intermittent window nose 05 Convertable Sebring & $101.5 1-hour diagnostic fee

On my last visit in June I gave the service writer a copy of this:

When the passenger side door and rear windows are in a full up
position there is a rattle, tapping or knocking that occurs when
going over rough/bumpy road surfaces. This rattle will disappear if
either the front or rear passenger side window are lowered any
amount, or if pressure is applied to the top rear of the passenger
door window when both are in the full up position.

It was returned with a note to the effect:
"problem not found, functions normally"

The dealer is efficient in that when I made my appointment for this
friday the service writer must have reviewed my file and the confirm
email states:

"Other Diagnosis/Repair - HEARING THE SAME NOISE THAT HE REPORTED
BEFORE - $101.5 (1-hour diagnostic fee only)"

I plan to hand the service writer the following, unless I get a better
suggestion here, Thanks for any responses

noise is intermittent and is still present at times. When it is
present , sometimes noise will disappear when raising rear window
while pressing outward on rear window. if fee is $101.5 I will want it
noted on service record request , but will not want it diagnosed at
this time

 

Rattles may only be covered under warranty for first year of ownership but
if reported during that year and not fixed you shouldn't have to pay a
diagnostic fee in my opinion.

 

These type of repairs/compaints are covered bumper to bumper 3/36, don't let
them get away with with this unless they try and say it is caused by some
misuse/abuse.

 

The Sebring Convertible is a big heavy car that has 'Body Flex'. When you go
down the rough bumpy road the whole cars body is flexing and twisting
slightly.. there's no hard-top roof there to add support. Your dealer
probably isn't going to be able to do anything about it... the top of the
window is moving with the 'body flex' while the convertible top is moving
and 'flexing' in a different direction. Most convertibles look nice but are
noisey rattly things... that's part of the joy of owning a convertible.
Wedge a matchbook or something cardboard up there if it bugs you too bad.
Check this link out:
http://cars.about.com/od/chrysler/fr/jf_05sebring.htm

 

Thanks all for the responses, I do understand convertible 'Body Flex'
is a significant part of this noise, yet since the noise is
intermittent and annoying only on one side there is something out of
line on that side. The Sebring may not be the ultimate luxury top of
the line convertible where owners would not put up with a intermittent
noise of this sort, yet it's not a bottom line piece of junk where
noises like this are to be accepted as normal.

 

Maybe, maybe not. Ask all the people who have posted here about the sound
of water swishing in their fenders. Kind of junky to me.

 

when it's in it's tapping/rattle mode the bump could be the typical
cement expansion joint in the pavement to produce the tapping. noise
over a RR track I'll accept.

could be a factor, as the noise happened during warmer weather

yep I'm not driving while hanging onto the roof

more of a tapping between the glass frame members or possible the top
of the glass and the roof member or something in the roof member when
both windows are up

looks good and I took a close look

thought about that but didn't do it yet

will do it if the tapping returns

this is a new off the lot car now with 7k miles

actually roads considered good with minor defects will create the
tapping when it's in it's tapping mode

that's a built in feature of the Sebring , it will lower the windows
about 2 inches when raising the top