Yesterday I spotted the heat deflector above the exhaust was hanging off, I think only the fact that it couldn't fall past the exhaust was keeping it still there at all.

I drove to RRG Mazda in Stockport this morning to ask them if they could have a look. With no hesitation at all the car was up on a ramp. They said the aluminium heat shield had corroded at all the points where it was bolted on with steel bolts (I assume that is a chemical reaction that metallurgists would say "of course it has").

I went for a swift walk around the town centre, on my return the car was fixed, and washed, and there was no charge. My car is now 3.5 years old with 69K miles on the clock, and I would have no hesitation in recommending RRG Stockport to any Mazda owner.
I have previously sung the praises of this dealership when they diagnosed and repaired the infamous reverse-screeching problem, plus the corroding alloy wheels were replaced with no hesitation.

I only wish they had been there when the tyres were wearing out!!! Sadly I was with a much less obliging dealership in Bolton at that time.

 

I had my heat shield replaced 6 months ago back it had cracked, at about 1 year old. It made a tinging noise as the engine run. It lasted months while my local Mazda tried to order it or forgot it. The failure looked to me like fatigue (stress) failure (like infamous aeroplanes had). See my picture to understand and hope everyone else has a look at theirs. to find it....open the bonnet, prop it up (dah!) and standing at the front of the car look behind the engine and down the back (best if the car is facing the sun to illuminate the shiney metal. If cold tap it or flick or bang with a screw driver to hear the sound.