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Comments
I plan on putting some Nufinish synthetic wax on it and be extra careful after washing cars and drying those areas so moisture doesn't speed up the rusting process.
On the other hand, my old car 99 civic I noticed rust in some spots when I took delivery of it brand new and after 5 years, the rust hasn't really developed much. I think the damage depends on whether the area encounters a lot of moisture or not.
Last night I washed my car top to bottom and in the drying process checked EVERY rubber area on doors and trunk (didn't check the hood, am I supposed to look there too?). No rust anywhere. ANYWHERE... (car is dark grey).
I would say folks should really check... but I will say that my Impala had two spots of rust in the trunk lid (under) that I just kept an eye on and never got bigger in three years..I can't see where this hurt the car.
Good luck to everyone with rust problems.
It was not meant to belittle, but to inform that first glance can be deceiving. If you and others are certain that you have rust, than I am truely sorry.
But come on now, how could I ever make fun of a fellow 6 owner?!!!
Have you used the "seat down" feature for the back seats? With head restraints this would be much more difficult and probably would require removal of the restraints. After loads of on/off, they can start to rattle.
Mostly, I'm glad my 6 doesn't have them.
I ran a Q-Tip along the rails and picked up nothing? I will continue to look.
Mark.
Nothing like first hand inspection. I suggest you check out those cars yourself for rust as shown in the following pictures
http://www.mazda6.us/
My friend with the body shop is shocked that Mazda would build the door frames this way, basically painting after the doors are welded and he said it's not IF but WHEN all these doors will begin to rust. It's coming from the inside and he said it will only get worse and eat thru the metal as time goes on especially if you have winter to deal with. He emphasized that repainting will do nothing as it is corroding from the inside and door replacement is the only permenant fix. If it is left as is the metal will perforate and you will have 4 leaking doors and a trunk in a couple of years time as well as rattles.
I wash my car constantly and we had alot of rain in Toronto this summer so my car is probably worse than the average 6(also silver). I'd even venture to guess that cases will increase tenfold once the winter's over. Cars being affected seem to be 2003 and 2004 and build dates vary so this just isn't a bad batch. It's a build flaw and boy is Mazda gonna suffer for this if they have to replace doors and trunks for 1000's of cars as well as a possibility of a class action suit if they drag their heels.
rkf1976: I can guarantee that the "dirt" you wiped off is initial surface rust(it will wipe off like dirt) and that deeper rust is imbedded along the seam but it is probably next to impossible to see because your car is black. I suggest you find a professional to take a look or keep a very close eye on it over the winter.
One word of advice. I would not do or have anybody try and repair it until Mazda makes a decision as any home repair work may void your warrenty. Don't even scrape any surface rust off yourself because you are just masking the problem.
I posted a few weeks back some info on the MZ6 sport wagon and 5 door. Lately I've been getting alot of email asking questions about these new models.....Here is what I know so far, for sure.
MZ6 5-door
-- 100% sport package
-- 50% V6
-- option structure similar to sedan
sport wagon
-- 45% sport pkg
-- 100% V6
-- manual trans standard
-- option structure similar to sedan
The mazda website will have some info uploaded sometime in october. There are a couple teaser pictures in the 2004 MZ6 brochure.
I have been told not to expect the official dealer order guide until January. But build specs will be available to dealers on the mazda dealers system by month end.
The formal launch of the cars will be in Jan at the Detroit auto show.
It would be interesting to hear from Mazda6 owners with ones built in Japan on this issue.
If anyone hears from Mazda with a response, please let us know.
If it's as widespread as I suspect it to be, it isn't going to be good for Mazda.
Whoever slept on this at Flat Rock, or wherever the problem stemmed from, might be known as the person(s) that killed Mazda. A shame. Truly a shame.
I really think Mazda got at least a couple of things mostly right - All Hatches will be Sport Package equipped, and All Wagons will have the V6. Yeah, some people will complain - but speaking for myself, those two are the only combinations that make sense
Any word on MT?AT ratios, or will they let initial demand dictate that? Which is good, because a lot pf people waiting for the hatch will buy stick (I woulda if I had had the patience) forcing them to increase stick percentages!
