NHTSA Complaint #10895588 — 2008 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE ROADSTER

SUMMARY: THE REAR WINDOW GLASS SEPARATED FROM CONVERTIBLE FABRIC TOP WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. DETAILS: ON 8/13/2016, AT ABOUT NOON, NEAR BERTRAM, TEXAS, ON A HOT CLEAR DAY, I PARKED THE SUBJECT VEHICLE ALONG THE SIDE OF A RESIDENTIAL ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS IN SIGHT THE WHOLE TIME. NOTHING STRUCK OR TOUCHED THE VEHICLE WHILE I TALKED TO NEIGHBORS FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. WHEN I RETURNED, THE REAR WINDOW HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CANVAS ON THE BOTTOM AND SIDES, AND THE LOWER PORTION OF THE WINDOW WAS RESTING ON THE REAR DECK INSIDE THE CAR. THE WINDOW WAS STILL PRECARIOUSLY ATTACHED ALONG THE TOP. THE WIRES CONNECTING TO THE WINDOW GLASS DEFOGGING ELEMENTS WERE STILL ATTACHED AT THE SIDES. IT APPEARED THE BEAD OF GLUE AROUND THE EDGES HAD FAILED, PERHAPS DUE TO HEAT. IT HAD DETACHED FROM THE FABRIC SIDE OF THE GLUE JOINT. I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE BUT THE WINDOW WAS SWINGING AROUND AND HITTING THE CAR BODY, SO I DECIDED IT WAS UNSAFE. I CAREFULLY LOWERED THE TOP INTO THE TRUNK AND CONTINUED HOME. I RETURNED THE TOP TO ITS 'UP' POSITION AND TOOK PHOTOS OF THE SEPARATED WINDOW. IT LOOKED THE SAME AT THAT POINT AS WHEN I FIRST NOTICED IT. (PHOTOS INCLUDED.) I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE HAD THE GLUE FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE REAR WINDOW COULD HAVE FLOWN OUT OR BLOWN INWARD FROM THE BACK DRAFT, HITTING THE ROLL BARS AND SHATTERING GLASS ONTO THE DRIVER. ACCORDING TO NATIONAL NEWS, CHRYSLER ISSUED A TSB FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM FOR THE 2005 MODEL YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE IN SOUTHERN STATES (INCLUDING TEXAS) AND IS PROVIDING EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR ONLY THOSE VEHICLES. IT APPEARS THIS PROBLEM IS NOT LIMITED TO MODEL YEAR 2005. ALTHOUGH THAT YEAR MAY HAVE MORE COMPLAINTS SINCE OVER 2/3 OF ALL CONVERTIBLES SOLD OF THIS MODEL WERE SOLD IN 2005. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT THAT WARRANTS A RECALL.