NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation SQ98010
Investigation · BMW of North America, LLC · VISIBILITY
An investigation is not a finding that a defect exists.
NHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
What NHTSA is examining
The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published
WINDSHIELD WIPER INOPERATION
BMW BELIEVES THAT THERE IS NO INDICATION OF A SYSTEMATIC OR SAFETY DEFECT CONCERNING THE SUBJECT WIPER RELAY.THE MAIN REASON THAT PRECIPITATED THE ISSUANCE OF THE SERVICE BULLETIN WAS TO INFORM DEALERS OF A NEW RELAY PART NUMBER FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES SINCE THIS PART NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PART CATALOGS.ODI HAS NO COMPLAINTS ALLEGING WIPER FAILURE AND BMW'S WARRANTY RATE (0.13%) DOES NOT INDICATE AN EXISTING FAILURE TREND.WASHINGTON-AREA BMW DEALERS SURVEYED BY ODI REPORTED NO COMPLAINTS RELATIVE TO THE SUBJECT RELAY.A SAFETY DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXITS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THAT RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THESE MAATTER IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANES.
An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.
Investigation details
Identifiers, dates and outcome as recorded by NHTSA
- Action number
- SQ98010
- Investigation type
- Investigation (SQ)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- BMW of North America, LLC
- Component
- VISIBILITY
- Opened
- Jun 3, 1998
- Closed
- Sep 11, 1998
- Associated recall campaign
- None recorded
Vehicles named in this investigation
4 model years across 2 models
Being named here means NHTSA included the vehicle in the scope of its inquiry. It is not a statement that these vehicles have a defect.