Sucks for those that have it.
Although I'm not overly worried even if I find I do have it - I fully trust Mazda to rectify this issue satisfactorily. The cars are new enough that paint fade and discoloration, and mismatching of panel colors is a negligible issue
I'd relax (though still be disappointed, no doubt!)
I can't believe this. Speechless. Some of you know how much I like Mazdas, but this is unacceptable in a new car. I'm a little worried about my Protege now even though it's built in Japan - paranoid perhaps. I'll have to check tomorrow. I feel for you guys. Saw Jerry has it too - that's too many issues with a new car. I couldn't take it.
Dinu
I feel for you guys and gals. Let's see what Mazda does about this.
rust on a new car - LEASE DON'T BUY!
at least stick available on wagon.
oh well.....
9-3 and TSX are back on top. will have to give up the idea of wagon or hatch cause i ain't buyin a chevy malibu..maxx...
I don't know if there is such a thing as benign rust in Minnesota. I've lived here all my life and I've seen what rust does, everyday. I guess I'll find out soon enough if it's "benign".
Stop production at Flat Rock until they figure out what is wrong.
Maybe you could send the links to your photos.
First, let's try to find some common threads:
1. Those who have rust, can you tell us your build date of your car? You can find that date on the white square decal on the inside of your driver's front doorframe toward the bottom.
2. How long and how many miles do you have on your car? This can tell others who don't have rust when they might expect to see it.
3. Does where you live have a high amount of rain or moisture.
4. Do you take your car to an automatic carwash. The high-pressure water might be getting into the seals/seams more easily.
5. Also, does anyone have any ideas on determining exactly how this is happening. I mean, do we have to cut into a door or remove the weatherstrip to get at exactly where the rust is coming from and what part is rusting?
These are by no means scientific, and it may not necessarily provide a fix, but hey it's a start. If anyone else has any thoughts on diagnosing this then let's put our collective brainpower together.
I also think some heads are gonna roll when they find out who screwed this up ...
mjvchicago--
My car is silver and was built in Feb 03. Not including sitting in the dealers lot, it has probably been wet 10 times. First of all, it barely rained in Minnesota this summer and second of all, my car is always garaged, at work and at home. I've hand washed it 3 or 4 times since I've owned it. The rest of the cleanings were done with a California Duster. I have 4000 miles.
I have a bad feeling that the salt this winter is really going to do a number on the affected areas.
Does anyone know if it would be wise to spray some clear coat or sealant to keep the door from rusting? Also do those electronic rust prevention devices work?
I have gotten a professional opinion and like I said before this will not solve the problem. That easy fix will not get into all the spots necessary to stop it. All it takes is one tiny spot to be exposed and it will start all over again. Mazda will be hoping that it works until after the warrenty is over and then it's no longer thier problem.
This rust is obviously spreading as some pictures I've seen make it obvious that it shows without lifting the weatherstripping and any owner would of noticed that when they bought the car. If you see my car you can tell it's spreading. My driver side door is the worst which is logical as that door would be exposed to the most water as you open and close it more often when it's raining.
Now for even more bad news for me and maybe for others. Try taking something like a thin metal ruler and lift the rubber molding that outlines the trunk right by the trunk gutter where alot of water accumalates. You can't really do this with your fingers in fact you may need someone to lift it with the ruler while you look because the molding is less flexible. I have found more spots, 2 of which looks like it has begun to perforate. THIS NIGHTMARE WILL NEVER END.
The only solution I'm accepting is 4 new doors and now it looks like a new back end. There's no friggen way I'm getting stuck with a rustbucket 5 years down the road when Mazda tells me it's my problem now not theirs because of some half assed solution they performed. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND that everybody affected take new doors and nothing less because all car manufacturers have thier best interests in mind not yours. I am(was) a big Mazda fan but I will never trust them again for anything. I don't care if their next sedan drives like a Ferrari and only costs $10000. I think I'll pass. Sorry if I'm long winded but I need to vent somewhere. I can't wait to see my dealer next week.
