You have dry heat. But you don't get 70%+ humidity along with 90+ degree temperatures during the summer like we do.

This problem just happened to my 2005 Crossfire. Had a chat session with someone at Chrysler Customer Service and he told me my car was covered based on the VIN number. That's the good news. I printed out the entire chat session so I have it with me when I go to the dealership.

But I am wondering if I should just go to a professional convertible repair place and just have them re-glue the window instead of getting an entire new top and have it installed by God knows who? With my luck I'd get a brand new top that leaks. At least two other people on this thread have had that experience or have had less than professional workmanship with the replacement top.

I am thinking that makes more sense and then have Chrysler reimburse me.

My top is in great shape since the car has always been in a garage. It has never leaked. And frankly I don't see why they would need to replace the whole top to fix this.

 

Fixed my window "on the car" .. and looks like I might be doing this for a facebook member in the next couple of days. She has been to a few shops and all of them say "no.. new top". Her canvas "is in great shape" in her words. I've got about 3 months on my repair now.. and it was a mess from previous owners attempts to repair.. so a "virgin" dropped window should be a breeze.. LOL

 

Well the saga continues. Took my 2005 Convertible to a Dodge dealership. My car is covered under the extended warranty. So they had to order some sort of cloth repair kit.

Story I am getting now is that the part is on back order and they have no idea when it will come in. They say this part isn't in big demand.

I asked if I got it repaired by a trim shop if the Chrysler would cover it under the warranty. Since there is a TSB on it this is a manufacturer defect after all.

Answer I got was no.

Just wondering if anyone else has run into this. What are my options here?

One detail shop over the phone said if they could re-glue it; it would be about $225.

Really getting ticked off at Chrysler. This is probably my first and last MOPAR purchase if this is how their customer service works.

Been waiting 3+ weeks on this part so far. And after my call with them today; they have no clue when it will arrive.

 

I had exactly the opposite experience.
Took my letter to the local Chrysler dealer, told them I wanted to install it myself.
They said "no problem", 4 days later the new top arrived and I picked it up, no charge.

 

Lucky they agreed to honor their warranty. OEM top plus labor warranty, is way better than buying it your $elf, even if it detaches again in a few years.
Old local auto upholstery/top shop did ours (same shop the dealer would have sublet the labor to). Installed a top from GAHH w/warranty on window bond. Had to replace fabric "stays" , each side, from dealer.
You might check for availability of these parts online from Chrysler dealers who sell there. If available you might gently inform your dealer and speak directly with Corp. customer service.
I think most shops do not attempt re-glue repair because they do not want to do it over, in case it fails.
I'll say it again; Chrysler did NOT want to do anything, but they came up with their regional customer satisfaction BS, after the NHTSA inquiry in 2010.
Unfortunately, neither Gov't or Corp. ever even considered my specific area of concern about a water leak affecting multiple sensitive electrical components in trunk area, potentially causing many kinds of failures which may easily become safety related. If Chrysler has any info/data/research on this specifically, they were not asked to disclose it.
NHTSA ONLY asked for accident, death, injury data directly due to glass separation/projectile scenarios, of which they already knew that there was little if any verifiable evidence.
Thanks, NHTSA, for NOTHING!

 

I repaired my 2005 roadster rear window as described in the you tube video. cost was about $40 and took about 30 minutes. so far no leaks working fine. I have left over sealant and primer ready in case I get another separation.

 

How are you able to accomplish this? I've been dealing with Chrysler corporate and dealership since September and all I get is there 37 tops on backorder, Parts people tell me it doesn't look like there's any intention to fill backorders.

 

This was almost 2 years ago. They ordered it and 4 days later they called and said "come pick it up " !

Maybe you can get them to pay for a top you order from a 3rd party vendor ?
You can get one like maxcichon did that has the rear window installed in a pocket with a lifetime warranty !
The one I got was an OEM, I'm sure it will start separating again someday.

 

I used the 3m stuff over 3 years ago still holding.

 

Thanks guys for the quick response! Chrysler has offered me $2000 anything over that we would negotiate thats for top and labor, I'm disabled so I would have to pay for the labor. Try to find his post about the top and could not find. Do you know where I can find that information about his top ? Oh and part of the deal is I have to give them three estimates.

 

Send an IM to maxcichon, he will give you the details.

 

I remember back in the 60s and 70s you were lucky to get 5 years out of a convertible top. The rear window and seams both went. Spent many a winter with snow in the boot and little heat.

 

So true. Speaking of (no) heat (@ 6,500 feet el.) my first car ('67 Mustang coupe bought in '71) blew it's heater core in winter. Had to bypass it & froze my tail off for months & no defrost!


Wife's "dream" sports car had to be convertible, so in April/2005, her beloved Roadster was IT. After all, we hadn't had a brand new car in 19 years, so I couldn't argue the convertible part! Even the top on the convertible '05 Mustang (with glass rear window), looked cheap in comparison.


I believe that when car makers began using safety glass rear windows & electric defrost in convertibles (early 2,000's?), most (especially some imports) were doing their research to insure an extended & accectable lifespan of the top and window, through improved design and quality control.


Unfortunately, even though primarily German, somehow our Crossfire Roadsters didn't get it right. Still: it is our pride and joy. Chrysler Corp. never "got it" either! Too bad for them!

 

Just Google search.. we have plenty of company in this department.

 

Did our Mercedes cousins have the same problem? I talked to the parts department at Chrysler dealership and when he looked up my top there was a cross reference to a Mercedes top with part number.

 

Components on our cars all have Mercedes part numbers, either the part no for another Mercedes model or if it was made specifically for the a crossfire it has its own Mercedes part number in the series A173 XXX XX XX.

 

Thanks I'm sure that will come in handy at some point! The part number cross-referenced started A193

 

Sorry it was a typo on my part, Crossfire part numbers in the Mercedes are A193 XXX XX XX.

 

Although the top material/ seams are failing on this 2001 VW, the window bond appears to be as secure and "permanent" as possible, (when manufactured), given the engineering technology, methodology and materials available to them at that time. I don't know but I doubt any production convertible has had a similar window separation failure rate as our Roadsters, beginning at 3 to 4 years of age. And when NHTSA questioned Chrysler (2010), they came out with their (B.S.) Regional customer satisfaction warranty. And NHTSA "bought" (?) it.


On a similar note; not long ago, I heard a news soundbite about a lawsuit concerning water leaks in some BMW's causing electrical damage and fire in compononts in rear end. NHTSA may be involved. Don't know details, anyone else? Just curious.

 

Just picked up my '05 today (2/5/2016) with a brand new convertible top covered under extended warranty. Took 5 months to get the top on backorder. Cost = $0.00. Looks great!


Better hurry, I was told the warranty was extended for 10 years. Probably from the date the car was originally sold.