Mazda3 owners with corrosion issues, join us here!

[carcrazy]

I really hope that my dealer will step up to the plate and fix this, or I do everything in my power to make the public know that Mazda's are complete rust buckets.

The "public" already knows about this issue for quite some time (read this thread and go to www.torontomazda3.com for more). Mazda knows about it too and it's been fixing the cars, but I don't know if they are still doing it. The key is to get the support from your dealer first.
I even received a $750 voucher for a new Mazda purchase, targeted to Mazda3 owners with rust issues.

[Noobee]

The "public" already knows about this issue for quite some time (read this thread and go to www.torontomazda3.com for more). Mazda knows about it too and it's been fixing the cars, but I don't know if they are still doing it. The key is to get the support from your dealer first.
I even received a $750 voucher for a new Mazda purchase, targeted to Mazda3 owners with rust issues.

Is that right?  Does the "public" subscribe to torontomazda3.com, especially those out west?  I doubt that very much.   Besides, dealers are quick to point the finger on Ontario's harsh climate as the cause of the rust.  As far as a voucher goes, it's practically  worthless since no reasonable person would buy another mazda if they're plagued with a corrosion issue.

Wiithout sifting through the five pages, what's the solution to the problem?  Has Mazda extended the warranty on corrosion?

[Noobee]

Every single single Protege5 that I see has rust in both its rear wheel wells...  I guess Mazda didn't realize this problem until well into the production of the Mazda3.

mazda very well knew about this problem with the Protege.  It comes to statistics and dollars. the same problem will likely present itself with the 2007s+. The rust issue is just starting to show up in the 2005s and 2006s in 2008 and 2009.

any one says mazda always does the right thing must have some affiliation with mazda

[slalom]

I have a 2007 Mazda3 hatch, it's not showing any of the corrosion issues (yet)... I had a 2004 hatch prior to this one and when i swapped the lease for the 07, the 04 was starting to rust at the rear bumper/quarter panel joint. Glad i lease these cars so i can give them back and walk away!

My 07 lease is done in the spring, I won't be getting another Mazda for numerous reasons... sorry Mazda, your cars are fun to drive, but after 4 Mazda's in the past 7 years, its time to move on.

[nifty6]

Some pics of a 2004, probably started rusting from the time the car arrived in Canada. Not the only one I saw from that year, seen some 2005 with rust and some 2006 owners are showing signs of rust.
note on the 2nd pic the rust has gone through the metal leaving holes

http://i34.tinypic.com/14ahgtx.jpg
http://i36.tinypic.com/25unn8n.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/2yvvujo.jpg

[articsteve]

Nice pics.

The best owners can expect is a refinish job which is a sanding, bondo fill and repaint.  It will never last.  The proper job would require welding in new out and inner fenders which if it's on both sides of the car and parts of the rear then it would exceed the value of the car itself.

The only real course of action is to offer a buy back like Toyota did on the older Tacos.  However, I highly doubt that.

[carcrazy]

The only real course of action is to offer a buy back like Toyota did on the older Tacos.  However, I highly doubt that.

Nice try Steve!!!

Toyota trucks (both Tacoma and Tundra) have rotting FRAMES. This is a serious safety hazard, with serious liability risks. This is what drove Toyota's decision not the love for their customers.
Do you really think Toyota would have bought back the trucks for rusting fenders?

BTW: Mazda extended the corrosion warranty to 6 years (not enough IMO).

[Careener]

Some pics of a 2004, probably started rusting from the time the car arrived in Canada. Not the only one I saw from that year, seen some 2005 with rust and some 2006 owners are showing signs of rust.
note on the 2nd pic the rust has gone through the metal leaving holes

http://i34.tinypic.com/14ahgtx.jpg
http://i36.tinypic.com/25unn8n.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/2yvvujo.jpg

Wow..that is nasty. I'm going to keep a close eye on my 06.

[gosteelerz]

Some pics of a 2004, probably started rusting from the time the car arrived in Canada. Not the only one I saw from that year, seen some 2005 with rust and some 2006 owners are showing signs of rust.
note on the 2nd pic the rust has gone through the metal leaving holes

http://i34.tinypic.com/14ahgtx.jpg
http://i36.tinypic.com/25unn8n.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/2yvvujo.jpg

I'm a shameless Mazda fanboi but find this indefensible.  This issue has caused me to ponder whether to keep my car or not.  Fortunately, there are no signs of rust on my 2006, getting it Krowned this year for the first time.

