NHTSA Complaint #716213 — 1999 BMW 320

MY SON AND I WERE TRAVELING SOUTH ON THE 405 FREEWAY IN THE CARPOOL LANE IN MODERATE/HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN WITHOUT WARNING THE RIGHT FRONT PLASTIC GRILL FLEW UP OVER THE HOOD AND STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. I THOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING. IT WASN'T UNTIL I RETURNED HOME THAT I DISCOVERED THE GRILL PIECE MISSING AND REALIZED WHAT HAD ACTUALLY HIT THE WINDSHIELD. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM REPLACE BOTH THE GRILL AND THE WINDSHIELD(THE IMPACT HAD SCRATCHED THE WINDSHIELD). WHEN I DETAILED THE INCIDENT I WAS INFORMED THAT BMW WOULD NOT REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. I EXPRESSED MY OPINION ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THIS COULD BE AND WAS STILL MET WITH RESISTANCE. THE SERVICE MANAGER DEMONSTRATED TO ME THAT WITH A SMALL BUMP OF THE PALM THAT THE GRILL WOULD POP OUT VERY EASILY. IT WAS AT THIS POINT I LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND DECIDED TO CONTACT NHTSA. I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AS WELL. THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED AS OF THIS TIME. MY GREATEST CONCERN IS THAT THE GRILL COULD IMPACT THE WINDSHIELD, CRACK OR SHATTER THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSE A MAJOR DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER(THAT BEING ME) AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND CAUSE A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. I AM ALSO SUPRISED THAT BMW WOULD BE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND BE RELUCTANT TO FIX IT AND ANY RELATED DAMAGE AT THEIR EXPENSE. I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT OR A MORE COMMON PROBLEM THAT BMW IS UNWILLING TO ADDRESS. THANK YOU.