Hey guys,

I have a great 10th Anniversary with only 65K original miles. I have a car cover for it that works well - except this summer I went away and came back and the cover was holding water right over the hatch since the spoiler basically creates a water pond with the car cover.

Anyway - this thing is my pride and joy and would love any suggestions on what to do. I've attached pictures. The rust is about 2 inches.

 

You could try and repair it, but it may be easier and cheaper to source a used hatch from someone, not sure if the 10AEs rear hatch had the special tinted glass or not

 

This happened to me as well when I had a fc. It was recommend to just switch out the hatch, which I found at the junkyard but it's not everyday you come across a 10th Annv. rear hatch.

 

It's a very basic autobody repair. The frame is made of steel.

 

Bet not...looks like it goes under the paint for a ways.

This is true and it's relatively flat as well, so not awful.
Paint matching is going to be the trick, I think.

 

They all start rusting there. The vinyl strip around the glass shrinks with time and a gab form at the little joiner plastic thingy, exactly what has happened to yours.

 

i would source a frame and swap the bronze 10th ae glass over... can that be done tho?

 

Given the rust probably extends behind the glass, a proper repair may be quite difficult unless the glass is removed. You could half-*** it and hope for the best - clean up, use POR15 on the exposed rust, try to seal the area behind/under the trim and glass. Or, if you have to remove the glass anyway, properly clean up the rust on yours, or could source a clean hatch frame, as suggested above, and just swap your unique 10AE tinted glass over. Either way there is a lot of work, or money if you're paying someone to do it for you.

 

You'll spend more money if you have it repaired. Find a replacement hatch, have them cut out the old glass from the new frame first and request that they grind down and treat any corrosion in the channel before they swap in your glass.
This is assuming the 10th anniversary glass on the hatch is indeed tinted bronze.

It's too bad you're not in Vermont, cuz I have a hatch and work for a body shop that would likely do it.

 

Just a Tip if you can't find that Clip that joins the glass seal together...(usually goes missing)
I grabbed an old seal and cut a piece out,put some black RTV in the crack and pressed the small piece into the crack.It looks like stock.

 

Good idea. Mine got broken when my car got pummelled by hail last summer.