2008 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE Complaints

I WENT AWAY ON VACATION FOR A WEEK AND LEFT MY 2008 CROSSFIRE AT HOME. THREE DAYS AFTER LEAVING, MY GRANDSON CALLS AND TELLS ME THAT THE REAR WINDSHIELD HAD DETACHED FROM THE CONVERTIBLE TOP AND WAS LAYING INSIDE THE CAR. THANK GOD HE CAUGHT IT AND COVERED IT BECAUSE THAT NIGHT THEY HAD 3 INCHES OF RAIN OVERNIGHT.

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.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE ROADSTER WHEN I NOTICED A WIND SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE PASSENGER SIDE. I NOTICED A SEPARATION IN THE REAR WINDOW GLASS FROM THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED HOME THE GLASS HAS SEPARATED MORE THAN HALF WAY FROM THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS CROSSFIRE ANYMORE AS I BELIEVE THIS SEPARATION MENTIONED ABOVE TO BE UNSAFE AND COULD POSSIBLY FAIL COMPLETELY AND CAUSE A HAZARD TO MYSELF AND OTHERS OR CRASH DURING DRIVING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WINDSHIELD DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,100.

"TAKATA RECALL" SINCE RECEIPT OF TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL ON 11 APRIL 2016 (FROM FCA), MY CROSSFIRE HAS BEEN PARKED. FCA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CALLS (WITH LIMITED EMAIL CONTACTS) IN THE 60 DAYS HAS GOTTEN ME NOWHERE IN REGARDS TO INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN MY CAR WILL BE FIXED. FCA SAYS (3 DIFFERENT 'SPECIAL HANDLING' CSU AGENTS) THAT I HAVE TO SPEAK TO THEM ABOUT MY ISSUES BY PHONE ONLY (LATEST 'HIGHER-UP' AGENT EMAILED ME THAT THEIR 'POLICY' IS THEY MUST SPEAK BY PHONE, THEY WILL NOT DEAL WITH THIS BY EMAIL). SOME HISTORY, THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS SURPRISED BY THE RECALL (11 APR, 2016). THEY LOOKED IT UP, SAID NO INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE, WOULD NOT ISSUE ANY LOANER (I ASKED) & SAID THEY COULD NOT DISCONNECT THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG. ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA WEBSITE, I LIVE IN ZONE 1. FCA WILL NOT EVEN TELL ME WHAT ZONE THEY ARE CLASSIFYING MY VEHICLE IN (ASSIGNED ZONE DENOTES REPAIR PRIORITIES). THE LAST EMAIL I RECEIVED FROM FCA CSU (TODAY), THE AGENT SAID MY CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. FRANKLY, I DO NOT BELIEVE MY AIRBAG IS SAFE. I INSTRUCTED FCA 'SPECIAL HANDLING' AGENTS (TWICE BY EMAIL AND ONCE BY PHONE), THAT IF THEY DO NOT ANSWER MY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS BY 10 JUNE (60 DAYS CAR IS PARKED AND NOT BEING DRIVEN UNTIL THE RECALLED AIRBAG IS REPLACED IAW NHTSA REQUIREMENTS) I WOULD GO OUTSIDE FCA TO ADDRESS ITS HANDLING OF THIS RECALL WITH MY CAR. MY QUESTIONS ARE; 1, WHAT ZONE ARE THEY CLASSIFYING MY CAR IN? 2, WHEN WILL THE AIRBAG (PARTS) BE AVAILABLE FOR MY CAR? 3, WHERE AM I IN RELATION TO HAVING MY CAR FIXED? FCA CSU AGENTS DO NOT WANT TO ANSWER ME ON THE RECORD. TWO AGENTS SUGGESTED A 'RENTAL' VEHICLE BUT THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR ITS INSURANCE. WHY SHOULD A CUSTOMER BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL? IN EARLIER CONTACTS I EVEN SUGGESTED AN 04, 05, OR 06 MODEL AIRBAG BE INSTALLED UNTIL THE 08 PART COMES IN. I WANT MY CAR SAFELY BACK ON THE ROAD!