I must say though, the pictures do reveal a car that has probably lived a rough life.  Note the 225 size tires on 6.5" wide rims, curb rash and the painted calipers.

The first gen Mazda 3 seems to mirror the best of the Hondas, they were fantastic cars but were also rust prone.  The pinnacle of Hondas IMO were the 88 through 2000 Civics, 1990 through 1997 Accords, and all of the Integras.  All of these rusted quickly save for the 6th gen Civics.

 

[Careener]

Some pics of a 2004, probably started rusting from the time the car arrived in Canada. Not the only one I saw from that year, seen some 2005 with rust and some 2006 owners are showing signs of rust.
note on the 2nd pic the rust has gone through the metal leaving holes

http://i34.tinypic.com/14ahgtx.jpg
http://i36.tinypic.com/25unn8n.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/2yvvujo.jpg

I'm a shameless Mazda fanboi but find this indefensible.  This issue has caused me to ponder whether to keep my car or not.  Fortunately, there are no signs of rust on my 2006, getting it Krowned this year for the first time.

I must say though, the pictures do reveal a car that has probably lived a rough life.  Note the 225 size tires on 6.5" wide rims, curb rash and the painted calipers.

The first gen Mazda 3 seems to mirror the best of the Hondas, they were fantastic cars but were also rust prone.  The pinnacle of Hondas IMO were the 88 through 2000 Civics, 1990 through 1997 Accords, and all of the Integras.  All of these rusted quickly save for the 6th gen Civics.

 

If you looked at how little you'd get for trading your car in it might make the decision to keep it easier.

[articsteve]

The only real course of action is to offer a buy back like Toyota did on the older Tacos.  However, I highly doubt that.

Nice try Steve!!!

Toyota trucks (both Tacoma and Tundra) have rotting FRAMES. This is a serious safety hazard, with serious liability risks. This is what drove Toyota's decision not the love for their customers.
Do you really think Toyota would have bought back the trucks for rusting fenders?

BTW: Mazda extended the corrosion warranty to 6 years (not enough IMO).

Tundras are as rust free as any 1/2 out there.    But the thing that separates the older Tacos with frame rust and these Mazdas is that with the Mazda it is CONSTANTLY staring owners in the face.  That has just got to drive some owners out of their minds.  It's time for the torch.

[gosteelerz]

Some pics of a 2004, probably started rusting from the time the car arrived in Canada. Not the only one I saw from that year, seen some 2005 with rust and some 2006 owners are showing signs of rust.
note on the 2nd pic the rust has gone through the metal leaving holes

http://i34.tinypic.com/14ahgtx.jpg
http://i36.tinypic.com/25unn8n.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/2yvvujo.jpg

I'm a shameless Mazda fanboi but find this indefensible.  This issue has caused me to ponder whether to keep my car or not.  Fortunately, there are no signs of rust on my 2006, getting it Krowned this year for the first time.

I must say though, the pictures do reveal a car that has probably lived a rough life.  Note the 225 size tires on 6.5" wide rims, curb rash and the painted calipers.

The first gen Mazda 3 seems to mirror the best of the Hondas, they were fantastic cars but were also rust prone.  The pinnacle of Hondas IMO were the 88 through 2000 Civics, 1990 through 1997 Accords, and all of the Integras.  All of these rusted quickly save for the 6th gen Civics.

 

If you looked at how little you'd get for trading your car in it might make the decision to keep it easier.

That is so very true.  I figure that we have eaten most of the depreciation by now, might as well hold on to it.

[carcrazy]

The only real course of action is to offer a buy back like Toyota did on the older Tacos.  However, I highly doubt that.

Nice try Steve!!!

Toyota trucks (both Tacoma and Tundra) have rotting FRAMES. This is a serious safety hazard, with serious liability risks. This is what drove Toyota's decision not the love for their customers.
Do you really think Toyota would have bought back the trucks for rusting fenders?

BTW: Mazda extended the corrosion warranty to 6 years (not enough IMO).

Tundras are as rust free as any 1/2 out there.    But the thing that separates the older Tacos with frame rust and these Mazdas is that with the Mazda it is CONSTANTLY staring owners in the face.  That has just got to drive some owners out of their minds.  It's time for the torch.

You must have missed the news:
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/08/nhtsa-launches-probe-into-2000-2001-toyota-tundra-frame-rust-cla/

As much as I hate rust, I'd take the rust on the fender any day over rust perforation on a truck frame. Again, the rotted frames on the Toyota trucks are a major safety issue and Toyota realized the huge risk they would take to allow those trucks on the road hence the buyback.

