2019 JLUR Hard Top Paint Issue

Sea Serpent

Member
Earlier this year I had noticed an area of missing paint above the rear window's left hinge and very thin paint throughout the recessed area that the rear window rest in while closed. This hard top has the black satin finish factory paint that I prefer on these hard tops. I've taken it to the dealership for them to assess it and send pictures into whoever makes decisions at FCA. Immediately the paint and body shop manager stated that given the location of the missing paint, the only way to fix is to repaint the entire top (requires side glass removal also) since he cannot match this paint. He explained that this hard top paint requires a special type of application process since it is applied electrostatically and etc...

Okay, so a repaint will consist of 2 stage paint and will definitely be more or less shiny. I am 100% certain that is not the look I want. I was told we have to wait on FCA to decide on whether to repaint or replace the top. Anyone dealt with this type of problem before? I'm looking for something to help avoid a top repaint that I know I'll hate.
 

JP223/3USA

Member
Earlier this year I had noticed an area of missing paint above the rear window's left hinge and very thin paint throughout the recessed area that the rear window rest in while closed. This hard top has the black satin finish factory paint that I prefer on these hard tops. I've taken it to the dealership for them to assess it and send pictures into whoever makes decisions at FCA. Immediately the paint and body shop manager stated that given the location of the missing paint, the only way to fix is to repaint the entire top (requires side glass removal also) since he cannot match this paint. He explained that this hard top paint requires a special type of application process since it is applied electrostatically and etc...

Okay, so a repaint will consist of 2 stage paint and will definitely be more or less shiny. I am 100% certain that is not the look I want. I was told we have to wait on FCA to decide on whether to repaint or replace the top. Anyone dealt with this type of problem before? I'm looking for something to help avoid a top repaint that I know I'll hate.

Eddie had an issue with his hardtop above the rear window. I believe the dealership replaced the entire hardtop.


Sent from my iPhone using JL Wrangler Jeep Forum mobile app
 

JTCO

Meme King
Earlier this year I had noticed an area of missing paint above the rear window's left hinge and very thin paint throughout the recessed area that the rear window rest in while closed. This hard top has the black satin finish factory paint that I prefer on these hard tops. I've taken it to the dealership for them to assess it and send pictures into whoever makes decisions at FCA. Immediately the paint and body shop manager stated that given the location of the missing paint, the only way to fix is to repaint the entire top (requires side glass removal also) since he cannot match this paint. He explained that this hard top paint requires a special type of application process since it is applied electrostatically and etc...

Okay, so a repaint will consist of 2 stage paint and will definitely be more or less shiny. I am 100% certain that is not the look I want. I was told we have to wait on FCA to decide on whether to repaint or replace the top. Anyone dealt with this type of problem before? I'm looking for something to help avoid a top repaint that I know I'll hate.

Can you post some pictures.
 

JTCO

Meme King
Eddie had an issue with his hardtop above the rear window. I believe the dealership replaced the entire hardtop.

Good to know it's something they've handled before and a replacement was approved. I'm still awaiting a reply from my dealership. I'm just glad I've held off getting the headliner kit for my top since its most likely to be replaced.

Here's Eddie and Cindy's JL hardtop issue: https://jlwrangler.com/showthread.php?529-JL-Wrangler-Hard-Top-Blemish-What-Would-You-Do

Sounds a little different than what you're dealing with though.
 

Sea Serpent

Member
Here's Eddie and Cindy's JL hardtop issue: https://jlwrangler.com/showthread.php?529-JL-Wrangler-Hard-Top-Blemish-What-Would-You-Do

Sounds a little different than what you're dealing with though.

Wow! That's much worse and more visible than my paint issue. Based on what I was told, they cannot touch these hard tops up that have the black satin finish and from the description of the steps required for repainting the entire top (including the two front panels) are time consuming and will not match the factory color or sheen. Not to mention it will absolutely cause me to dislike it. Still waiting on word from the dealership.
 

Sea Serpent

Member
Here are some pictures showing the missing paint above the left hinge on the rear window. Best I could do in my garage.
 

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JTCO

Meme King
Here are some pictures showing the missing paint above the left hinge on the rear window. Best I could do in my garage.

I just looked at ours. It has a little bit of the same thing. I never noticed it before. I don't think we'll do anything with it to be honest.
 

Sea Serpent

Member
I just looked at ours. It has a little bit of the same thing. I never noticed it before. I don't think we'll do anything with it to be honest.

If that was all mine had I may have just lived with it too. It must have been a run of hard tops with this issue then. Need to compare build dates. Also, to be accurate, mine also had a larger thin paint area in the rear window recess that the dealership body shop attempted to repaint with flat black and it looks worse to me than before they touched it. Pictures are unable to pick up the difference in paint color and texture. This touch up occurred at the same time they were repairing the bubbling paint on my right rear door at the hinges. You should look there for any paint issues too. Anyway, I'm still waiting on word from my dealer for their plan of action. Since they botched an attempt to hide a paint issue, maybe it wont be too hard to get an approval for a new top.
 

JTCO

Meme King
If that was all mine had I may have just lived with it too. It must have been a run of hard tops with this issue then. Need to compare build dates. Also, to be accurate, mine also had a larger thin paint area in the rear window recess that the dealership body shop attempted to repaint with flat black and it looks worse to me than before they touched it. Pictures are unable to pick up the difference in paint color and texture. This touch up occurred at the same time they were repairing the bubbling paint on my right rear door at the hinges. You should look there for any paint issues too. Anyway, I'm still waiting on word from my dealer for their plan of action. Since they botched an attempt to hide a paint issue, maybe it wont be too hard to get an approval for a new top.

I'll look at our doors too. Ours was built July of this year.
 

Sea Serpent

Member
Mine was built April of 2019. Looks like this issue includes at least two model years.

Still no word from my dealer on a plan of action. I may need to become a pest lol.
 

Sea Serpent

Member
So I got a call from my local dealership in Winston-Salem, NC with some good news. The factory approved an entire hard top replacement. I just have to wait until the first week of January for it to arrive. It appears that my hardtop paint defect fell into a similar category as Eddie's wayoflife Jeep.
I was very surprised it didn't turn into a struggle, so I'm assuming the dealership collision center manager helped out since he is certain they are unable to match the color.
For those that notice a factory paint defect with a satin black hardtop you should know that the factory paint is applied through a special static application process. No dealership is equipped to duplicate it. Also no repaint by any dealership will match the factory look. This is pretty much word for word from my dealership's collision center manager.
 

JTCO

Meme King
So I got a call from my local dealership in Winston-Salem, NC with some good news. The factory approved an entire hard top replacement. I just have to wait until the first week of January for it to arrive. It appears that my hardtop paint defect fell into a similar category as Eddie's wayoflife Jeep.
I was very surprised it didn't turn into a struggle, so I'm assuming the dealership collision center manager helped out since he is certain they are unable to match the color.
For those that notice a factory paint defect with a satin black hardtop you should know that the factory paint is applied through a special static application process. No dealership is equipped to duplicate it. Also no repaint by any dealership will match the factory look. This is pretty much word for word from my dealership's collision center manager.

Good update.
 

Sea Serpent

Member
The new top finally came in and the dealership replaced it. Looks like the new top doesn't have any paint missing at the hinge or rear glass recess. I have a new problem though. As hard as it is to believe, they handed my Jeep back over to me with paint damage on the new freedom panels. See pics.
 

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