Black marks on wheels.

I spent a few more minutes inspecting my REPLACED wheels and looked at them closely under a magnifier... The thickness of the clear coat varies between full, thick surface coverage and no coverage at all on some spots around the radius. The larger the radius the thicker the coat. Closer to the centre, there are spots absolutely not covered by clear coat!!!

However, there is no correlation between the black spot pattern I have seen on my original wheels and the variation in coat thickness on the replaced ones (uhm)....

Again, the best you can do: check ALL of your rims CAREFULLY at delivery. Move your car forward by half wheel turn distance, and inspect the other halves. My rims had the spots on one area only, and you couldn't find them facing upwards.
 
Update: I showed this to my dealer when I went in for my first oil change. He said that he needed to check with his rep.. a day later he called and said that his rep said that he will give me new ones but it's a one-shot deal. I said as long as you give me good ones that don't do the same thing. I got a call yesterday to schedule an appointment to have them installed.. 4 new rims when I can get in to get them.. and a new windshield.. but that is for a different post (stress crack in front of rain sensor).

Craig
 
So, we can't go through a car wash? My dealer told me that I must have driven through something bad. I told him that rain, road dirt, and car washes constitute "normal" expected treatment.. He is replacing my rims.
 
Black Marks On Rim

I have a 2008 GT CX9 and I also have noticed black markings on the rims, two of them r terrible, look like brake dust under the clear coat. I called the dealer and was advised to bring it in so he could look at it.* Very disappointed about this.* Only had it since September. Any suggestions???
 
I have a 2008 GT CX9 and I also have noticed black markings on the rims, two of them r terrible, look like brake dust under the clear coat. I called the dealer and was advised to bring it in so he could look at it.* Very disappointed about this.* Only had it since September. Any suggestions???[/QUOTE]

Read this thread and have them replaced!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
mr clean magic eraser, works on everything (j/k). if everyone is having the same problem its obvious that its a defect, mazda has to replace them.
 
Worth noting.

For people who frequent automatic car washes, its worth noting that that the soap used during the soak cycles has a mild acid in it to help loosen and dissolve the dirt and road film.
This is especially true in colder climates during the winter. Many washes have the underbody cleaning cycle and those high pressure sprays use similar chemicals.
So these chemicals used in the car washes can have the same effect on the wheels as the cleaners mentioned in the TSB. The high pressure spray can drive the chemicals into cracks or chips in the finish and make the problem worse.


Ted
 
I received a call from local dealership today, advising me that the regional rep said my rims were not covered under warranty. Wanted to blame the spots on a wheel cleaner. I have never took my truck to a car wash, I always wash it myself so I know that is impossible. The black molting is also under the clear coat so I know a cleaner has not stripped the clear coat off. I have contacted Mazda USA and they r to contact me back next week. Very upset regarding this matter. I am beginning to wonder just how good Mazda really is!!!! This is my first Mazda vehicle.
 
Sorry to hear all the people having this issues. I would assume if Mazda hears from enough people they will have to do something!?! I run my vehicles through the auto "high pressue water, brushless" carwashes in the winter all of the time. I guess I will just have to leave it dirty. So far so good.........I don't have any of the marks disscussed. I do use wheel wax which helps protect and keeps the wheels cleaner a lot longer. http://www.wheelwax.com/
 
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imo, it's obviously a manufacturing defect. Heck, I've had alloy wheels on my car for 7 years now, and have used all kinds of cleaners on these wheels and never had these black marks.

I believe the CX-9 wheels are aluminum. One way to get permanent black marks on aluminum is to black anodize--this can be done with acids. So maybe the factory was sloppy in cleaning the aluminum wheels and left some acid cleaner on them...?
 
I received a call from local dealership today, advising me that the regional rep said my rims were not covered under warranty. Wanted to blame the spots on a wheel cleaner. I have never took my truck to a car wash, I always wash it myself so I know that is impossible. The black molting is also under the clear coat so I know a cleaner has not stripped the clear coat off. I have contacted Mazda USA and they r to contact me back next week. Very upset regarding this matter. I am beginning to wonder just how good Mazda really is!!!! This is my first Mazda vehicle.


Ridiculous!!!

The company that made the wheels screwed up.
 
Mazda will have to do something!!! I have never had a vehicle with wheel mark problems caused by running it thorough an automatic carwash!
 
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