View Full Version : Paint Cracking on a 1 year old Mazda Sport 56K warning
Hey everyone,
So I was looking at my car the other day and noticed that the rear bumper had some pretty severe paint cracking that spreads across more than 1/3 of the bumper. The car is a 2008.5 Sport Hatch it has just over 24,000km on it. I've never been rear ended to my knowledge and doubt I ever have been hit in a parking lot or anything because there is no other damage to the bumper other than this cracking.
I took it to the dealership to have it checked out because I thought it could possibly be covered under warrenty since again the car is a barely over a year. The service manager told me I might have trouble having this covered because it could have been cause by wear and tear from the weather etc. But again I was thinking this is not normal for a car thats only 1-year old. I still haven't heard back from the dealership about whether this will be cover so I thought I would put it up here and find out if anyone has had this happen to them.
Do you guys think this would be covered?
Thanks, here are some pics of the cracking.
http://h.imagehost.org/0414/tm3-1.jpg
http://h.imagehost.org/0715/tm3-2.jpg
http://h.imagehost.org/0021/tm3-3.jpg
Gizzmo_jr
08-02-2009, 12:10 PM
Defiantly NOT normal
Dave_The_BMXER
08-02-2009, 12:58 PM
wow wtf?
chinsterr
08-02-2009, 01:02 PM
That's F*CKED UP !
MistaChin
08-02-2009, 01:03 PM
WOW That's fu%&ed! not normal
McGuyver_3
08-02-2009, 01:03 PM
If i am not mistaken that looks like the plastic bumper and plastic side skirt correct? could be that the flexing agents they put in the paint were not the right mix
Thrizzl3
08-02-2009, 01:04 PM
holy ****:whoa
LOL so I guess this has not happened to anyone else...=P
Its only the bumper mcguyver, i hope you're right about that
dead_cactus
08-02-2009, 01:46 PM
Wow, I would be pissed.
stealthman12
08-02-2009, 01:51 PM
wow, that looks pretty bad.
I don't even have cracking that bad where I dented my bumper
BoostieMonster
08-02-2009, 02:49 PM
Wear and tear from the weather? That service manager is on crack!! Doesn't want to admit his dealership sold a car like that.....fight it to the death! I would....
Flagrum_3
08-02-2009, 04:47 PM
Wear and tear from the weather? That service manager is on crack!! Doesn't want to admit his dealership sold a car like that.....fight it to the death! I would....
Service manager definately is on 'Crack' with his statement.Weathering lol, maybe after 20 years :chuckle
That absolutely is not normal!! and you shouldn't settle for anything less then a new OEM bumper, as just repainting the existing bumper might not solve the problem in that it may be the plastic itself that caused the issue.
_3
Have you taken it to the carwash during colds day in winter?
looks like it could be expansion / cooling cracks
Flagrum_3
08-02-2009, 05:07 PM
Have you taken it to the carwash during colds day in winter?
looks like it could be expansion / cooling cracks
IF that was the case just about everyone on this site would have them, don't you think? I washed my car every week in the winter and never got cracking whatsoever, let alone like that! :whoa
_3
This should be covered under warranty...When i had a issue with road rash on my car after one year and 40,000km later my local dealer serive manger took care of it with no problems..I showed him and he told me when i want to bring it in so they can take it to the body shop and have them paint it and adjust me doors.
Hope fully he takes car of this problem for you
Good luck
IF that was the case just about everyone on this site would have them, don't you think? I washed my car every week in the winter and never got cracking whatsoever, let alone like that! :whoa
_3
if you stay long enough under the dryers in the drive through car washes, it will heat up the plastic.... and i don't think i need to explain the rest.
MAZDA Kitten
08-02-2009, 10:44 PM
Wow OMG I have never ever seen anything like this! What could possibly cause this? Just curious...
Sorry I wouldnt even deal with the dealership at this point. Straight to Mazda Canada. They're on my speedial
Flagrum_3
08-02-2009, 11:35 PM
if you stay long enough under the dryers in the drive through car washes, it will heat up the plastic.... and i don't think i need to explain the rest.
What type of dryers are you talking about? If it's the air dryers that are pretty typical in most touchless carwashes, they definately will not do any harm.The Shell touchless I use all winter has one (an air blower/dryer) and I never had a problem!...plus it only runs about a minute I believe.
