM DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM. I WAS THERE TODAY, 7/8/2016, AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $400 TO REMOVE THE HEADLINER AND COMPLETE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. I PROMPTLY WALKED OUT. I'VE READ OF HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT SITUATION HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE. WHY IS THIS TYPE OF GLASS NOT UNDER A RECALL NOTICE? I'M SCARED TO DEATH FOR MY 16 YEAR OLD TO DRIVE THIS CAR WITH THE ROOF ANGLED UPWARD. NO ONE, FROM WHAT I'VE READ, CAN SEEM TO FIND ANY REASON FOR THE GLASS TO COMPLETELY CHANGE SHAPE AND EXPLODE. IF GLASS CAN'T HOLD UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHY IS IT BEING USED?! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.