First time posting here, been lurking since I picked up my 2008 JK in January. I now know this is the first place to come when I'm looking for info.

Soon after I bought the Jeep (Freedom top only), I purchased a Mopar soft top from 2008, new in the box, from a private seller. From what I can gather, the soft top was on this person's Jeep along with the hard top when it was purchased. I can only assume the windows were never removed from the box because there isn't a scratch on them.

Long story short, soft top fits perfect, no leaks whatsoever. One issue I have noticed however is that the factory tinted windows have some sort of bubbling going on inside them. And its on all 3 windows, but most noticable on the side windows, toward the front of the Jeep. The bubbles range anywhere from the size of a quarter to a to the size of a softball.

It's a bit cold here in CT, and there hasn't been much sun lately, so I am wondering if this will go away when it warms up, or if it is something I can warranty with the dealer. I know pictures would probably be helpful, but its currently snowing (wtf?) in CT and cloudy...if it helps I will get some when the sun comes out tomorrow.

Thanks!

EDIT:
It's definitely not aftermarket tint, the windows were tinted straight from Mopar from what I can tell. The bubbling seems to be between the two layers of the window. It is nearly impossible to take a picture of it today, the skies are gray, and the windows are so reflective. This is the best I could...this is the rear window, which is not nearly as bad as the side windows, but was the only decent pic I could get.

In the picture it looks like the window is just wrinkled. However when looking closely, you can see a bubble between the windows, which distorts when looking in or out. The bubbles also would not come out in the pictures from the inside out.

The bubbles were there from day 1, but I also bought this from a private seller. It was on his Jeep when he purchased new in 2008, along with the hard top. The windows had been stored in the original box since the first day he owned the Jeep, however I am not sure where he had them. The bubbles do not move, and it's definitely definitely definitely not aftermarket tint. Seems almost like a defect in the manufacturing process. But if I have 3 like this, I would assume other people would as well.

 

I haven't un-boxed my soft-top yet (new 2011 - warm weather is coming though).

I wonder if the previous owner left some sort of protective film on them. Often times a thin film might be on the plastic to protect them during shipping. There shouldn't be any air bubbles in the windows.

Peel that film off and you should be good to go.

 

There doesn't appear to be any plastic film on the windows, inside or outside. I'm a bit tentative about picking at them to find out.

 

can you post some photos?

were the bubbles there from day one? or are they just appearing now?

maybe the previous owner stored them improperly??

 

Pics would help. The window material is a solid plastic film (very thick) so the likelihood of bubbles forming after manufacturing seems pretty low, even if stored improperly.

I'll pull the box down in the garage at lunch and see if there's a protective film on my new 2011 windows.

If you press on the bubbles, do they move, change size or shape or are they otherwise 'impressionable'?

EDIT to Add: I wonder - - - I mean maybe. . . . surely not.... Is it possible that the original top owner decided to apply a traditional window tint film to the plastic windows and that film is what is bubbling up? You can't put a traditional automotive tint film on the JK's plastic windows. If someone has applied that to your tops windows, then that is the issue. The only resolution is to remove the film and clean up the windows.

 

maybe a cheap aftermarket tint

 

Maybe I should go take my windows out of the box tonight.

 

When my windows were new they were kind of distorted in some spots. After they warmed up they looked perfect.

 

Yeah, I kinda rushed to put my soft top on this year, just for the 5 or so days that I can drop the top between now and June. Next year the hard top will remain on until April or May.

We haven't had much sun or many warm days since I put the soft top on, so I am hoping the same thing...that the sun will warm them up and remove the distortions.

 

I am in CT also and this weather sucks I have had a dual top for 3 years and other then some scratches on the windows I have no bubbling isuue