Affected Component: STRUCTURE:BODY

Date Published
FEB 06, 2018
NHTSA TSB #
10136369
TSB Document
Summary
Some vehicles may exhibit rust/paint blisters (1) on the surface of the front side sill near the the scuff plates(2). This is likely caused by the driver's or passenger's shoe(s) contacting the side sill when stepping in and/or out of the vehicle since the side sill of the Mazda3 is wider than other models. When this happens, mud/sand stuck to the sole of the shoe scratches the paint surface, which then develops into rust/paint blisters. When you receive a customer complaint on this concern, use the following repair procedure.