Very frustrating had the car about three weeks and already signs of some pretty bad rusting in the trunk WTF. Ill post pics as soon as I can get them uploaded. For some reason having some problems.

Katie

 

Where do you live? And what is your VIN#?

 

I live in St.Louis why is there some sort of bad batch of cars that went out with this same problem?

Katie

 

My dealer told me of a similar problem with 6's. If it is around the trunk channel areas. They ended up using some type of cleaner and compound on it to remove it. It was something like dust or grit in the paint surface that will come off with no paint damage.

I work near busy railroad tracks and really have to keep an eye on our white vehicles as the rail dust will stick and cause very small rust spots. Luckily they come right off with a good cleaner/wax product but I try and stay on top of it. And I very seldom bring my 8 to work.

 

That's sort of odd. Never heard this before but could be wrong with other threads. See if something was spilled awhile back. On a sunny day with the trunk lid closed, hose down the trunk lid and then open to see if there is a water leak. How did you discover the trunk area is rusting? Did you pick up the mat?

 

Rail dust or other metallic bits embedded in the paint (as SeaRay said above) can rust and stain the paint around them.

Use a clay bar to get the rail dust out and get the rust off.

 

Ill have the dealer take care of it. Its in the trunk channels Ill post the pics of it when I get my pitures uploaded-still having problems. Like I said the car is only a couple weeks old and it is garaged and no railroads in sight.

Katie

 

i believe the car is warranted for 5 years/unlimited miles against rust (or anything resembling it)

i suspect it's a surface 'staining' (similar to what happened with Mazda6's back in 2003) that can be cleaned up without touching the paint

 

That's a good idea to have the dealer take a look at it. Let us know how that works out then. Yes pics would help too. With todays chem treatments on metals I would think I agree with others on here that its just something on the surface that gives a rust appearance perhaps. A really bad rust issue would take a long time to develop I would think. Good that you are taking care of it now. Have you tried wiping it out with some paper towels?

 

If you lived close by, I was going to look at it. But your too far away. The VIN# request is for my own curiousity. I have no rust in 15,580 miles so far. Bet it is rail dust - and like everyone here has already said, the dealer should fix it up. Good Luck, and let us know if they fixed it.

 

I am not 100% up to date with the way rust works but here is my impression. If you just wipe if off its not going to just go away since rust is a chemical and will continue to eat away at the metal. Ill take it up to the dealer and let them treat it will other chemicals or take the trunk to bare metal and repaint it. I notice though that the spots where the rust is the paint is eaten away-so even if I "wipe it off" the trunk will be very noticably not the same color all around.

Katie

 

I had probably the same situation on my 8. I took some pictures of my inner door channels, and you can see what was determined to be staining, not rusting. It wiped right off. It was determined to be stain most likely from the welds, not the actual panels rusting. You can check out the pics directly here
or go to http://devoid.mine.nu and click on cars, RX-8 Pictures, album 2004-08-30 RX-8 at Audio Shop.

 

Since the paint if gone in certain areas perhaps this is rust. Yes pics would help then. Since I can't see the trunk area I was suggesting wiping it just to see what reaction would follow or if you saw the paint again or just what. Rust does not wipe away if it has a firm hold on an exposed area. Its difficult to tell if the water went through the paint into the exposed metal or what is the problem. Don't have a clue how Mazda painted the trunk area but on bare metal one would want a primer (red?) and then paint it. For it to rust then the paint layer protection was breached somehow. Yes, please let us know what is up with the rust in the trunk issue.

 

Well since my dang uploading site wants to be tricky today I just uploaded them to my yahoo photo album go here http://photos.yahoo.com/galantvr4us The pictures of both the left and the right side.

Pics really dont do it justice because the paint is eaten away where some of the "rust looking" substance is. The dealer finally called me back and they want to look at it but they have to check their schedule and call me back.

Katie

 

oh my that doesn't look like staining at all! damn!

 

I reviewed the pics and it looks just like weld spatter that Devoid reported and his pics too look the same. I would try a small dab of wax with a cloth and try rubbing it and see if any of it comes off on the cloth or papertowel. Anyone else see the same on their RX's?

 

I checked mine and I have the same stuff as you only not as much

 

i think its the bolts that hold the plates down there rusting inbetween

 

Yeah-its a pain to get to. To get it all cleaned up the trunk will most likely have to come out. Im just going to drop it off at the dealer and have them do it. Some of its coming off-some of it isn't-but that could be because the trunk needs to come off. Dont know not going to rip the trunk off-thats what warrenties are for After I get it all squared away and get it back Ill let you guys know what happened.

Katie

 

Not sure what it is really. This must be a common thing. I never looked at it until now. I will have to look at it closer when I get home tonight and see what it is. I think its a stain of some sorts. Yeah the stain is around my hold-down plates too. Would have been nice had Mazda painted this area with a clear coat and more paint.

 

Have had mine through a lot of washes and rain, havent seen any sign of rust yet.

 

Just checked mine - nothing there.

 

I put some polish on mine and it came off real quick. There was no paint removal or anything else. Its just a stain and mine looked just like yours. Yours does not look pitted so I would assume if you put a tiny bit of polish in that area, rub in good and after it dries to a haze a papertowel or cloth will make it look fine. That's what cleaned mine up anyway and I hope that is all you need to do with your car.

 

I don't have time to do the search right now, but there was a TSB, I believe. As I recall, Mazda was using a lubricant to install the weather stripping that left a residue. They changed lubricant and that's why not all cars were affected.

 

Looks like maybe they had a leaking cargo container and you got some salt-water contamination. I can't think of any other way a car that new could get that kind of rust.

Tbone