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, I SAW A SUDDEN MOVEMENT THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. I HEARD A THUMP. I SLAMMED THE BRAKE AND GOT OUT THINKING I'D HIT A CHILD OR MAYBE A DOG. MUCH TO MY RELIEF, THERE WASN'T ANYONE OR ANYTHING BEHIND MY CAR. I GOT BACK INTO MY CAR AND LET MY HEART RATE SLOW DOWN AND BEGAN TO BACK OUT AGAIN. IT WAS ALMOST DARK. I WAITED FOR A CAR TO PASS. LIT BY THEIR HEADLIGHTS I NOTICED THAT THE VIEW OUT OF THE WINDOW SEEMED DIFFERENT. I COULDN'T SEE THE LINES OF THE WIRES IN THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER. I TURNED AND SAW THAT THE REAR WINDOW HAD FALLEN OUT AND WAS LAYING DOWN ALMOST FLAT JUST BEHIND THE SAFETY BARS LOCATED JUST BEHIND SEATS. I PULLED FORWARD AND DISCOVERED THAT ONLY THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW WAS STILL ATTACHED BY THE ADHESIVE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO SECURE THE WINDOW TO THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. I HAD PURCHASED A 5 YEAR, 100,00 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM CHRYSLER. I CONTACTED THEM AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TOP WAS NOT COVERED. THE REASON I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS BECAUSE THE SALESMAN STRESSED THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING A CONVERTIBLE TOP. I PAID 2,595.18 TO THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER TO REPLACE THE TOP AT MY EXPENSE. I WAS CHARGED 165.00 FOR PART #5140795AA. THAT PART IS A "KEY", (WRENCH), USED TO INSTALL OR REMOVE THE TOP WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN INCLUDED WITH THE VEHICLE. IT WASN'T. I RECEIVED MY "REPAIRED" VEHICLE ON 10/31/13. AT 35 MPH THE TOP LOOKED LIKE A TENT FLOPPING IN THE WIND. IT BEGAN POURING RAIN BEFORE I GOT HOME. THE TENSION STRAPS HAD BEEN CUT TO REMOVE THE TOP. THE SEALS AROUND THE WINDOWS WERE SO MISALIGNED THAT THE POCKETS ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOORS WERE DRENCHED WITH EVERYTHING IN THEM AS WELL AS MY WIFE AND ME. I TOOK THE CAR BACK AND DEMANDED A LOANER VEHICLE. I RECEIVED ONE. I DIDN'T RECEIVE MY REPAIRED VEHICLE UNTIL AFTER FEB 20, 2014. THE TOP STILL ISN'T PROPERLY INSTALLED.

WHEN I OPENED MY VEHICLE TO GET IN, I HEARD SOMETHING LOUD HITTING THE BACK PANEL. I THEN NOTICED MY REAR WINDOW HAD FELL 3/4 OF THE WAY OUT AND HIT THE BACK PANEL OF MY CAR. THE ADHESIVE ON THE REAR WINDOW ASSEMBLY FAILED CAUSING THE WINDOW ASSEMBLY TO PARTIALLY FALL OUT. I IMMEDIATELY LEFT THE CAR IN PARK AND WILL NOT DRIVE IT AS THE REMAINING PORTIONS OF THE WINDOW STRUCTURE COULD COME OUT CAUSING AN UNSAFE HAZARD TO MYSELF AND OTHERS AS THE WINDOW MAY HIT THE DRIVER OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD WHEN IT FULLY COMES OUT. I ONLY HAVE 33,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN MY GARAGE SINCE THE DAY I PURCHASED IT. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE 2005, AT WHICH TIME CHRYSLER ISSUED AN 'EXTENDED WARRANTY' WHICH INCLUDED THE COST TO FIX THIS DEFECT TO THOSE NUMEROUS 2005'S WHO COMPLAINED. HOWEVER, SINCE THAT YEAR, THE AMOUNT OF CROSSFIRES WHICH WERE BUILT AND SENT TO THE US HAS DRASTICALLY DECREASED, WHICH IN TURN, COMPLAINTS DECREASED ALTHOUGH NOTHING WAS DONE BY THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IN 2008, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ONLY 2000 CROSSFIRES WERE BUILT AND SENT TO THE US, OF WHICH THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS, HOWEVER, CHRYSLER THINKS THE CUSTOMER SHOULD TAKE THE EXPENSE OF FIXING THEIR DEFECTS OF USING INADEQUATE ADHESIVE FOR SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS A WINDOW. I WAS TOLD THE COST WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1,700-$2,400 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE CONVERTIBLE TOP, WHICH IS WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO MAKE THIS SAFE FOR THE CONSUMER. THIS PRESENTS AN UNSAFE HAZARD TO MYSELF AND MY FAMILY AND I AM NOT HAPPY WITH CHRYSLER'S RESPONSE. *TR