Anyways to CM3, now that I think of it I have seen this type of cracking before and it's a problem with the clearcoat.Seen it rarely, and it cracks then eventually starts to peel off.
_3
McGuyver_3
08-02-2009, 11:36 PM
if you stay long enough under the dryers in the drive through car washes, it will heat up the plastic.... and i don't think i need to explain the rest.
The sun heats up the plastic alot more then the heaters do so that is why there are flexing agents in the paint on the plastic surfaces
TheMAN
08-03-2009, 01:50 AM
improper care can cause any paint to prematurely fail... I'm not denying or acknowledging any defects but I have to put this out there:
-if you used dish soap, hand soap, whatever not meant for the car to wash it, then you remove any wax that's on it and can potentially damage the paint by the soap itself in the process
-even if the soap didn't harm the paint, the lack of wax can quickly cause clear coat failure as evident in this case
-even if you use proper car wash soap, there are so many variations in the market, there are some that do less to "protect" than others.... regardless, wax gets washed off over time by either you washing the car or by rain... this is why waxing HAS to be done at least twice a year on a car (maybe once a year if it doesn't get rained on much)
mazdabetty
08-03-2009, 03:04 AM
WOW... it hurts :(
Your dealer is a twit.
That is definitely a defect. Hope you work something out at another dealer, you shouldn't be having a problem getting this looked at. Wear and tear.. pshhh
-if you used dish soap, hand soap, whatever not meant for the car to wash it, then you remove any wax that's on it and can potentially damage the paint by the soap itself in the process
Oh no don't say that. Flagrum will be ON your arse about that one!!! hahahhah :pop I'm sure this person has not used dishsoap as their everyday car wash soap... And I think most people know that it will remove any existing wax/protectant. Even if they did use dishsoap and never waxed their car, this still would not happen to a 1 year old car.
Flagrum_3
08-03-2009, 04:34 AM
WOW... it hurts :(
Your dealer is a twit.
That is definitely a defect. Hope you work something out at another dealer, you shouldn't be having a problem getting this looked at. Wear and tear.. pshhh
Oh no don't say that. Flagrum will be ON your arse about that one!!! hahahhah :pop I'm sure this person has not used dishsoap as their everyday car wash soap... And I think most people know that it will remove any existing wax/protectant. Even if they did use dishsoap and never waxed their car, this still would not happen to a 1 year old car.
You tell him straight Missy :chuckle
_3
TheMAN
08-03-2009, 04:56 AM
WOW... it hurts :(
Your dealer is a twit.
That is definitely a defect. Hope you work something out at another dealer, you shouldn't be having a problem getting this looked at. Wear and tear.. pshhh
Oh no don't say that. Flagrum will be ON your arse about that one!!! hahahhah :pop I'm sure this person has not used dishsoap as their everyday car wash soap... And I think most people know that it will remove any existing wax/protectant. Even if they did use dishsoap and never waxed their car, this still would not happen to a 1 year old car.
never say never
I never implied definitively it will happen... I said it may happen
Haha i'm pretty familiar with car care, you don't have to worry about me using dish soap...and i've washed once a month and waxed it almost every time after every wash with meguires 3 step plus clay-bared all by hand...so i would think my paint is fairly protected still.
I'm going to try to get a new bumper because i have a feeling the plastic itself is defective...hopefully I hear back from them this week if not i will be going into the dealership in person and I will make a scene if I have to =P
mazda lover
08-04-2009, 12:27 AM
improper care can cause any paint to prematurely fail... I'm not denying or acknowledging any defects but I have to put this out there:
-if you used dish soap, hand soap, whatever not meant for the car to wash it, then you remove any wax that's on it and can potentially damage the paint by the soap itself in the process
-even if the soap didn't harm the paint, the lack of wax can quickly cause clear coat failure as evident in this case
-even if you use proper car wash soap, there are so many variations in the market, there are some that do less to "protect" than others.... regardless, wax gets washed off over time by either you washing the car or by rain... this is why waxing HAS to be done at least twice a year on a car (maybe once a year if it doesn't get rained on much)
Had to read this post 3 times because I can't believe what I was reading...but anything is possible. Take it to a body shop and ask them before taking it to the dealer...
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