We'll see.

As you can appreciate I just blew a boatload of cash and I'm triple checking everything is good. Call me a difficult customer call me whatever . I want to have peace of mind.

 

I don't want you to get your hopes up that Mazda is going to concern itself with this slight amount of rust. I can state with a high level of certainty that Mazda will respond with the following:

1. Surface rust
2. Normal

Surface rust on a cast knuckle like that is unlikely to do any sort of damage whatsoever. Anytime you have exposed steel you will find oxidation and rust. The ball joint is in a pressed in sleeve that is not rusting itself.

Don't want to live with it? Take a bit of WD-40 or another rust penetrant and clean it up. It should come right off with a toothbrush at this point. Once it's gone, take a paintbrush and some automotive paint (maybe pick up a jar of black touch up paint with the brush built into the cap) and cover up any of the cleaned areas.

Sounds like you're in Canada where cars often get a coat of Krown or Fluid Film sprayed before the winter months as extra protection. You're not yet there but if the rust is too big of a concern I'd recommend looking into that as well.

 

You're probably right. But I'd rather hear it from them.

And yes, it will absolutely be treated with Krown even though i got foolted into the 10 year rust proofing guarantee.

 

Remember that these were imported by Japan and the salt air on the trip over probably contributed to what you see.

 

So how many of you are Mazda employees? Just curious.

 

I am not

Might be really just an oxidation that we see from time to time on our brake pads but sure, it is a good idea to double check with them. Please let us know how it goes and hope everything works out well.

 

I would agree that it i just harmless surface rust. Typically the cast parts such as those are not painted at the factory and will begin to accumulate surface ust as soon as they have completed the machining process.> If you really want to see this first hand, don't drive the car for a few days and look at the front brake rotors. They will look very rusty--surface rust has developed. That rust is harmless. I just bought a 2020 CX5 GT and out of curiousity I got under mine and looked. My car shows the same thing. I also have a 2012 Toyota Tacoma pickup with 79k miles and it has almost the same rusty look in the same place. I appreciate your concern with seeing rust on a $40k car. If I was not an experienced mechanic, I would too. Just don't get your hopes up that Mazda will do anything about it.. I can not even get them to address the buggy XM radio that is giving me fits.

 

Yes I am

 

More rust

And more rust

And more

 

Somehow I don't think this is ok.