NHTSA Complaint #10955447 — 2008 BMW 528I

I PURCHASED A USED 2008 BMW 528I MID-JANUARY OF 2017. IT WAS WELL MAINTAINED, A SINGLE OWNER VEHICLE WITH JUST OVER 60K MILES. IT HAS A CLEAN CARFAX AND A WELL DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT A BMW DEALERSHIP IN ORLANDO, FL. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR JUST OVER 3 WEEKS, THE PASSENGER SIDE DAY TIME RUNNING LAMP WENT OUT. I RECEIVED A "MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP" (MIL) ON THE DASH SO I INVESTIGATED. BEING AT HOME AND THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE, I REMOVED THE COVER TO THE ASSOCIATED BULB, I NOTICED BARE WIRING THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PLUG-IN CONNECTOR (THERE ARE TWO WIRES). I THOUGHT THIS UNUSUAL AND STRANGE. I SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED THE BULB BUT THAT DID NOT REPAIR THE FAULT. SINCE THE INSULATION ON THE FAULTY WIRING WAS IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER, IT WAS PROVIDING A GROUND AND SHORTING OUT THE BULB. THIS COULD REPRESENT A POTENTIAL FOR CAUSING A FIRE AND HAZARDOUS SITUATION. FURTHER RESEARCH VIA THE INTERNET (FORUMS), I WAS ASTOUNDED AT THE AMOUNT OF CONSUMERS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN TO BMW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. HELLA IS THE MANUFACTURER OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR BMW. I AM UNSURE AT THIS TIME IF BMW HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN TO HELLA OF THE POTENTIAL LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR SUBSTANDARD WIRING IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. IT APPEARS OVER A 5-8 YEAR PERIOD OF USE THAT THE INSULATION IS BEING SUBJECTED TO HIGH TEMPERATURES THAT CAUSE BRITTLENESS, FRACTURES AND FINALLY DEGRADE TO WHERE THE WIRING BECOMES EXPOSED. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT DOES NOT APPEAR CONCERNED OR MOTIVATED TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. I AM SURE THAT THERE CONCERNS REVOLVE AROUND PROFIT MARGINS, BUT I FEEL WHERE SAFETY IS OF CONCERN, MONEY SHOULD NOT BE THE REASON FOR NOT CORRECTING A PROBLEM. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT INVESTIGATION BE CONDUCTED IN ORDER TO DISCERN THE POTENTIAL IMPACT TO CONSUMERS SHOULD THIS PROBLEM NOT BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER.