2004 Mazda Mazda3 Body & Structure Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERE CORROSION AND THE DOOR FRAME WAS STARTING TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THAT PORTIONS OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE CORROSION WAS IN AREAS THAT WERE BEYOND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

I BOUGHT A CAR RECENTLY, AND IT HAD SOME RUST ON BOTH REAR WHEEL WELLS IN THE SAME EXACT SPOTS. I HAVE A 2004 MAZDA 3I AND I TOOK IT TO ABOUT 4 BODY SHOPS TO HAVE IT WORKED ON. I GOT PRICES RANGING FROM 1000.00 DOLLARS TO 2500.00 DOLLARS TO FIX THE RUST. ALL OF THESE BODY SHOPS SAID THEY HAVE HAD AT LEAST ONE OTHER PERSON WITH THE SAME CAR AND THE SAME COMPLAINT AS I DID. MAZDA NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY 1000 DOLLARS TO GET MY CAR FIXED. MAZDA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND FIX IT. *TR

ON 4/17/08 MY WIFE HAPPENED TO BE FOLLOWING ME AND SHE CALLED ME ON MY CELL PHONE AND SAID IT APPEARS YOU HAVE SOMETHING HANGING UNDER YOUR CAR. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND IT WAS THE SPLASH SHIELD AGAIN. THREE OF THE FRONT BOLTS WERE MISSING BUT FOUR OTHER BOLTS, TWO ON EACH SIDE,WERE STILL ATTACHED, SO IT WAS JUST THE CENTER THAT WAS BOWING DOWNWARD. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT IMMEDIATELY AND THE CAR WAS SERVICED ON 4/18/08. ORIGINALLY THE DEALER WAS GOING TO CHARGE ME FOR THE SPLASH SHIELD. HE SAID IT APPEARS SOMETHING STRUCK THE PART. SO, AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION AND AFTER I RETRIEVED THE PART FROM THE MECHANICS WORK BENCH I WAS ABLE TO PROVE THE PART WAS DRAGGING WHICH CAUSED THE SPLASH SHIELD TO BREAK APART. THERE WERE ROAD ABRASION MARKS ON THE SPLASH SHIELD. THIS IS THE SECOND SHIELD TO BE REPLACED ON MY CAR. IS MAZDA HAVING ISSUES WITH THESE SHIELDS. THE DEALER KEEPS A SUPPLY OF THEM IN STOCK. *TR

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2004 MAZDA3 SPORT GT WHICH I PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2004. THE CAR HAS BEEN RUSTPROOFED BY KROWN SINCE IT'S FIRST YEAR, IS WASHED AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK (MORE OFTEN IN WINTER MONTHS), AND IS OTHERWISE VERY WELL MAINTAINED. CURRENTLY I AM HAVING TO DEAL WITH A MAJOR RUST ISSUE WHICH, FROM READING MAZDA FORUM ENTRIES, IS PROVING TO BE EXTREMELY COMMON IN MY YEAR AND MAKE OF CAR. FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS THERE HAS BEEN COMPLETE RUSTING ON THE INSIDE OF THE REAR WHEEL WELLS WHICH HAS BEEN MENTIONED TO MY DEALERSHIP, TO NO AVAIL. NOW I ALSO HAVE RUSTING AT THE BOTTOM OF BOTH REAR PASSENGER DOORS, AND AT THE SEAMS BY THE BUMPER. ASIDE FROM THAT ISSUE, THE PAINT ON ALL 4 DOORS AND ON THE LIFTGATE (IT IS A HATCHBACK) IS BLISTERING! I DID BRING MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT WAS FLATLY TOLD THAT THERE IS ONLY A "PERFORATION" WARRANTY WHICH ONLY PERTAINS TO ACTUAL HOLES. MAZDA CANADA IS THEREFORE UNWILLING TO HELP DEFRAY ANY PART OF THE CONSIDERABLE REPAIR BILL. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO 3 SHOPS TO GET REPAIR ESTIMATES WHICH RANGE IN COST FROM $1000 TO FIX JUST THE OBVIOUS RUST SPOTS TO $1800 TO ALSO ADDRESS ALL THE BLISTERING. BASICALLY MOST OF THE CAR, WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF THE FRONT HOOD (WHICH I HAD COVERED IN CLEAR COATING WHEN I GOT IT) AND THE ROOF, NEEDS TO BE SANDBLASTED AND COMPLETELY REFINISHED TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE. ALL SHOPS I'VE SPOKEN TO FIND THIS RUSTING/BLISTERING ISSUE ON A 2004 WELL-MAINTAINED CAR TO BE VERY UNUSUAL AND ATTRIBUTE IT TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. ONE PLACE EVEN MENTIONED THAT HE RECENTLY REFINISHED TWO OTHER MAZDA 3S IN THE SAME COLOR AS MINE (WINNING BLUE). SINCE THIS IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE WITH THE ORIGINAL PAINTING OF THE CARS, MAZDA CANADA SHOULD RECOGNIZE THIS AND OFFER ITS CUSTOMERS SOME LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PAINT REPAIRS ARE QUITE COSTLY, THE COMPANY SHOULD TAKE THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY. AS IS, MY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN BRUSHED OFF AND IGNORED. *TR