CriticalCommonBody & Rust

Mazda Mazda2: DE Rear Sill and Rear Wheel Arch Rust Perforation

DE Rear Sill and Rear Wheel Arch Rust Perforation is a common body & rust fault on the Mazda Mazda2 on the 2007–2014 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $600 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 33 documented faults on the Mazda Mazda2.

Vehicle: Mazda Mazda2
Years: 2007–2014
System: Body & Rust

This page covers the Mazda Mazda2 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Mazda Mazda2 faults33 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Body corrosion yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The DE-generation Demio (2007–2014) has a documented weakness in the steel panel thickness and factory anti-corrosion treatment at the rear sills (rocker panels below the rear doors) and at the inner lip of the rear wheel arches. Road stone chips break the paint at the arch lip, and road grime and moisture accumulate in the box section of the rear sill through poorly draining drain holes. Rust progresses from inside the panel outward, perforating the outer skin and, in advanced cases, compromising the structural sill section that carries the rear seat belt anchor and body stiffness.

What you would notice

Visible rust bubbling, blistering paint, or orange staining along the lower rear sill panel below the rear door
Perforated or soft metal at the rear wheel arch lip, often first visible as a ragged rust edge at the top of the arch
Moisture or rust staining visible on the interior floor carpet adjacent to the rear sill when the carpet is lifted

How to check it

Where to look. Rear sills (rocker panels) below the rear doors, and inner lip of rear wheel arches both sides

Inspect the rear sill from the rear wheel arch forward — poke the lower sill with a blunt instrument; perforation or softness indicates active rust.
Inspect the rear wheel arch lip all the way around with a torch, looking for bubbling paint, rust bloom, or perforation starting at the arch edge.
Check the inner arch liner behind the wheel for trapped mud concealing rust.
If a workshop inspection is possible: Lift the rear carpet and check the floor above the sill box section for moisture or rust staining.

Parts involved: Body corrosion.

What it costs to put right

$600 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has any rust repair or panel work been done to the rear sills or wheel arches?”
“Have you inspected under the rear carpet for moisture or rust staining?”

Now check the Mazda Mazda2 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Mazda Mazda2 buyer questions

Is de rear sill and rear wheel arch rust perforation serious on a Mazda Mazda2?

We rate it critical and common on the Mazda Mazda2. The DE-generation Demio (2007–2014) has a documented weakness in the steel panel thickness and factory anti-corrosion treatment at the rear sills (rocker panels below the rear doors) and at the inner lip of the rear wheel arches. Road stone chips break the paint at the arch lip, and road grime and moisture accumulate in the box section of the rear sill through poorly draining drain holes. Rust progresses from inside the panel outward, perforating the outer skin and, in advanced cases, compromising the structural sill section that carries the rear seat belt anchor and body stiffness.

How much does it cost to fix on a Mazda Mazda2?

$600 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Mazda Mazda2 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2007–2014 Mazda Mazda2. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Inspect the rear sill from the rear wheel arch forward — poke the lower sill with a blunt instrument; perforation or softness indicates active rust. Inspect the rear wheel arch lip all the way around with a torch, looking for bubbling paint, rust bloom, or perforation starting at the arch edge. Check the inner arch liner behind the wheel for trapped mud concealing rust. If a workshop inspection is possible: Lift the rear carpet and check the floor above the sill box section for moisture or rust staining. Look here: Rear sills (rocker panels) below the rear doors, and inner lip of rear wheel arches both sides