10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
5 miles

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problem #1

May 302003

Wrangler 4WD 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 5 miles
I purchased a new 2003 Jeep Wrangler rubicon in may of 2003 with the dual top option. Since day one, whenever the full hard door is shut with the windows rolled up and the hardtop on, the rear glass pops open. The rear glass also pops open when you hit a bump in the road. Then the rear glass just flops around and hits the spare tire and you have to get out and push it shut, otherwise I'm afraid it might break the rear glass. My main concern is that it is a safety hazard as the owner's manual says to never drive with the rear window open (on soft top) unless you also have the front windows rolled down or exhaust fumes may enter the driver/passenger compartment and cause carbon monoxide poisioning! I assume the same thing can happen with the hard top on when the rear glass is open 2-3 inches and flopping around! I have taken it to the dealer twice and they tried lowering the rear glass by adjusting the hinges on the glass but the problem still exists. I contacted Jeep "star" tech support on 3 separate occassions and filed a complaint (file # 11586375) the service manager at our dealership said that he has seen this problem on some other hard top Jeep and I also have seen the same complaint on the internet on Jeep forum chat rooms. Apparently Jeep does't take the problem seriously since I have owned the vehicle for 1 1/2 years and it hasn't been fixed yet. Maybe when someone dies from carbon monoxide poisoning they will take action! I believe this is a design flaw. The 2003 hardtop relies on the rear tailgate to keep the rear glass closed and there isn't enough overlap to securely hold the rear glass in place.

- Wichita Falls, TX, USA