NHTSA Complaint #10557174 — 2005 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE ROADSTER

REAR WINDOW FAILURE -- ADHESIVE FAILS & REAR WINDOW FALLS OUT. THE FAILURE OF ANY WINDOW IS NOT NORMAL "WEAR AND TEAR." MANY OF THESE CARS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE OVER THE YEARS. CHRYSLER FINALLY -- AFTER YEARS OF COMPLAINTS -- ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN #23-03511REVA IN 2011 THAT, ACCORDING TO CHRYSLER, COVERS ONLY VEHICLES DELIVERED IN NINE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. IT EXTENDS WARRANTY COVERAGE TO TEN YEARS (WHICH MEANS CHRYSLER WILL REPLACE THE CONVERTIBLE TOPS UNDER WARRANTY). ALL THESE CARS WERE BUILT IN BELGIUM. CHRYSLER HAD TROUBLE SELLING THESE VEHICLES SO IT AUCTIONED SOME VEHICLES INTERNALLY TO ITS DEALER NETWORK, WHO WERE THEN PERMITTED TO GET WHATEVER THEY COULD FOR BRAND NEW "USED" CARS. MINE WENT TO A DODGE DEALER IN FARMVILLE VA AND WAS SOLD TO ME (VIA EBAY) WITH 3 MILES ON THE ODOMETER IN MID-2007 OR SO. 33 MOS. OF "NEW CAR WARRANTY" REMAINED WHEN I REC'D IT HERE IN HAWAII. WHEN THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED "PLATINUM" WARRANTY. THE REAR WINDOW FELL OUT OF THE CONVERTIBLE TOP THREE MONTHS AFTER THE INITIAL 36 MONTH WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, THE EXTENDED "PLATINUM" WARRANTY WOULDN'T COVER REPAIRS. THE CAR HAD APPROX. 8000 MILES ON IT. AS NOTED BEFORE, CHRYSLER ISSUED THE SERVICE BULLETIN MENTIONED ABOVE IN 2011 BUT ARBITRARILY EXCLUDED SOME VEHICLES DESPITE THE PROBLEM OCCURRING IN CARS ALL OVER THE NATION. I GUESS THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD HAPPEN ONLY IN CERTAIN CLIMES -- BUT THERE ARE MORE THAN NINE U.S. STATES THAT GET HOT WEATHER, E.G., HAWAII EXPERIENCES HOT SUN YEAR-ROUND. AND MINE FELL OUT DESPITE VERY LOW MILEAGE AND THE CAR BEING GARAGED WHEN NOT IN USE. I REQUEST NHTSA DEMAND THAT CHRYSLER EXTEND COVERAGE TO ALL VEHICLES THAT FIT THE CRITERIA, NOT JUST THOSE "DELIVERED" IN NINE OF FIFTY STATES. THE FAILURE OF ANY WINDOW IS NOT NORMAL "WEAR AND TEAR" NO MATTER WHERE IT HAPPENS. THANKS. *TR