I had minor surface rust on mine inside the wheel well and I hated it, but I fixed it right away (under warranty) and mine doesn't show any rust in the vulnerable places.  Mazda changed the way they welded the inner and outer sheet metal around the rear wheel well on 2010 Mazda3 so it would not be a concern for me if I were to buy one again.

[articsteve]

As much as I hate rust, I'd take the rust on the fender any day over rust perforation on a truck frame.

2000-2001 Tundras 

That is ancient history.  I thought you were taking about the real Tundras. 

I have had at least 5- 20 year old pickups, some so rusty that the bumpers fell off, would certainly not pass a safety, but I hardly worried that the vehicles would break in half in transit.

IMO, surface rust is the death blow on any car.  It becomes an instant beater.  Very demoralizing to see that everyday and still owe on the car like I'm sure a majority of Mazda 3 owners do.  Hondas and Toyotas were like that in the early 80s.  Ten years and they were shot in this environment. 

[PJungnitsch]

A good sanding combined with an acid wash to get the rust out of the pits and a coating with something highly rust resistant like POR-15 would probably stop the existing rust in place (I have been very impressed with POR on my truck).

Then get the entire car repainted, preferably with some environmentally unfriendly epoxy enamel that dries hard as rock. Grew up with a Volvo 145 that stayed pristine until it wore out, much unlike other Volvos of the same era which ended up covered with surface rust. We had had it repainted on purchase as didn't like the OEM paint color, and that additional layer seemed to prevent the chips to the metal that seeded surface rust on other Volvos.

[Careener]

There's always Rust Bullet as a cheapo fix...

[carcrazy]

As much as I hate rust, I'd take the rust on the fender any day over rust perforation on a truck frame.

2000-2001 Tundras 

That is ancient history.  I thought you were taking about the real Tundras. 

I have had at least 5- 20 year old pickups, some so rusty that the bumpers fell off, would certainly not pass a safety, but I hardly worried that the vehicles would break in half in transit.

IMO, surface rust is the death blow on any car.  It becomes an instant beater.  Very demoralizing to see that everyday and still owe on the car like I'm sure a majority of Mazda 3 owners do.  Hondas and Toyotas were like that in the early 80s.  Ten years and they were shot in this environment. 

What is the "real" Tundra? 2007 MY? Were those 20 year old trucks Toyota pick-ups? Breaking in transit (or being at the risk to do so) was the real problem with those Toyota trucks that Toyota bought back.

You don't have to look at your rusted Mazda3 every day. You have to take it to a Mazda dealer and get it fixed under warranty (free).

I'm not trying to defend an obvious problem with the last gen Mazda3, but your association with the Toyota trucks shot frames. Apples and oranges...

[articsteve]

You don't have to look at your rusted Mazda3 every day. You have to take it to a Mazda dealer and get it fixed under warranty (free).

If ppl chose to keep their Mazda 3 long term after the "repair" they will be looking at it again.

From what I have read on this thread very few ppl are getting the "surface rust" repaired which is covered under warranty for the first 3 years because the time expired.  If ppl are getting their "perforated" rust repaired it's a sand, bondo and a respray paint blend and it will resurface in about 3 years.  The only long term fix is a new inner and outer panel, but that will never happen due to cost.

 

[carcrazy]

You don't have to look at your rusted Mazda3 every day. You have to take it to a Mazda dealer and get it fixed under warranty (free).

If ppl chose to keep their Mazda 3 long term after the "repair" they will be looking at it again.

From what I have read on this thread very few ppl are getting the "surface rust" repaired which is covered under warranty for the first 3 years because the time expired.  If ppl are getting their "perforated" rust repaired it's a sand, bondo and a respray paint blend and it will resurface in about 3 years.  The only long term fix is a new inner and outer panel, but that will never happen due to cost.

 

Mazda repaired the rust under the 5-year perforation warranty. The dealer recently told me Mazda had extended this warranty to 6 years. This means even some 2004 Mazda3 could still be repaired under warranty.
When this issue first came out (2007 IIRC), it was hard to get it fixed. Now it's a well known issue. If you follow Mazda3 forums, lots a people are getting it fixed without problems.
I agree the rust will come out again in a couple of years, but by then the cars will be almost 10 years old and nothing more than a beater; still safe to drive (unlike Tacoma/Tundra  ).

[articsteve]

OK, we can torch them all together.