NHTSA Complaint #747610 — 1992 BMW 325I

I WAS LOSING COOLANT AND I COULD NOT FIND A LEAK OVER MORE THAN A YEAR. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM (AT UNITED BMW, DULUTH, GA) THE FOUND NO PROBLEM. ON THE HIGHWAY I NOTED THE WINDSHIELN VERY CLOWDY AND THE SMELL OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL COMING FROM THE HEATING DUCTS. SUDDENLY THIS BIG CLOUD OF WHITE MIST IN FRONT OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD ONLY TO BE SPRAYED WITH THE REMNANTS OF THIS FLUID AS IT GOT ON THE FAN. I JUMPED BACK AND AVOIDED ANY INJURY. THE HOSE LEADING FROM THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR TO THE ENGINE BLOCK HAD FALLEN OFF! THAT SHOULD BE SIMPLE TO FIX! ON CLOSER INSPECTION, THE RADIATOR ATTACHMENTS HAD COMPLETELY FRACTURED OFF! THE FRACTURED PORTION WAS STUCK IN THE HOSE! AND THE REMNANT ON THE RADIATOR IS TOO SHORT TO SECURELY ANCHOR THE HOSE TO THE RADIATOR AFTER REMOVING THE BROKEN PART FROM INSIDE THE HOSE. HOWEVER, I USE IT THIS WAY AND KEEP A SUPPLY OF WATER IN THE CAB FOR SHORT TRIPS.THE FRACTURED RADIATOR WAS CHRONICALLY LEAKING AND OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WINTERS THERE WOULD BE A MIST ON MY WINDSHIELD THAT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET RID OF. WIPING WITH TISSUE WOULD LEAVE A STEAK MOST OF THE TIME! I NOTE THAT BMW HAS RECENTLY RECALLED THE RADIATOR CAP ON THIS VEHICLE. FROM THIS EXPERIENCE I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT HIGH PRESSURES DID NOT CAUSE THE HOSE TO RUPTURE BUT A DEFECTIVE RADIATOR THAT IS SUBJECT TO FRACTURE AT THE POINT OF HOSE CONNECTION RESULTING IN CHRONIC LEAKS PARTICULAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WORKING PREASURES LEADING TO MIST AND FROM THE COOLANT WITHIN THE VEHICLE AND POOR VISIBILITY. TURNING THE WINDCHIELD DEFOGGER ON DOES NOT CLEAR THIS PROBLEM BUT ADDS TO IT! BMW NEED TO RECALL THESE DEFECTIVE RADIATORS BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF THIRD DEGREE BURNS AND DEATH AS WELL AS UNSAFE DRIVING FROM THE CONSTANT FOGGING OF THE WINDSHIELD. YOURS TRULY, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).