CL
I hope everyone's rust problems get taken care of -- if it's from faulty design or construction, I'll probably get it eventually too. But I'm sure Mazda can take care of it if it becomes necessary -- they're not going to want their pride and joy product to rust out from under their customers.
Maybe we should all take a deep breath and be patient until this issue gets evaluated. It's going to take a little while.
1. A/C selector switch? Hot air was blowing thru some vents. All day in the shop as they had to take the dash apart.
2 Cloth seats falling apart. Been waiting 2 months and still no word when they'll be replaced as Mazda apparently will be using new material, an admission on thier part that the fabric is subpar.
3 RUST(last but certainly not least) The straw that broke my back and it looks like many others.
#'s 2 and 3 show that the build quality leaves alot to be desired. Not to mention that these 2 fixes will result in the car being in the shop for god knows how long. I wish had my MX-6 back. The good old days.
If this is indeed a problem Mazda better fix it WAY quick or they will lose major sales once word gets around in the northern climes.
Assuming this rust is really what it is, that it's coming from the inside out, etc. then none of Mazda's options are very good. They can either sweep it under the rug and hope the rust doesn't go crazy before the 4 year warranty is up so they can save money. Or they can step up to the plate and replace people's doors and/or buy back certain cars if it's extreme.
What do I think they'll do? Again assuming all this is true, I think only in extreme cases will they replace someone's doors or buyback. If there's no easy fix I think they'll do like Honda with the transmission issue and wait for it to be a big problem on an individual basis.
People's transmissions could go out at highway speeds but Honda obviosuly isn't going to replace every transmission. They'll wait for it to fail before they do anything. Maybe Mazda will extend it's corrosion part of the warranty? Replacing doors on all Mazda6's so far would kill them financially I would assume. Especially since some people aren't finding rust they have no reason to voluntarily fix rust that some people don't even see, even if it's actually there.
My opinion is they'll take it as a case by case problem and replace the doors or buyback in extreme cases. At this early stage they'll probably claim that it won't spread maybe. They probably want to see the rust go crazy first before they even consider replacing the doors? With a rust problem like this there's no other cheaper way than replacing the doors right?
No question about it, the cloth in the Mazda6 falls short compared to the rest of the interior in my opinion. When I first saw it I was very impressed with the quality of the interior, EXCEPT the cloth. It felt cheap and looked somewhat cheap. It was a big let down. I found the seats very uncomfortable and I still wonder if they would have had softer cloth if maybe it would have been a little more comfortable. I found the Corolla fabric far superior in my opinion compared to the Mazda6 cloth.
It seems they obviously were trying to save a few bucks when they chose that cloth. And as you said, now that they are already changing it that shows they don't even think the cloth is on par with the rest of the interior.
Have any of you gotten any response from your dealer? My concern with Mazda replacing the doors would be that the VIN would no longer match therefore it might decrease resale value. If you plan to keep the car forever and a day it wouldn't really matter but maybe replacing the doors would be a start along with some compensation towards decreased resale. On the other hand ... you would have to be sure that the rust was only on the doors and trunk and not affecting more of the car for this to be acceptable.
Mazda does seem to be killing themselves lately. They have introduced 2 good products with the RX-8 and the 6. Yet between the HP issue on the RX-8 and now the possibility of a rust issue on the 6 they are taking attention away from the positive aspect of the products and putting it on the negative.
I have lost all enthusiam for this car. From someone who used to wash weekly and wax monthly I have lost all desire to even wash this car. It just seems pointless.
I'm getting more angry by the minute and if Mazda drags thier heels(guaranteed: ie cloth seats)then by the time they do something about this my car is gonna be more red than silver.
I hope that is the case because I don't think I even want new doors now.I would be too paranoid about the new doors. The rust that is occurring in my trunk channel has me thinking that maybe the sheet metal is also a problem. It seems like 90% of the money put into this car went to the suspension which would be great if you were using this car only for race car driving.
I want a full buyback and I will contact my lawyer about this and cause as much grief as possible for Mazda until I get what I want. There is also talk of a class action suit by some U.S. owners if Mazda tries to be difficult.