After about a month of driving and several car washes I have noticed that the wheels look dirty. I tried cleaning them by hand with water and a towel and it appears that the "dirt" is beneath the protective finish. It looks like a mottled pattern of brake dust. I saw a post on another Mazda forum and was curious if anyone here has had the same problem.

Thank you,
Craig

Craig
After owning for about 3 weeks and 5 washes, wheels still look good, but I will keep an eye on it

J.B

Mine still look decent and I handwash my vehicle so would notice if anything wasnt right. Will definitely keep an eye on that though and post if I see anything change.

Did you noticed that the fellow who had the problem said that that the dealer and MAZDA were replacing the wheels?....follow up with the guy it may be helpfull to you...

My dealer just looked at my wheels and they have to check with their rep for a claim.

ORIGINAL: Craig

After about a month of driving and several car washes I have noticed that the wheels look dirty. I tried cleaning them by hand with water and a towel and it appears that the "dirt" is beneath the protective finish. It looks like a mottled pattern of brake dust. I saw a post on another Mazda forum and was curious if anyone here has had the same problem.

Thank you,
Craig
Craig, I too am having this same problem. I have just discovered it today on my 2008 CX9. I have called the dealer and they said to bring it in and have them look at it. Please let me know of your outcome and I will do the same. Ryan.

I have read this problem on another forum. It seems that there was a bad batch of rims that have impurities beneath the clear coat. Take them in and have them replaced.

I have the same problem and Mazda is replacing the rims under warranty.

As a follow-up to my dirty wheel problem, my dealership did own up to the issue and replaced all four wheels and rubber with an exact CX-9 on his lot. I have had no issues with the new wheels so far and have washed the car at least once a week or two since.

Craig

Does anyone have any contact information or documents relating to having the OEM wheels replaced due to the brake dust stains under the clear coat?

I asked my local dealer to replace my wheels and was informed that they have never seen this problem before. They accused me of using something too strong to clean the wheels.

i just purchased a 2008 cx9 gt awd.
the dealer didnt have time to clean because it was so late.
i didnt care because i like cleaning cars anyway
when i went to clean the wheels they appeared stained.
i tried different cleaners and polishes but it looks like it is under the clear finish.
does anyone have any suggestions?

i too have stained wheels.
have you had any success with yours?

i too have stained wheels.
have you had any success with yours?

This is a known defect with the wheels. There was a paint problem associated with certain batch of tires.

I am trying to find the TSB but not having much luck at this point.

Check the Mazda 24/7 Forum. this one is lame

This is a known defect with the wheels. There was a paint problem associated with certain batch of tires.

I am trying to find the TSB but not having much luck at this point.

Check the Mazda 24/7 Forum. this one is lame

Lame? Sorry but I take exception to that. I am a Moderator over at 247 too. I like both forums but for different reasons. And in some ways, I like this one better. There are fewer wankers on this forum for one.

As for your wheels: There was a similar issue w/early 3 series cars also. The clear coat was porous and allowed water and dirty to infiltrate. Needless to say, they corroded beneath the clear.
Dealers were replacing the wheels no questions asked. I would imagine that if it is a known issue, the same is, or will be true for the 9's.
Call your dealer. Print out this thread if necessary and take it with you.

My '02.

Lame... indeed.

Lame? Sorry but I take exception to that. I am a Moderator over at 247 too. I like both forums but for different reasons. And in some ways, I like this one better. There are fewer wankers on this forum for one.

As for your wheels: There was a similar issue w/early 3 series cars also. The clear coat was porous and allowed water and dirty to infiltrate. Needless to say, they corroded beneath the clear.
Dealers were replacing the wheels no questions asked. I would imagine that if it is a known issue, the same is, or will be true for the 9's.
Call your dealer. Print out this thread if necessary and take it with you.

My '02.

Lame... indeed.


My apologies...Lame was not the proper word. But, as you MUST admit, there is very little activity on this board compared to 24/7 where there are multiple postings to multiple threads every day. Or Edmunds where there are at least a few per day. Where this forum is once a month sometimes or on a good week, once per week.

Lame, no....my apologies, just not as active or seems to attract the "knowledge" crowd you find on the other 2 forums.

I too am having the same issue and my dealer and Mazda are basically trying to say that it's chemicals we use when washing the car that causes this. Apparently there was a bulletin about it but I never received anything.

Stay tuned as I am digging deeper and will need all your help when this happens.

In the meantime, call Mazda Corporate 800-222-5500 and complain.

see below:

Some automotive cleaning products contain strong acid or alkali. When these types of cleaners are used to clean the wheels on Mazda vehicles, the chemicals contents penetrate the clear coating of the wheel surface and damage the paint under the clear coating. The damaged area has the appearance of dark stains.
Use extra care when cleaning wheels. The following are guidelines to follow when cleaning the wheels.
§ Mazda recommends using a mild soap or neutral detergent as stated in the owner's manual under Appearance Care in the Maintenance and Care section.
§ DO NOT use a cleaning products containing strong acid or alkali contents to clean the wheels.
§ DO NOT apply any type of specialized wheel cleaner to the wheels when they are hot (such as after driving the vehicle or if the vehicle has sat in the sun). Ensure wheel temperatures are the same as ambient temperature before cleaning.
§ Within 15 minutes after any cleaner is applied, rinse the wheel thoroughly to completely remove cleaner.
§ Stains on Mazda Wheels caused by improper cleaning are not covered under the Mazda Vehicle Warranty.

I have the same issue with my CX-9 GT 20" rims being stained. Has anyone been able to get them replaced under warranty? Is there a Technical Service Bulletin? I have had zero help from Mazda our the dealer. This was in no way from any chemicals applied as Mazda is trying to imply. Own up to it Mazda. This is a problem other manufactures would resolve for customer satisfaction.

I too have a set of 20's that are stained. car has 27K on it. Never been through a car wash and always washed with Meguiars soap and waxed using meguiars. Dealer (Bankston Ford/Mazda in Fort Worth) states their is nothing they can do and cited the TSB. I asked how far I need to take this up the chain and she said call Mazda. Quite Frankly I believe the strong chemical line is BS. I lean more towards an incorrect or porous clear coat. There are thousands of cars that are not hand washed that go through car washes every day with alloy wheels and never have a problem. I think this is Mazda's way of takeing the easy way out. Pretty piss poor customer service on their part. I had a guy at American Wheel tell me the that the strong cleaner response was a bunch of BS. If anyone has had success through Mazda, let me know.

I have this same issue. I would really like to get this resolved, but I would prefer to have the TSB as ammunition before going.

Anyone have the info?:confused: